Rudy Mancke: AUTUMN COLORS BRIGHTEN THE RIDGE AND VALLEY PROVINCE OF WESTERN MARYLAND'S GREEN RIDGE STATE FOREST OVERLOOKING THE POTOMAC RIVER... NEXT ON NATURE SCENE.

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♪ HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE IN THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MARYLAND.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN DAY AND WE'RE AT GREEN RIDGE STATE FOREST NEAR THE CITY OF CUMBERLAND.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE.

RUDY, THIS WILL GIVE US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK IN HISTORY A BIT AS WELL AS BACK TO NATURE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD GEOLOGICAL STORY, TOO.

A LOT OF CONNECTIONS HERE AND A PERFECT TIME OF THE YEAR, JIM TO BE IN THE WOODS.

FALL IS IN THE AIR, OCTOBER IS HERE LEAF COLORS ARE CHANGING AND THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US A LOT TO LOOK AT AND, OF COURSE, THAT CHANGE, SHORTENING OF DAY LENGTH IS GOING TO AFFECT THE PLANTS AND THE ANIMALS AND I THINK WE'LL SEE SOME INTERESTING COMBINATIONS OF EFFECTS HERE.

SO, IT SHOULD BE NICE.

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, TOO THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE FLOWERING AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

NOT JUST LEAF COLOR CHANGES, BUT A FEW FALL FLOWERS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ASTERS AND YOU CAN SEE THE FLOWERS THERE KIND OR REMINDING PEOPLE OF STARS, SO THE NAME ASTER.

BEAUTIFUL PALE LAVENDER AND THEN THE GOLDEN... ONE OF THE GOLDENRODS, I SUPPOSE, CLOSE BY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

BOTH OF THOSE ARE COMPOSITES AND, YEAH, THE GOLDENROD YOU SEE WHERE THE FLOWERS ARE THERE IN THE AXLES OF THE LEAVES, NOT ON THE END LIKE MANY OF THE GOLDENROD SPECIES.

BOTH OF THOSE ARE COMPOSITES TYPICAL OF THIS TIME OF YEAR SUPPLYING LOTS OF NECTAR FOR, UH, FOR INSECTS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A MEAL.

THOSE TWO ARE NATIVE.

LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE AND YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER ONE NOW THAT IS NOT NATIVE.

IT'S ALSO A COMPOSITE.

A LITTLE LARGER FLOWER IN THERE, TOO.

YEAH, IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE A THISTLE WHEN YOU FIRST LOOK AT IT.

NAPWEED IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT AND, SADLY, THAT IS A NONNATIVE PLANT THAT HAS REALLY TAKEN SPACES AWAY FROM MANY NATIVE SPECIES AND IT DOES BEST IN OPEN AREAS LIKE THIS.

AN INTRODUCTION, AGAIN, THAT'S GOTTEN AWAY FROM US A LITTLE BIT.

OF COURSE, WE'RE IN A HARDWOOD FOREST AREA AND BIG... BIG OAKS AROUND IT.

THIS IS BASICALLY AN OAK-HICKORY CLIMAX FOREST HERE.

CHESTNUTS USED TO BE HERE, BUT THEY ARE LONG SINCE GONE.

ONE OF THE OAKS THAT DOMINATES.

LOOK AT IT THERE.

WHITE OAK IS THE COMMON NAME FOR, UH, FOR THAT ONE AND YOU CAN SEE THE SMOOTH LOBES ON THAT LEAF AND THAT CAN BE A MAGNIFICENT TREE IN THE WOODS HERE.

BY THE WAY, THE MARYLAND STATE TREE, THE WHITE OAK.

YEAH.

YEAH.

THIS IS AN EVEN-AGE FOREST.

MAYBE 90 YEARS OR SO.

WOULD BE THE OLDEST TREES HERE AND BASICALLY IT'S THE SAME AGE THROUGHOUT THE FOREST.

IT'S JUST KIND OF INTERESTING.

NOW, I SEE ANOTHER OAK UP HERE.

THIS IS ONE YOU WOULD EXPECT ON A RIDGE LIKE THIS.

CHESTNUT OAK-- ROCK CHESTNUT OAK IS ONE OF THE COMMON NAMES FOR IT.

YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, IT'S IN THE WHITE OAK GROUP.

THE LEAF LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE WHITE OAK WE LOOKED AT A MOMENT AGO.

LOOK AT THE ROUGH BARK, AND IF YOU... YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK CLOSELY-- GYPSY MOTH EGG MASSES.

SEE THEM?

THAT TAN COLOR?

OH, YEAH.

