Nature on the Trail

Behind the marker you will see a small, vertical sign standing about four feet high.  It reminds people that fiber optic cable is buried along the rail trails.  Railroads provide an ideal place for communication cable:  they aRe straight, easy to access, and go to population centers.  This is a good example of how rail … Continue reading Fiber Optic Cable

The large basin beyond the side of the trail is full of royal fern.  Even though this basin appears dry for much of the year, its soil is often saturated, making it ideal for the ferns.  So, not all wetlands are wet! Londonderry Trailways thanks the Londonderry Conservation Commission for their assistance in creating "Nature … Continue reading Royal Fern

Notice all the logs and branches that have fallen into the stream below.  This “coarse woody debris” is important habitat for juvenile fish and for the insects they eat.  It also slows down the water when it is running hard and fast after a heavy rain or spring snowmelt, which prevents erosion of the stream … Continue reading Coarse Woody Debris

These young white pines alongside the trail are taking advantage of the sand and mineral soil that was exposed when the Park & Ride was created; they also thrive on the sun that the trail has opened up for them.  White pines “show their age,” because each year’s growth has a single leader stem, with … Continue reading Young White Pines

Look at the vines crawling up the tall trees.  The vine on the tree on the left is a native plant called Virginia creeper.  The vine on the tree on the right is oriental bittersweet, an extremely invasive plant that does not belong in North America.  Like all vines, it uses its host tree for … Continue reading Vines