Mt Washington, Butterflies and Dandelions

[peakbagger]

https://patch.com/new-hampshire/across-nh/dandelions-butterflies-6-288-feet
Interesting that the cog seems to want to keep the reports secret. I wonder if the proposed accommodations at the summit impact their concern?.

During a public discussion of the cog railcar hotel proposal previously ,discussing the issue of the very large proposed deck to be built over much of the proposed area, the cog owner had advocated bringing up topsoil to improve the types of plants growing at the summit. The proposed platform was to be open grating with storage space for support equipment integrated below the grating. My speculation is its probably an ideal receiver and incubation space for non native plants and insects. There was lot of debate on how and if and the potential timing of a detailed environmental impact study of the summit and surrounds relative to the cog project proceeding. Some on the Mt Washington Commission feel that any EIS does not need to address the areas adjacent to the state owned summit land while others advocate including the adjacent areas including the proposed Cog project on their owned land (still very much alpine zone).

 

[sierra]

Very interesting read.

 

[Andrew]

Leave it to The Cog to have secretly developed a solution to capture unwanted non-native debris from peoples shoe-soles before they step out onto the native soils. Step off the train onto the grating and the debris can be captured before reaching the soil; they probably need to patent it before showcasing.

 

[skiguy]

Leave it to The Cog to have secretly developed a solution to capture unwanted non-native debris from peoples shoe-soles before they step out onto the native soils. Step off the train onto the grating and the debris can be captured before reaching the soil; they probably need to patent it before showcasing.

It’s easy to speculate about anything. Hopefully appropriate discussion leads to better solutions in relevance to the end product. Wonder if the bagged Dandelions get recycled for their medicinal properties or just thrown in a landfill somewhere.

 

[sierra]

When I allowed a beekeeper to install hives on my property, he asked me to not pick or cut dandelions, as they are one of the first food sources for spring bees.

 

[DayTrip]

When I allowed a beekeeper to install hives on my property, he asked me to not pick or cut dandelions, as they are one of the first food sources for spring bees.

I live on 8.5 acres, about 2 of it was lawn the rest woods, and we've been trying to re-wild the yard the past 2 Summers. Letting a lot of the yard grown in, planted various wildflowers, stuff like that. There was a very noticeable uptick in bees this year, dragonflies, fire flies and butterflies. It takes a few years I guess to rejuvenate everything but it definitely seems worthwhile.

 

[Andrew]

Right -On DayTrip! I keep about 3 acres open by mowing after the majority of the blooms are done in the fall (last week). I just can't bring myself to chop up so much life & beauty. Yes, all the bees, butterflies, and dragonflies....and the birds; but it even does wonders for the mammals. Bear love our yard and have been using it as a refuge. It really gets tall and wild mid-summer and then when some things start to fall over, I discover the bear hiding spots and trails at the edges that also have apple and pin cherry. Common for me to go out to pee and flush a bear from in front of me. I guess I have an informal agreement with the bear, as all my neighbors are at wits end with bear in garbage and chickens, (knock-knock) they don't bother my critters or touch anything on my property- because they are busy gathering the wild food we encourage.

Back on Topic
My wife ran the captive rearing lab for the karner blue butterfly at the Concord, NH Airport, and actually published the first captive rearing propagation manual that is now referenced by other agencies for similar efforts. She had developed and managed strategies to reverse a couple of population collapses. Great stuff, beautiful little creatures. Nonetheless she at times had to question if what they were doing really made sense. The butterfly was only there due to unique habitat present today due to human influence keeping the land open. Nature left to its devices was eliminating the butterfly as new growth shaded out the preferred habitat.
On Mt. Washington this butterfly only exists as a remnant of a broader artic species that has become stranded on an island of unique habitat and developed specifics to that habitat over time. From what I have heard, climate and habitat change is the biggest danger to the existence of the butterfly, not trains. I see more vegetative growth in the rail corridor as opposed to the hiking treadways.

 

[Mac]

When I allowed a beekeeper to install hives on my property, he asked me to not pick or cut dandelions, as they are one of the first food sources for spring bees.

We're encouraged not to mow in May, to allow bees to harvest from dandelions, etc. About 1/2 of our cleared land is left untouched in May, and we have noticed an uptick in the number of bees.

 

[Cograilway]

https://patch.com/new-hampshire/across-nh/dandelions-butterflies-6-288-feet
Interesting that the cog seems to want to keep the reports secret. I wonder if the proposed accommodations at the summit impact their concern?.