NOW, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THERE'S A NONNATIVE ANIMAL, NOW, THAT HAS REALLY AFFECTED THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES STRIPPING LEAVES OFF OF OAKS SPECIFICALLY AND THEN TAKING OTHER ONES, TOO.

I EVEN SEE THE PUPAL CASE THERE-- LAST YEAR'S PUPAL CASE OF ONE OF THOSE GYPSY MOTHS.

NOW, THAT'S AN ANIMAL THAT WE WISH HAD NEVER BEEN INTRODUCED AND NOW IT'S GOTTEN AWAY FROM US.

BIG CHALLENGE FOR THE FORESTERS HERE.

YEAH.

LOOK RIGHT HERE.

CLOSE TO US.

OH!

I WAS LOOKING AT IT FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE I SAW IT.

IT'S A WALKINGSTICK.

AND SO CAMOUFLAGED.

OH, IT'S APPROPRIATELY NAMED AND THEY LOVE TO EAT THE LEAVES ON OAK TREES AND THAT'S A LITTLE BARE OAK OR SCRUB OAK IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

YOU SEE A LOT OF THOSE LEAVES HAVE BEEN STRIPPED BY CATERPILLARS AND ALSO BY THE WALKINGSTICK.

IT'S MIMICKING A TWIG.

YEAH.

ISN'T THAT NEAT?

THERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS TO SEE.

BEAUTIFUL OVERLOOK RIGHT OVER THIS WAY.

LET'S HEAD TO THAT NEXT.

THIS IS ONE OF FIVE SCENIC OVERLOOKS IN THE STATE FOREST-- 40,000 ACRES OF STATE FOREST.

BUT THIS POINT IS ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR AND WHAT A VIEW FROM HERE.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VIEW, AND YOU KNOW THE COLORS AND EVERYTHING OUT THERE, TOO IT'S SO NICE, AND REALLY, A PRETTY GOOD VIEW OFF IN THE DISTANCE THERE.

AND, OF COURSE, DOMINATING, I GUESS AS YOU LOOK DOWN BELOW US AND UP THIS WAY, IS THE POTOMAC RIVER SLOWLY HEADING DOWN TOWARD WASHINGTON, D.C., AND BEYOND.

WIDE, ISN'T IT?

IT SURE IS.

SLOW MOVING WATER AND THEN THE ROLLING HILLS OFF IN THE DISTANCE, JIM.

PART OF THE RIDGE AND VALLEY PROVINCE OF THE APPALACHIANS THAT REALLY EXTEND FROM NEW YORK STATE DOWN TO ALABAMA.

FOLDED ROCK, CONTINENTAL COLLISIONS 250-270 MILLION YEARS AGO, SQUEEZING THE ROCK AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE ACCORDION SHAPES.

WELL, EROSION PLAYED A PART LATER ON AS WELL.

OH, ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE THE ROCK, AS IT AS FOLDED SOME WAS HARDER THAN THE OTHERS AND THAT, OF COURSE, STICKS OUT.

THE SOFTER MATERIAL HAS ERODED AWAY TO FORM THESE VALLEYS.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL IN THE DISTANCE, THOUGH.

AS CLEAR A VIEW OF THE RIDGE AND VALLEY PROVINCE AS YOU CAN GET AND THEN WITH THE PATCHWORK QUILT OF COLORS OUT THERE THAT AUTUMN GIVES US...

BRONZE, COPPERS, GOLDS, YELLOWS, ORANGE.

IT'S-IT'S A PANORAMA OF COLOR.

AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE SAYING THAT MOST OF THIS IS A HARDWOOD FOREST BUT AS WE COME ON UP THE RIDE A LITTLE BIT JUST DOWN THE WAY FROM US THERE'S ONE OF THE CONIFERS.

ONE OF THE PINES?

YEAH, VIRGINIA PINE KIND OF A SCRUBBY LITTLE PLANT BUT DOES VERY WELL ON THESE OUTCROPS OF ROCK AND THERE'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING OUTCROPS OF SANDSTONES, CONGLOMERATES SHALES AND OTHER THINGS ALONG THE, UH, THE SIDE OF THE RIVER.

BEAUTIFUL VIEW, REALLY, IN EVERY DIRECTION AND LOOKING DOWN AND OUT REALLY, OVER INTO WEST VIRGINIA THERE.

THAT WEST VIRGINIA AREA... GEORGE WASHINGTON, IN FACT, OWNED THAT.

GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS HERE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AS A SURVEYOR, MILITARY MAN AS PRESIDENT AND LANDOWNER AS WELL.

YEAH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, GOOD BOTTOMLAND FOR, UH, FOR FARMING AND THEN THE RIVER CURLING AROUND MEANDERING THROUGH THE VALLEYS.

