How Important Are Glades on Your Property? What Kind of Critters Live There?

By Justin Stakes

By Ted Zawislak, AGFC Private Lands Biologist, North Central Arkansas

Little Rock, AR -(Ammoland.com)- The term glade didn’t always refer to the cedar-dominated glade we see today.

Eastern red cedars took over glades as the result of fire suppression over the past 40-plus years. Glades are remarkable biological complexes with unique plant and animal diversity off the charts.

Glades are found throughout the Ozarks and occasionally on steep south and west facing slopes throughout Arkansas. These land features are sometimes referred to as balds or barrens. Glades are essentially shallow, rocky soils with exposed bedrock characterized by an abundance of wildflowers and native grasses, with only a few trees and shrubs. Periodic fires and local conditions of topography, bedrock and soil greatly influence glade development.

Due to the soil characteristics, drought tolerant forbs and grasses are common on glades. A few plant species, such as bladderpod, glade coneflower and bottlebrush blazing star, are restricted to only glade communities. A few trees and shrubs also occur on glades, but they are normally at much lower densities than within the woodlands which may be present in the surrounding landscape. Glades provide …read more

Source:: AmmoLand