Natural Notes: New knowledge from Westmoreland State Park on Virginia's Northern Neck

On March 12-14, I attended the spring workshop for the National Association for Interpretation's Mid Atlantic region.  The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is the professional society for natural and cultural resource interpreters such as park rangers, naturalists, nature center managers, historical interpreters, and others.  The regional workshop for the Mid-Atlantic states was held at the beautiful Westmoreland State Park on a bluff overlooking the tidal Potomac River (see Figure 1).  This blog post will outline my notes from the various workshop sessions that I attended.  Those include:

• Weeds, Woodslore, and Wildwooods Wisdom
• Interpreting Cultural Resource Issues using a facilitated dialogue as a Technique (notes are on a separate document)
• Native Plants for Survival
• Visitor Experience Planning

My hope is that I can take home what I've learned from these interpretation professionals and apply it in my future places of employment.  

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Figure 1:  The tidal section of the Potomac River as seen from a bluff at Westmoreland State Park in Montross, Virginia.  March 12, 2014.    

Date & time: March 12, 2014, 10am-12pm

Event:  NAI Region 2 Workshop

Location: Trails and lawn near Murphy Hall, Westmoreland State Park, VA

Topic:  Weeds, Woodslore, and Wildwooods Wisdom

Speaker:  Doug Elliot

Weather conditions:  ~60 degrees F, 65% clouds, winds from the NW at 5-10 mph

Naturalist Doug Elliot started off the walk with telling us about Tulip Poplar trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) and their cultural uses.  Apparently,  nectar from tulip poplar flowers tastes sweet and can be slurped right from the flower.  It is also possible to make berry-picking baskets from Tulip Poplar Bark.  Despite their name, Tulip Poplars are not a poplar but are in fact a member of the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae).

Cardimine spp .is a member of the mustard family since the flowers have four petals and six stamens.  Wintercress, a common name for one of the species, is a non-native herb that grows as a weed on lawns and is edible with a light bitter flavor that can make for a wonderful addition to salads. Wintercress has pinnately compound leaves with white flowers.    

Elliot also showed is some puffball mushrooms growing out of a rotting log near Murphy Hall.  The scientific genus for most forms of puffball mushrooms is Lycoperdon which means "wind of the wolf."  The spores releasing from a puffball mushroom (see Figure 2), in other words, look like "wolf farts!"  

Figure 2:  Diagram of a typical puffball mushroom releasing a cloud of spores.  

Elliot then led us into a more wooded area where we saw Spicebush shrubs (Lindera benzoin) growing in the understory.  It is possible to make a tea from the fragrant wood of a Spicebush.  Appalachian people sometimes refer to Spicebush as 'Spicewood.'  Elliot also mentioned that wood from Specebush shrubs can be used as a skewer for meat, adding a wonderful flavor.  Spicebush is one of the host plants for the Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) which resembles a smearing of brown and white, resembling bird poop.  During the caterpillar's final instar, the animal resembles a small snake that can sometimes be found underneath a curled leaf of the Spicebush shrub.   

Elliot showed is a Papwaw tree (Asimina triloba), which has a very fibrous bark that can be used as a fiber material (figure 3). 

Figure 3:  Illustration of the fibrous bark of a Pawpaw tree.  

Elliot then moved on to showing the group a peculiar phenomena on a downward facing section of a large tree trunk:  gnaw and scratch marks.   Elliot claims that he observes gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) chew and gnaw on the dry underside of tree trunks during long period of rain to keep their teeth sharp (since wet wood does not allow enough friction for squirrels to sharpen their teeth).  Squirrels and other rodents must sharpen their teeth on a regular basis to prevent their teeth from growing into their jaw.  

Greenbriar (Smilax spp.) is a native species of vine whose young leaf shoots are edible and tender.  

Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) has an edible berry and the shrub can be recognized in the winter by its opposite branching and large lenticels on the bark.  

Elliot also provided the group with some interesting notes on the growing habitat of Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).  Poison ivy typically grows in forest clearings and edges, and is seldomly present in old growth woods.  Forest destruction and disturbance might actually be increasing the abundance of poison ivy!  

Aralia spinosa, Devil's Walking-stick, is a native tree with large thorns along the trunk that is in fact a member of the Ginseng family.  

Elliot pointed out a mass of Wineberry shrubs (Rubus phoenicolasius) a non-native invasive raspberry with a delicious berry.  Although the berries are edible, the shrub can take over rapidly and should be managed.  Wineberries spread rapidly via new growth that launched a root into the ground (see figure 4).  Wineberry shrubs should be trimmed in the middle of its new growth to slow its spread.  

Figure 4:  Wineberry is an invasive species whose growth should be restricted by trimming its new growth.  

Wineberries thrive in disturbed edge habitats.  

Wild grapes (Vitus sp.) are a commonly encountered native grape vines that starts growing up a tree when the tree is young.  