LOOK AT THE, UH, LOOK AT THE RED-TAILED HAWK OUT THERE... OH, WOW.

...SOARING AROUND; WARM-AIR CURRENTS JUST BEGINNING TO RISE THIS TIME OF DAY AND THAT RED-TAILED HAWK IS ENJOYING THAT HARDLY EVEN MOVING HIS WINGS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE POINTS LISTED AS A, AS A GOOD PLACE TO WATCH THE HAWKS... OH, YEAH.

...DURING MIGRATION, ESPECIALLY.

YEAH, THAT WARM RISING AIR REALLY DOES PICK 'EM UP AND TAKE 'EM UP AND UP AND UP AND OFTEN YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW TURKEY VULTURES AND OTHER THINGS AROUND WITH THEM.

BEAUTIFUL RED- TAILED HAWK, THOUGH.

NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT ONE AND SINCE WE'RE LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION HERE'S ANOTHER CONIFER.

THE MOST WIDESPREAD CONIFER IN THE UNITED STATES.

ONE OF THE JUNIPERS, ALTHOUGH WE CALL IT EASTERN RED CEDAR.

I EVEN SEE SOME OF THE TREES DOWN THERE.

SEE WITH THOSE BLUISH, BERRY-LINE CONES ON THEM?

OH, YEAH.

IS THAT A GENDER DIFFERENCE?

IT IS, YES.

MALE CONES ON ONE TREE FEMALE CONES ON ANOTHER AND THE FEMALES ONES OF COURSE, FORM THAT BLUISH FRUIT.

A LOT OF BIRDS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF YEAR, A BEAUTIFUL VIEW AND 500 OR 600 FEET ABOVE THE POTOMAC THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LOOK AT IT.

REALLY NICE, AND THE GNATS ARE BEGINNING TO COME TO US, TOO, A LITTLE BIT TO GET A LITTLE MEAL OF FLUID FROM OUR EYES AND THE REST.

PART OF NATURE, ISN'T IT?

YEAH, AND THIS IS THE SEASON FOR THEM.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

OVER 200 MILES OF ROADS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOREST PUT IN BY THE C.C.C.-- MANY OF THEM IN THE LATE '30s-- GIVE US A GOOD CHANCE TO OBSERVE NATURE UP CLOSE.

TREES AS WELL AS THE ROCKS ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD.

WELL, THIS OUTCROP IS MIGHTY NICE BECAUSE WE'RE A LOT LOWER NOW THAN WE WERE A MOMENT AGO AND NOW WE GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE ROCK THAT WE WERE PROBABLY STANDING ON ON THAT RIDGE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE LAYERING THERE AND THE LITTLE BIT OF, OF TILT TO THE ROCK, TOO.

REALLY, ALL THIS IS SHALE-- A JENNINGS SHALE THAT FORMED IN DEVONIAN TIMES AROUND 380 MILLION YEARS AGO OR SO.

CLAY NOW, PARTICLES, THAT WERE SETTLING OUT IN A, IN AN INLAND SEA, JIM.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR THIS MUCH CLAY TO, UH, TO GET COMPACTED TOGETHER.

ONE OF MANY, MANY LAYERS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN OTHER THINGS BUT THIS ONE, THIS LAYER, WAS ALL SHALES.

YEAH, YEAH, VERY DARK MATERIAL AND AGAIN, IT'S BEEN SQUEEZED AS WE, UH, AS WE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

I SEE A NEST OVER THERE.

SEE THE LITTLE NEST, PHOEBE NEST, PROBABLY RIGHT THERE, NOT IN GOOD SHAPE BUT THERE IT IS ON THE RIDGE AND THERE'S ONE OF THE PLANTS THAT'S SO TYPICAL HERE.

SHALE RAGWORT, ONE OF THE ENDEMICS ON THESE SHALE OUTCROPS, ESPECIALLY ROAD CUTS LIKE THIS WOULD BE PERFECT FOR IT.

NOT A VERY SHOWY PLANT BUT INTERESTING.

NOT MUCH SOIL TO HOLD ON TO.

NO.

A COUPLE OF ROCKS HERE, TOO, THAT ARE INTERESTING BECAUSE OF THE GEOLOGICAL STORY.

LET ME GET A COUPLE OF THEM IN HAND AND MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THESE...

THIS RIDGE AND VALLEY PROVINCE ACTUALLY CAME TO BE.

THIS IS SHALE, BUT IS THERE ANOTHER NAME FOR THIS KIND OF SHALE?

WELL, YOU CAN SEE, I THINK, PRETTY CLEARLY ON THAT BIG ONE FIRST-- LOOK AT THIS.

