DEDICATIONS
The David Sieren Learning Trail is named for Dr. David Sieren, Professor of
Biology, UNCW. As Ev-Henwood director, Dr. Sieren developed the first learning
trail at Ev-Henwood and oversaw every aspect of development and improvement
to the property. His love of teaching and dedication to excellence will be apparent
as you walk the trails. His philosophy, methods, and practices are still the guiding
force at Ev-Henwood today. Dr. Sieren was loved and respected by all who knew
him and is sorely missed.
Dave Dickman
Grounds Manager, Ev-Henwood
David played a key role in both the acquisition and development of EvHenwood. His initial floristic study of the area provided much of the justification
for acquiring the property, and his elaborate plan for creating trails and plant
labels was designed specifically to highlight all the various plant communities
there. He oversaw virtually every aspect of the plan’s implementation and spent
one day a week working on the site for the duration of his tenure as Director. EvHenwood is clearly a product of his commitment to conservation and dedication to
teaching plant biology.
It is entirely appropriate that his work there be
acknowledged in some tangible and enduring way.
Dan Plyler
Retired Professor of Biology UNCW
The Troy Henry Learning Trail is dedicated to Mr. Troy Henry whose love of
nature and local history has preserved this property for all to enjoy. For more
information on Troy Henry, please see the display board in the parking lot.
Table of Contents
Trail Map
Back side of this page
Mission Statement
1
Guidelines
2
History
3
David Sieren Learning Trail
5
Troy Henry Learning Trail
15
Answers (David Sieren Learning Trail)
26
Answers (Troy Henry Learning Trail)
27
Notes
29
This manual was compiled by Will Epperson, Parks and Recreation intern from
East Carolina University, with the supervision of Dave Dickman, Ev-Henwood
grounds manager, under the direction of Robert Warren, Superintendent of
Landscape Services, UNCW. The painting used for the front cover was painted by
Dave Dickman
MISSION STATEMENT
Ev-Henwood, a 174-acre tract located in a rural setting of Brunswick County, North
Carolina, possesses outstanding natural and cultural resources. Through a vision of
conservation and preservation, Mr. Troy Henry has donated this land to the University
of North Carolina at Wilmington for education and research activities. In accordance
with Mr. Henry's wishes, use of the entire area will be guided by an emphasis on
nature observation and education.
UNCW's goal is to manage the site as a natural area for the education of all students,
short-term and long-term ecological research, and educational services for the people
of the region and the state.
The purpose of this manual is to provide group leaders with information that will
allow them to familiarize themselves with the property before bringing a group to the
nature preserve. Most of the information in this manual is located along the learning
trails. There is a reflection question located after several learning stations. These
questions are designed to help students reflect upon the information they read at the
learning stations. Answers to these questions are located in the back of the manual.
GUIDELINES
1. Please stay on the trail at all times.
2. Ev-Henwood is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. The Grounds
Manager must be notified of any activities requiring use of the property at other
times.
3. Park motorized vehicles in designated areas. No bicycles, horses, or pets are
allowed on the trails.
4. Respect the plants and animals. Please do not break off leaves or stems. Leave
the flowers, fruits, and seeds for all to enjoy. Please do not pick up or remove
animals, plants, mushrooms, tags, or markers.
5. Do not litter. Please do not leave paper or other debris on the ground. It is
harmful to animals and is unsightly.
6. Be considerate of others. Please respect private areas and avoid loud noises and
horseplay.
7. Observe your pathway carefully.
No management of dangerous animals or
poisonous plants is in effect on the property.
8. In order to reduce the risk of fire, smoking is discouraged.
There is information located in the parking lot on the family history (back of display board) and Longleaf
Pine trees (near picnic area). Be sure to see this information before heading down one of the learning trails.
HISTORY
The land was originally inhabited by a Sioux speaking tribe of Native Americans.
However, there were not a large number of Native Americans here because the native
plants and animals would only support a small population. The first owner of the
property after the Revolutionary War was John Basset Evans. He bought the land in
1799 and paid 50 shillings (approximately $400) for 100 acres. He primarily used the
land for farming. John Basset Evans died in 1825 and his son, Daniel Basset Evans,
acquired the land after his father’s death. Daniel also used the land for farming. He
grew corn, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, and made butter. This allowed him to become
one of the most prominent farmers in Brunswick County at the time. By 1850, Daniel
Evans had started producing Naval Stores on the land. The family had their own
turpentine company called Evans Turpentine Company.