Wax can be made from the berries of Wax Myrtles (Morella cerifera) by boiling them and skimming the wax off of the surface of the water.  Elliot noted that making wax from wax myrtles requires the collection of a large quantity of berries.   

In the Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont, and the southeastern coastal plain, Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is common (see Figure 5).  Despite it's name, Mountain Laurel doesn't always grow on mountains and isn't a species of laurel.  Mountain Laurel is common on dry, well-drained sandy soils with partial to full sun and is a member of the Heath family (Ericaceae).  Rhododendrons and Azaleas belong to this family, as well.  Elliot noted that many people in the Appalacian Mountains refer to Mountain Laurel as 'poison ivy' since it is toxic to livestock.  One of the reasons so many stream valleys in Appalachia are referred to as "ivy creek" or "ivy hollow" is in fact due to the abundant presence of mountain laurel!  The flowers of mountain laurel have a sticky stem (figure 6) that can be stuck onto someone's ears to look like earrings.  

Figure 5:  The flower head of a wild growing mountain laurel at Windsor-Castle Park in Smithfield, Virginia.  May 2013.  

Figure 6:  Diagram of a mountain laurel flower

The group observed the drill marks of a yellow-bellied sapsucker (Syphyrapicus varius) on an American Holly tree (Illex opaca).  

Doug Elliott showed the group a blackberry bush still dormant for the winter.  Elliott described an observation told by people in the Appalachian Mountains that blackberries taste sweeter after a frost. Late frosts sometimes happen shortly after a few weeks of warm spring weather brings out blackberry flowers, and it has been shown that blackberries do in fact taste sweeter when a frost follows the blossoming of the plant.   

The group came up upon a Hickory tree (Carya sp.).  Elliot pulled down a small branch from the tree and showed the group the hole where the hickory girdler beetle lays its eggs.  The eggs are usually laid at the joint of a Hickory branch (see figure 7A) and then the larvae gradually chew at the joint of the branch to leave a distinct chew mark on the branches.  The chewing activity sometimes weakens the branch and it falls to the ground (Figure 7B).  

Figure 7:  The effects of a hickory girdler beetle on the branches of hickory trees.  

Elliot mentioned that if someone gets injured and they are out in the middle of the woods, peeling off a piece of hickory or pawpaw bark and using it to tie something together (such as a broken limb) can be quite effective!

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a highly invasive vine that has become widespread across the eastern United States, and the group encountered some along a woodland edge.  Japanese honeysuckle is the most used herbal remedy in Asia, and its twisty stems can be woven into sturdy baskets with a distinct white color!  

The group encountered a dog footprint on the lawn outside of the park's visitor center.  Elliot pointed out a great way to distinguish a canine footprint from a feline footprint.  If you draw an imagenry 'X' across the lower pad of the paw print, it should line up with the opposite digits as shown in Figure 8.  

Figure 8:  If drawing an 'X' across the lower pad of a canine footprint matches up with the opposite digits (toes) you can verify that the paw print belongs to that of a canine (dog).  

The lawn area also had a dandelion (Taraxicum officinale) in bloom.  Dandelion greens (the leaves) are a healthy addition to a salad but can taste bitter.   Chopping up dandelion greens to oxidize them will make them sweeter.  The French used to refer to them as "Daunt de lion" but are now commonly referred to by their folk name as "pee-in-the-bed" due to their diuretic property.  Dandelions are not very common in the southern United States as they are not tolerant of prolonged heat.  Dandelions are abundant in the northern tier of the United States and are considered more of a northern-growing wildflower.  

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Workshop Title:  Native Plants for Survival

Speaker:  Vickie Shufer, False Cape State Park (Virginia)

Location:  Murphy Hall, Westmoreland State Park, Virginia

Date & Time:  March 13, 2014.  9:30am-11:30am.  

Shufer gave an overview of building supplies that can be harvested from materials in nature in an outdoor survival situation.  Hardwood saplings can compose the framework of a structure, while roofs can be made from reeds.  

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) can be used as salad greens but should not be eaten raw. Pokeweed must be boiled to detoxify.  

The roots from Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) have the most flavor prior to the tree leafing out.  Caution should be exercised when brewing the roots, as there is evidence that the roots may be carcinogenic. 

Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) have an edible fruit with an lemony apple-like sweet flavor. The fruits are often eaten by wildlife, but mayapples can be picked green and allowed to ripen.  The seeds are poisonous (much in the way as apple seeds) and the roots are quite toxic.  Box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) eat the fruit are believed to be a significant contributor to the dispersal of mayapples.

Elderberry syrup has been shown to help prevent the flu.    

When trying a new wild edible plant for the first time, Shufer recommends that you consume it in a small quantity to allow your body to adjust to the new substances it is intaking.  

The oil from the seeds of muscadine grape (Vitus rotundifolia) is good for you and is often the source of grape seed oil sold in health food stores.  