TILT IT AND LOOK AT IT.

YOU SEE IT'S VERY SLICK THERE?

IT'S NOT LIKE THAT EVERYWHERE ELSE.

THESE ARE CALLED SLICKENSIDES AND THESE ARE AREAS WHERE THAT PRESSURE CAUSED A SHIFT, ROCK ON TOP OF ROCK CONTINENTAL COLLISIONS, WE SAID, IN THE PAST SQUEEZING THE ROCK SLOWLY BUT SURELY.

SOME OF IT SLID OVER OTHER PIECES LEAVING BEHIND THOSE SCARS, SO TO SPEAK.

PART OF THAT AFRICAN AND NORTH AMERICAN PLATE COLLISION PUSHING.

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, YEAH AND YOU CAN SEE THEM VERY CLEARLY.

NOW, IT-IT'S INTERESTING, TOO, ON THIS LITTLE PIECE.

SEE, IT'S ALMOST SHINING.

SEE THAT?

MM-HMM.

I MEAN, IT ALMOST HAS A SHINE TO IT.

AND AS YOU SEE... LET ME JUST SEE IF I CAN TILT THIS JUST RIGHT.

THE SHINE IS A VERY THIN LAYER.

SEE THAT GRAY STUFF UNDERNEATH?

ENABLING THE PUSH.

AND THAT'S THE SHALE.

YES, AND THAT'S THE AREA WHERE THE SLIDE OCCURRED AND, I MEAN, THIS ROCK WAS FOLDED, YOU KNOW AND TWISTED AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND THE AREA THAT WAS DOING THE SLIDING AND THE SHIFTING WAS THAT... WELL, IT'S CALLED SLICKENSIDES.

I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NAME FOR IT AND REALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT MOST OF THESE ROCKS HERE-- HERE'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF IT-- YOU SEE THAT LITTLE THIN VENEER OF SLICKENSIDES AND THEN YOU TURN IT ON THE SIDE AND YOU SEE MOST OF THAT ROCK IS JUST REGULAR OLD SHALE.

AND WHEN YOU SAY "OLD," YOU REALLY MEAN OLD.

I MEAN, OLD ROCK.

IT IS AMAZING, ISN'T IT?

MILLIONS OF YEARS, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS.

COULD BE STANDING BY SOMETHING THAT WAS ONCE ON THE BOTTOM OF AN OCEAN.

NOW, THAT'S THE PAST.

LOOK AT THE PRESENT RIGHT HERE.

OH, SNAIL SHELL.

A SNAIL SHELL.

YEAH.

THAT'S BEEN EATEN OUT, SEE.

PROBABLY A PREDATOR, PROBABLY EITHER A SHREW OR ONE OF THE RODENTS, I IMAGINE GNAWED THE SHELL OUT AND THEN RECYCLED THAT LITTLE SNAIL THAT WAS INSIDE RIGHT THERE ON THAT EDGE OF ROCK.

WELL, THAT'S NEAT.

PRETTY ON THE OTHER SIDE, TOO, JIM.

OH, IT IS.

LOOK AT THIS TREE, TOO, RUDY.

IT'S GOT A VINE GROWING UP THE SIDE BUT NO LEAVES ON IT.

WHAT KIND IS IT?

OH, GOSH, LOOK AT THE FRUIT.

LOOK AT THE FRUIT ON IT.

WHITE FRUIT.

WHITE FRUIT-- POISON IVY.

POISON IVY, IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY SOMETIMES.

IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE A PART OF THE TREE BUT THAT'S FRUIT ON POISON IVY AND IT'S POISONOUS YEAR-ROUND.

SEE SOMETHING ELSE RIGHT OVER HERE, JIM.

TAKE A LOOK.

TWO PLANTS DOWN, DOWN THE WAY JUST A LITTLE BIT THERE.

NINE BARK IS THE NAME OF ONE OF THEM.

YOU CAN SEE CLUSTERS OF FRUIT ON THE ENDS OF SOME OF THOSE BRANCHES, HANGING DOWN.

THAT'S A NEAT PLANT AND THEN TALK ABOUT FRUIT-- LOOK AT THE COLOR.

SOME OF THAT BLUISH COLOR ON THE FRUIT OF A LITTLE SHRUBBY PLANT AND THAT'S ONE OF THE DOGWOODS.

NOT THE FLOWERING DOGWOOD DOGWOOD BUT ONE OF THE SWAMP DOGWOODS IS A GOOD COMMON NAME FOR IT.

FRUITING THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AND ON BEYOND, THAT DARK WATER SERVES AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR FALLING LEAVES.

