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Flora and Fauna
of Forest Hill Park
BIRDS:
The lake area
at Forest Hill Park, soon to be renovated, is home to many kinds of
wildlife, particularly birds and turtles.
The upland areas of the park are also home to many species of birds,
including Red-tailed
Hawks who nest in the park. Below is a list
of birds sighted in the park.
AN IVY INVASION: Forest Hill Park is also home to many
trees. At one time there was an azalea garden. You might
not know that some of the azaleas now in the Bryan Park Azalea Garden
originally came from the Forest Hill Azalea Garden. Read below about efforts to save the trees in the
Old Azalea Garden area of Forest Hill Park from invasive aliens and
also to plant new trees.
BIRDS
The following is a list of all bird species that we have observed
during our winter birdwalks through this venerable old park, located in
the middle of the city!
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
American Black Duck
Mallard
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Pine Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Finch
House Sparrow
Also seen or heard in the park at other times:
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
AN IVY
INVASION
IT'S
A SILENT INVASION!
Non-native
plants are taking over the park!
No,
this is not an old science fiction movie.
It’s
happening now in Forest Hill Park.
Non-native,
invasive plants are replacing native plants and trees in our park at an
alarming rate. These aggressive plants (see list below) push out
naturally occurring, complex plant systems (biodiversity) with vast
areas of the same types of plants (monocultures).
HOW
DO THEY DO IT?
•
They take over the soil where native plants, like wild azalea, low bush
blueberry, or native viburnum once thrived.
•
They choke off air, water, and nutrients from native trees such as oak,
pine, sycamore, river birch, and sweet gum.
•
They do not provide appropriate food for a complex ecosystem to thrive.
Unless
we do something to stop these invasives, native plants and animals will
disappear from Forest Hill Park.
WHAT
CAN WE DO?
We
have to start somewhere: Friends of Forest Hill Park, with the help of
volunteers from Richmond's Tree Stewards and the Department of Parks
and Recreation, is working to remove non-native species in the “Old
Azalea Garden” area of Forest Hill Park. (This area is located along
the 3800 block of Forest Hill Avenue, opposite Brookside Rd.)
OUR
GOAL:
Once
we have removed invasive plants from this area, we will replace them
with native species, such as oaks, service berry, and Asclepias
tuberose (butterfly weed). It is our hope that this effort will some
day serve as a Native Plant Demonstration Garden, encouraging others to
“go native” in their own backyards.
HOW
YOU CAN HELP:
This
is a long term project and will likely take several years to complete,
but every little bit of effort will make a difference.
If
you would like to help with this project, please contact: friendsofforesthill@rrpfoundation.org
Tax-deductible
donations to purchase native trees and plants to replace the invaders (be
sure to specify that the donation is intended
for native trees and plants ) may
be sent to:
Friends
of Forest Hill Park
P.O.
Box13161
Richmond,
Virginia 23225
For
more information:
Alien
Plants
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/factmain.htm
Native
Plants
http://bringingnaturehome.net/
Problem
Plants in Forest Hill Park:
Vines:
English
ivy
Japanese
honeysuckle
Shrubs:
Oriental
bittersweet
Privet
Japanese
wisteria
Trees:
Mimosa
Tree
of heaven
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