Pine tar soap, made from the sap of pine trees (Pinus sp.), has been claimed to be the best repellent for chiggers and ticks.  

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) leaves might be more effective against mosquitoes than deet! Studies on this fact are still underway.  Beautyberry is in the Viburnum family (Verbenaceae). 

Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus), while attractive, is NOT edible.  

Rose hips have lots of Vitamin C!

Youpon Holly (Ilex opaca) is related to the South American yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and is the only native plant in the United States that has caffeine in the leaves!  The berries are toxic and should be left for the birds.  

Partridge berries (Gaultheria procumbens) ripen in the winter.  The berries are edible but are tasteless and should ideally be left for the birds.  

Wetlands are for roots!  Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), sometimes referred to as 'duck potato', is a freshwater aquatic plant that has edible tubers on its roots (see Figure 9).  They can be steamed and cooked just like potatoes.  

Figure 9:  The tubers of arrowheads are edible.  

Arrow arum (Peltandra virginica) is in the same family as Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) and needs to be processed before consumption.  

Figure 10:  The leaf of an arrow arum plant.  

Wild rice (Zizania sp.) is native to Virginia.

American Indian women used a mortar and pestle to grind walnuts, hickory nuts, and other tree nuts.

Wild plants used for medicinal purposes cannot often be used as a food source since many of them can be quite toxic.

The sap from Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) can be used to treat skin cancers by eating into the flesh.  This can be accomplished by adding a drop of the sap to an affected area.
The juice from Jewelweed (Impatients capensis) can be used to prevent poison ivy.  Simply chop it up, let it stoup, and preserve it with alcohol.  You can then use it as an ointment to sooth poison ivy rashes.

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) was used as a ceremonial tea combined with other herbs for ritual cleansing (vomiting).  Wild tobacco (Nicotiana rustica) was also used in Native American ceremonies.

Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)  can cause brain damage.  It was used by Native Americans as a ritual for men coming of age.  This plant can cause death!

Good fiber plants:

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
• Yucca (Yucca sp.)
• Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)

Yucca and Dogbane have especially strong fibers.  The fibers can be stripped off of the plant to make rope.  Dogbane sap can be rubbed into things as a waterproof coating, but contact with the eyes should be avoided!  

Native yuccas are NOT edible.  Edible yucca sold is stores is imported from a tropical species.  

Grape vines (Vitus sp.) are a good source of emergent water.  Cutting the top of the vine followed by the bottom of the vine will allow water to flow via capillary action.  

Plantain leaves (Plantago sp.) can be used to treat bee stings, including on people who are allergic to bees!  

There are many poisonous snakes in Southeast Virginia.  Poisonous snakes can usually be distinguished from non-poisonous snakes by the shape of their heads (Figure 11).  Poisonous snakes have a large triangular shaped head while non-poisonous snakes have a narrow head.  

Figure 11:  Typical head shapes of a poisonous snake (A) versus a non-poisonous snake (B).  

Being "outdoors-wise" starts with getting outside!  

Pine wood with resin still on it works great as a torch!  The resin keeps in burning for a long time. 

Use good conservation efforts when foraging.  Know which plants are endangered or rare in your area!

Sumac berries can be used to make tea.  The tea us best when the berries are picked right when they're ripe, since rain can wash much of the flavor away.  Steep the berries for a long time in cold water.  

Reference:  Everything Guide to Foraging, Vickie Shufer.  

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Date & Time:  March 13, 2014.  1:30pm-2:30pm
Speaker:  Christen Miller, Virginia State Parks
Location:  Visitor Center, Westmoreland State Park
Topic:  Visitor Experience Planning

Each Virginia State Park has a master plan, which is a management document that outlines desired features and overarching objectives.  Master plans for each park are available to the public online as a downloadable PDF.

Resource plans focus on a desired future such as landscape restoration.  The visitor experience plan provides the missing piece.  The concept was derived from the National Park Service.  Visitor experiencing planning guidelines can be viewed in a PDF upon request.

Figure 12:  How Virginia plans for its state parks.  

Virginia State Parks needs to keep up with changing visitor needs and demographics.  Interpretive plans are a part of a visitor experience plan.  A visitor experience plan also proposes facilities for interpretation such as signs, exhibits, etc.

Discovery sites are a way for visitors to explore what they like with guidance.  People seek and expect a complete, authentic experience, a concept known as the experience economy.

There are three parts to a Virginia state park's plan:

1. Program plan
2. Annual implementation plan
3. Visitor experience plan

The planning process is team-led and goal driven. People who know the park but work for different departments (e.g. tourism department, commerce, etc.) allow for different viewpoints and perspectives.  Together, they list out the park's mission statement and purpose.  They also develop audience descriptions for hikers, bikers, birdwatchers, etc.  Each section of a park is then mapped out into different visitor experience areas.  

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And that's it!