YEAH, AND THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT?

EVERY DIRECTION THAT YOU LOOK AT THIS TIME OF YEAR IS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN WORK OUR WAY AROUND TO THE EDGE OF THIS OUTCROP.

PERHAPS NOW WE CAN GET A GOOD LOOK AT HOW THIS ROCK WAS DEFORMED, JIM-- SHIFTED, PUSHED AND SHOVED A LITTLE BIT.

OH, YEAH.

OH, THIS IS NICE.

OH, WOW, PERFECT ANTICLINE.

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, AND YOU CAN SEE THE UPLIFT AND THE TWISTING OF THE ROCK.

AND YOU CAN GET A FEELING NOW FOR WHERE THOSE LAYERS HAVE MAYBE SLIPPED ALONG EACH OTHER LIKE THOSE SLICKENSIDES THAT WE LOOKED AT A MOMENT AGO.

ALL THIS IS SHALE NOW AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU FORCE THIS STUFF TO BEND IT HAS TO OCCUR DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH'S CRUST.

THIS DIDN'T OCCUR ON THE SURFACE.

THE ROCK WAS ALMOST LIKE PLASTIC MATERIAL AS IT WAS BEING SHOVED AND NOW WE'VE ERODED DOWN TO THIS LEVEL.

VERY TIGHTLY FOLDED.

YEAH, AND YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THIS STUFF EXPOSED, I MEAN, TO WEATHERING.

IT BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN.

YOU CAN SEE LARGE CHUNKS OF IT FALLEN OUT HERE AND IT BECOMES SOIL.

AND THEN IT'S... THAT BECOMES SOIL, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, YEAH BUT THIS IS SO NICE TO SEE, THIS ACCORDION-LIKE LOOK THAT WE HAD REFERRED TO, UH, A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

PLANTS HELP BREAK IT DOWN AS WELL, HUH?

WELL, IT SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS AND-AND, UH, THE, UH, MOSSES HERE AND SOME LICHENS AND THEN THAT NICE LITTLE ROCK-CAPPED FERN.

I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD COMMON NAME FOR THAT FERN, UH, COMING ON ROCKS LIKE THIS THAT STICK OUT OF THE GROUND OFTENTIMES.

ALL THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT BUT THIS IS A GEOLOGICAL STORY THAT TAKES US WAY, WAY BACK IN TIME.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TURN AROUND AND HEAD BACK AND GET BACK DOWN ON THE ROAD.

( footsteps departing ) A BEAUTIFUL FOREST ALL AROUND.

1820s, THIS WAS TIMBERED AND MINED HEAVILY AND THEN, 1920s, THIS BECAME THE WORLD'S LARGEST APPLE ORCHARD BUT IT WENT BANKRUPT AND LATER TURNED INTO STATE FOREST AND STATE PROPERTY.

YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT GIVES THIS EVEN-AGED LOOK TO THE FOREST.

IT'S-IT'S KIND OF STRANGE TO SEE BUT IT GIVES GOOD HOME BASE FOR A LOT OF PLANTS-- UNDERSTORY TREES MORE THAN ANYTHING.

LOOK AT THE DOGWOOD RIGHT THERE, FLOWERING DOGWOOD.

THE REDDISH... YEAH.

YEAH, USUALLY, YOU THINK OF IT AS BEING SO BEAUTIFUL IN THE SPRING, YOU KNOW WITH THE CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS AND THE WHITE BRACTS BUT THOSE LEAVES ARE BEAUTIFUL... AND LOOKIT, NEXT YEAR'S FLOWER BUDS ALREADY ON.

NATURE GOES INTO WINTER READY FOR SPRING AND THAT'S A TYPICAL UNDERSTORY TREE HERE... AND THEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE UNDERSTORY TREES SOME LEAVES STILL ON IT-- SEE THE YELLOW LEAVES-- OH, YEAH.

BUT LOOK, IT'S GOT FLOWERS.

FLOWERS IN THE FALL ON A... ON A SHRUBBY BUSH.

YEAH.

THAT IS STRANGE FOR A WOODY PLANT TO BE FLOWERING THIS LATE, BUT WITCH HAZEL DOES THAT-- STRINGY, YELLOW PETALS ON IT-- AND AGAIN, THERE ARE LOTS OF, UH INSECTS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY...

BUT AN UNDERSTORY SPECIES, NEVER DOMINATING HERE.

BOTH OF THOSE ARE REALLY PLANTS THAT YOU SEE UNDER TALLER, UH, CANOPY TREES LIKE THE OAKS AND HICKORIES IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.

THAT'S A MOIST HILLSIDE HERE.