During a public discussion of the cog railcar hotel proposal previously ,discussing the issue of the very large proposed deck to be built over much of the proposed area, the cog owner had advocated bringing up topsoil to improve the types of plants growing at the summit. The proposed platform was to be open grating with storage space for support equipment integrated below the grating. My speculation is its probably an ideal receiver and incubation space for non native plants and insects. There was lot of debate on how and if and the potential timing of a detailed environmental impact study of the summit and surrounds relative to the cog project proceeding. Some on the Mt Washington Commission feel that any EIS does not need to address the areas adjacent to the state owned summit land while others advocate including the adjacent areas including the proposed Cog project on their owned land (still very much alpine zone).

The Cog is not trying to keep the reports secret. Down playing the existence of endangered butterflies is to keep people from going off trail in an attempt to see them and disturb their habitat further. I'm not sure I would call dandelions invasive species. An article in Among the Clouds published in the 1800's on the summit of Mt. Washington talks about the cook at the summit hotel locating a large patch of dandelions which he used to prepare a salad for the guests of the hotel. Most of the dandelions are found on or near the hiking trails or auto road parking lots and it is surmised the seeds are brought up on cars and hiking boots. The original master plan for the summit advocated bringing topsoil to the summit to foster the growth of the native grasses because most of the top soil at the summit was blown away by the wind. Only virgin top soil could be used to avoid seeding the summit with non natiive grass species.

 

[maineguy]

I'm not sure I would call dandelions invasive species.

I agree. It's a bit harsh. Invasive usually means not indigenous to a certain area. If that is true, then most of the salmon in the Maine lakes are invasive species since there were only 4 lake systems in Maine that contained landlocked salmon. The rest of the lakes were stocked with them. I don't see how dandelions harm the ecosystem on Mt Washington, although I'm sure that somebody will tell me ...

 

[sierra]

The Cog is not trying to keep the reports secret. Down playing the existence of endangered butterflies is to keep people from going off trail in an attempt to see them and disturb their habitat further. I'm not sure I would call dandelions invasive species. An article in Among the Clouds published in the 1800's on the summit of Mt. Washington talks about the cook at the summit hotel locating a large patch of dandelions which he used to prepare a salad for the guests of the hotel. Most of the dandelions are found on or near the hiking trails or auto road parking lots and it is surmised the seeds are brought up on cars and hiking boots. The original master plan for the summit advocated bringing topsoil to the summit to foster the growth of the native grasses because most of the top soil at the summit was blown away by the wind. Only virgin top soil could be used to avoid seeding the summit with non natiive grass species.

This might be a long shot, but is it possible the dandelion seeds were carried up by wind? You ever see the seeds floating in the wind, they are very light, and some pretty strong currents make their way into the jet stream. The fields along the Saco in the valleys are loaded with dandelions.

 

[skiguy]

https://patch.com/new-hampshire/across-nh/dandelions-butterflies-6-288-feet
Interesting that the cog seems to want to keep the reports secret. I wonder if the proposed accommodations at the summit impact their concern?.

During a public discussion of the cog railcar hotel proposal previously ,discussing the issue of the very large proposed deck to be built over much of the proposed area, the cog owner had advocated bringing up topsoil to improve the types of plants growing at the summit. The proposed platform was to be open grating with storage space for support equipment integrated below the grating. My speculation is its probably an ideal receiver and incubation space for non native plants and insects. There was lot of debate on how and if and the potential timing of a detailed environmental impact study of the summit and surrounds relative to the cog project proceeding. Some on the Mt Washington Commission feel that any EIS does not need to address the areas adjacent to the state owned summit land while others advocate including the adjacent areas including the proposed Cog project on their owned land (still very much alpine zone).

It would be interesting what The AMC’s policy and procedure is for their multiple fly ins and fly outs of the supplies to The Huts. Do they brush off every package before lifting off to and from to insure no invasive agents are being carried in and out of The National Forest? How about the cans of human waste. Doubtful whether or not a drop never hits the ground. At least in the case of The Cog anything invasive would be only carried in within a corridor and more easily eradicated rather than zig zagging all over the Forest. Not to mention The AMC has been given multiple waivers in previously protected areas for landing and taking off helicopters. Also does the Hut Croo that supplies Lakes via the Auto Road, The Summit and then packing it down clean off their boot bottoms before leaving the valley?