LOOK RIGHT HERE, ON THE WITCH HAZEL LEAF.

OH, OH... NORTHERN CRICKET FROG, RIGHT THERE.

NO BIGGER THAN A HALF AN INCH.

THAT'S ABOUT AS-AS FAR WEST AS IT COMES IN MARYLAND.

LOOK AT THAT LITTLE GUY SITTING THERE AND THAT-THAT'S AS BIG AS THEY GET.

THEY DON'T GET ANY LARGER THAN THAT.

HAVE A LOUD CALL, BUT FROM A VERY SMALL BODY.

RUDY, VERY CLOSE BY THERE'S ANOTHER NEWT OR SALAMANDER.

YEAH, ANOTHER ONE OF THE AMPHIBIANS.

A RED EFT, IT'S CALLED.

IT'S REALLY A LAND STAGE OF THE, UH, RED-SPOTTED NEWT.

LOOK AT THAT BRIGHT COLOR.

NOW, YOU-YOU'D THINK THAT WOULD WARN ANIMALS AND IT IS A POISONOUS ANIMAL.

SO, THAT'S, UH, THAT WARNS OTHER ANIMALS THAT THE SKIN IS POISONOUS.

AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, JIM, LOOK RIGHT DOWN HERE.

OH, IS THIS A OLDER ANIMAL?

HERE'S...

THIS IS THE ADULT RED-SPOTTED NEWT.

I'LL BE.

THIS IS WHAT THAT RED EFT TURNS INTO ONCE IT BECOMES AN ADULT.

HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS FOR THE CHANGE TAKE?

USUALLY A FEW YEARS, NOW.

IT, UH, STARTS OFF WITH EGGS BEING LAID IN THE WATER AND THEN THEY, UH, LIVE IN THE WATER AWHILE COME OUT AT THAT RED LAND STAGE AND THEN THE ADULT IS THIS GREENISH YELLOW COLOR AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN STILL SEE THE RED SPOTS WHICH GIVES IT THE NAME RED-SPOTTED NEWT.

THEY SHOULD BE IN THE WATER.

YEAH, IT SHOULD BE IN THE WATER.

YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE ADULTS OUT OF THE WATER.

MAYBE TH-THE POOLS OF WATER ARE DRYING UP.

BUT YOU SEE, HE DOES MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT.

FAIRLY DRY SKIN, TOO... AND, AS WE SAID, IT DOES PRODUCE SOME POISONS IN THOSE GLANDS IN THE SKIN THAT GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF PROTECTION.

DO THESE ANIMALS GET MUCH BIGGER?

THIS IS A...

THIS IS ADULT SIZE, JIM AND I'M GOING TO GET HIM OUT OF THE ROAD AND AIM HIM IN THIS OTHER DIRECTION SO HE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BETTER CHANCE TO SURVIVE.

WE'VE GOT A SHALE BARREN COMING UP NEXT.

( leaves rustling ) SOUND OF AUTUMN UNDER OUR FEET-- CRINKLING LEAVES.

AND WE'RE REALLY WALKING ALONG ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE HABITATS IN THE FOREST HERE-- THE SHALE BARREN...

FAIRLY DRY AREA.

THERE'S A FEW, UH, LARGE TREES ALONGSIDE OF US BUT MOST OF THIS IS FAIRLY OPEN.

AND VERY SHALEY IN THIS AREA.

SHALE OUTCROPS-- WATERFALLS HITS THE SHALE AND RUNS OUT.

IT DOESN'T SEEP DOWN IN THE SOIL VERY MUCH.

SO, IT'S A DRY PLACE, AND, REALLY THESE ARE LITTLE AREAS THAT YOU DON'T SEE VERY COMMONLY-- UH, SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA MARYLAND, VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA-- AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PLANTS NOW THAT JUST POP RIGHT OUT ON THESE SHALE BARRENS-- THE FERN, THAT'S SO COMMON HERE, WOOLLY LIP FERN-- CHEILANTHES LANOSA.

THERE IT IS IN THE CRACKS.

YOU SEE IT ALL OVER THE PLACE AND YOU'LL SEE THAT BRIGHT, UH, GREEN COLOR.

TAKES LESS MOISTURE THAN THE OTHER FERNS.

THESE-THESE OUTCROPS SEEM TO BE TH-THE PERFECT PLACE, UH FOR IT-- LITTLE EXTRA SUNLIGHT.

IT CAN ADJUST HERE WHEN OTHER THINGS CANNOT.

REALLY, THE RAREST PLANT HERE, THOUGH IS ONE OF THE, UH, CLOVERS.

KATE'S MOUNTAIN CLOVER IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

NOW, REALLY NOT SHOWY NOW, WITHOUT THE FLOWERS BUT YOU CAN SEE THE THREE PARTS TO THE LEAF THERE VERY CLEARLY... LOW AGAINST THE GROUND.

LOT OF PLANTS HERE, AGAIN, ARE HUGGING THE GROUND PICKING UP AS MUCH MOISTURE AS THEY CAN, AND AGAIN THOSE SHALE BARRENS ARE IMPORTANT.

THERE ARE NOT MANY LEFT AND THEY'RE BEING PROTECTED IN PLACES LIKE THIS.

THE MULLEIN, I RECOGNIZE, RUDY.

IS THAT THE SAME MULLEIN WE SEE OTHER PLACES?

THIS-THIS IS ONE PLANT THAT'S NOT NATIVE THAT COMES IN AND TAKES AWAY SPACES FOR THESE RARER PLANTS.

SO, THE GREATER MULLEIN, UH, HERE, IS ONE THAT REALLY WE WISH WASN'T HERE UM, BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY SOME OF THE PRECIOUS WATER THAT OTHER PLANTS, UH, NEED.

UH, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE DOWN HERE, ONE OF THE FLOCKSES.

IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE LEAVES, JIM THEY LOOK LIKE MOSS LEAVES.

SO, MOSS FLOCKS IS ONE OF THE COMMON NAMES, AND IN A DRY AREA IT'S GOOD NOT TO HAVE LARGE, YOU KNOW, LEAVES BECAUSE THEY, UH, LOSE TOO MUCH MOISTURE.

AND ONE TREE... NOW, THIS IS...

THIS...

IT'S ARGUABLE ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS A SPECIES BUT MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT'S A DWARF HACKBERRY... IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT... FEW LEAVES, UH, GREENISH YELLOW LEAVES LEFT.

NEVER GETS AS LARGE AS THE HACKBERRY, HACKBERRY AND DOES BEST, AGAIN, ON THESE... ON THESE BARRENS.

UH, MOST PEOPLE WOULD-WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS A DISTINCT SPECIES HERE.

AGAIN, NATURE MAKES ADJUSTMENTS.

THIS IS... AND THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL HABITAT.

ONE HAS TO BE CAREFUL ON IT.

WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO DAMAGE PLACES LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY, VERY FRAGILE.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY UP ON A RIDGE HERE NOW WITH THESE RARE PLANTS, BECAUSE OF THIS OUTCROP OF ROCK AND IT GIVES US THE CHANCE, JIM, TO LOOK ACROSS AT THE NEXT RIDGE WITH THE NICE COLORS ON IT, AND, OF COURSE BETWEEN US AND THE RIDGE IS A VALLEY AND THAT'S THE VALLEY OF THE POTOMAC RIVER AND THE "C" AND "O" CANAL THAT RUNS ALONGSIDE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT NEXT.

THE OLD CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL-- "C" AND "O" CANAL-- BUILT 1828 TO 1850, RUDY...

COST OF $11 MILLION...

EVENTUALLY DONE IN BY MAJOR FLOODING FATAL FLOODING FOR THE CANAL.

WELL, THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT BUT IT IS KIND OF INTERESTING TO BE AT A PLACE LIKE THIS AND TO IMAGINE HOW IT WAS WHEN BARGES WERE COMING UP AND DOWN.

THE TOW PATH, THAT RAISED AREA ON THE OTHER SIDE.

PERFECT PLACE, NOW, FOR LOTS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

I AM SURE THAT THE, UH, NEWTS AND THE CRICKET FROGS ARE GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME HERE.

A LITTLE BIT OF STANDING WATER.

LOOK AT THE DRAGONFLY OUT THERE.

SEE THE DRAGON?

OH, WHAT A BEAUTY.

RED ABDOMEN ON IT.

SYMPETRUM IS THE GENUS NAME.

MEADOWFLY IS THE COMMON NAME AND THE MALES ARE BRIGHTLY COLORED AND PERCHED LIKE THAT.

THE SHALLOW WATER IS COVERED NOW WITH GREENISH MATERIAL.

IT'S REALLY A FLOWERING PLANT THE TINIEST FLOWERING PLANT THAT WE'VE GOT CALLED WOLFIA, AND IT JUST COVERS IT ALMOST LIKE A SCUM DOWN THE WAY AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THE TREES NOW HAVE TOPPLED IN AND, UH ARE SLOWLY BUT SURELY FILLING UP THIS CANAL.

ONE OF THE TREES RIGHT HERE, NOW THAT LOVES A LITTLE EXTRA MOISTURE, JIM.

YOU KNOW THAT ONE.

THE SYCAMORE.

SYCAMORE-- PEELY BARK, WHITE THERE AGAINST THAT BLUE SKY.

THAT'S A NEAT TREE AND AGAIN, LIVING EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOULD BE.

THIS CANAL RUNS 174 MILES FROM GEORGETOWN ALL THE WAY UP TO CUMBERLAND BUILT TO OPEN UP TRADE INTO THE AREA.

AND I-I GUESS CONNECT THE-THE, UH, MODERN-DAY WORLD WITH THE FRONTIER OF THOSE DAYS AND, OF COURSE, SOON THE FRONTIER MOVED FARTHER AND FARTHER WEST.

WHAT A HISTORICAL STORY.

OH, YEAH, IT'S NEAT.

LET'S HEAD DOWN TO THE RIVER NEXT.

GREEN RIDGE STATE FOREST IS THE SECOND-LARGEST STATE FOREST IN MARYLAND AND FRONTS ON THE POTOMAC RIVER.

GIVES PEOPLE A CHANCE AT HIKING THE TRAILS INLAND AND ENJOYING NATURE THERE AS WELL AS FISHING HERE, ALONG THE RIVER.

YEAH, THIS IS KIND OF A NEAT FLOOD PLAIN AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY WALK OUT WHEN THE RIVER'S DOWN AND GET A GOOD VIEW OF THE RIVER, UP AND DOWN.

YEAH, DOWNSTREAM, THE COLORS AGAINST THE SKY ARE WONDERFUL.

OH, YEAH, THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

SLOWLY MOVING DOWN NOW...

THIS RIVER REALLY GETS UP, THOUGH, SOMETIMES AND FILLS THIS FLOOD PLAIN BUT THAT IS A NICE VIEW ON A BLUE-SKY DAY.

SO NICE, DOWN AND UP.

OH, THAT'S NICE, TOO.

TREES LINING BOTH SIDES... 59 SPECIES OF TREES IN THE FOREST ITSELF.

WHAT ARE THESE TALL ONES ALONG THE RIVER?

BIGGEST ONES HERE ARE SILVER MAPLE AND USUALLY, WHEN YOU SEE THAT TREE YOU'RE NEAR STANDING WATER.

AND THE LEAVES-LEAVES REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED COLOR YET VERY MUCH BUT, UH, THAT'S SILVER MAPLE, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

SOME OF THEM, REALLY, ARE PRETTY LARGE.

VINE CLIMBING UP THE SIDE OF IT THERE.

YEAH, HERE'S A VINE NOW WITH-WITH LEAF COLOR CHANGES VERY OBVIOUS...

POISON IVY, THOUGH.

"LEAFLETS THREE, LET IT BE."

IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE BRANCHES COMING OFF OF THAT TREE.

SEE SOMETHING ELSE BRIGHTLY COLORED OVER HERE, JIM.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE RED FRUIT-- SPICEBUSH.

OH, YEAH.

FIRE-ENGINE RED THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN THE LEAVES ARE BEGINNING TO FALL.

OH, THAT'S PRETTY ON THE SIDE.

IT'S ALSO JUST BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK UP THE RIVER AND SEE... LOOK AT THE LEAVES THAT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT ON THOSE ROCKS THAT ARE STICKING OUT.

AND THE WHIRLIGIG BEETLES FLOATING AROUND.

WHIRLIGIG BEETLES, YEAH, THEY'RE DANCING THERE LOOKING FOR A MEAL THAT GETS CAUGHT IN THE SURFACE, UH, OF THE WATER.

BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO END THE AFTERNOON HERE AT THE POTOMAC RIVER.

WELL, IT'S AN INTERESTING GEOLOGICAL STORY AT THIS PLACE, TOO.

I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT CONTINENTAL COLLISIONS AND ROCK BEING SQUEEZED AND FOLDED AND PUSHED UP.

WE'VE SEEN THAT TODAY.

WE'VE COME IN OCTOBER SO THE LEAVES HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFUL AND FROM THE TOP OF THE RIDGE, WE GOT THOSE GREAT VIEWS OF THE VALLEY AND THE RIDGE BEYOND AND OF COURSE, THE SHALE BARRENS-- VERY SPECIAL HABITATS WITH SOME OF THE RAREST PLANTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO, IT'S BEEN A GREAT DAY.

THOSE ARE FRAGILE, TOO.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

WELL, YOU-YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL YOU HAVE TO TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT.

I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT BUT THIS IS A VERY, VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

GREEN RIDGE STATE FOREST, NEAR CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND-- COME AND ENJOY IT FOR YOURSELF AND JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

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