The 1850 census called
Daniel’s sons, John and Jacob, “turpentine makers”. A tar kiln that they used to
produce the turpentine is still located on the property today. Daniel died in 1867 and
left the land to his sons. Daniel’s son, Jacob, continued to farm the land and make
wine. Jacob Evans died in 1884 and gave the land to his daughter Carrie. Anchram
Evans then got the land from Carrie and deeded the land to his son, Eugene. The land
helped the family become one of the more prominent families in the region. The
family opened a small general store which was run by Anchram Evans. You can read a
small poem written by Anchram which describes everything the store sold. The poem
was printed in the Town Creek Courier, a newspaper also produced by the Evans.
Eugene Evans then sold the land to his sister, Dixie. There used to be a café in
downtown Wilmington called the Dixie Café which was named after Dixie Evans.
Dixie sold the land out of the family to Handy Jenkins in 1948 who then sold it to Troy
Henry in 1967. Troy had been living on a 64 acre piece of the property since 1954 and
then bought the remaining 110 acres in 1967. Troy Henry brought the land back to the
Evans family because he is a direct descendant of the Evans family on his mother’s
side. Troy donated the land to UNCW in 1991 with a vision of the land becoming a
nature preserve so people could enjoy the land and educate themselves about
environmental conservation. Troy also donated a large number of cultural artifacts to
the Museum of World Culture at UNCW and a large rock and mineral collection to the
three Brunswick County High Schools.
Question 1: What were the primary uses of the land for the Evans family?
LONGLEAF PINE
The Longleaf Pine has the longest needles and cones of any eastern Pine tree. The
needles are 10-15 inches long and the cones are 6-10 inches long. The Longleaf Pine
can reach heights of 80-100 feet and diameters of 2-2 ½ feet. Longleaf Pines are one of
the most important trees to North Carolina’s history. These trees were the leading
producer of Naval Stores (tar, pitch, and turpentine) which made up a large portion of
our state’s economy in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The trees were tapped for
their turpentine and resin and then logged for construction and pulpwood. North
Carolinians are called “tar heels” because people who worked the Longleaf Pine
stands often got the sticky, black resin on the bottoms of their feet.
When our
ancestors arrived here, the entire coastal plain was covered in Longleaf Pines.
Through the production of Naval Stores and pulpwood, the Longleaf Pine was almost
wiped out in North Carolina.
Question 2: Why are North Carolinians called Tar Heels?
After reading information in parking lot, if taking the David Sieren Learning Trail, head down Dogwood
Trail stopping at the learning stations. If you are taking the Troy Henry Learning Trail, head past the small
buildings and take the trail through the field.
David Sieren Learning Trail
FLOWERING DOGWOOD
You are standing in a small grove of Flowering Dogwoods, which are typically found as
under story trees in shady hardwood forests from Maine to Florida, west to Michigan,
Texas, and Mexico. It is one of our most beautiful and showy native trees and is
probably the most widespread ornamental tree in North America. The leaves, which
have parallel, up-curving veins, turn various shades of red in the autumn, and are
accompanied by scarlet fruits and next year's urn-shaped flower buds. The small,
greenish flowers appear in April, and are surrounded by four, large whitish “bracts”,
which are really modified leaves. Notice the distinctive bark, the surface of which is
broken into small blocks. The name "dogwood" reportedly came from England where
a preparation from the bark of another dogwood species was used to treat mangy dogs.
Flowering Dogwood is the state tree of Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia, and the
provincial tree of British Columbia.
Continue on Dogwood Trail
Question 3: How did the Dogwood get its name?
RARE SPECIES
Yes, there are some rare or uncommon plants and animals which call Ev-Henwood
home. Most that we know about so far are associated with the lowlands—Town Creek
and its branches.
There are probably others that haven’t yet been discovered.
Noteworthy plants include Indian cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana), Southern
Wood Fern (Dryopteris ludoviciana), and several orchids including Rattlesnake
Plantain (Goodyera pubescens), Green Adder’s mouth (Malaxis unifolia), Shadow
Witch (Ponthieva ramose), and Crane-fly Orchid (Tipularia discolor). And a secretive
mammal, the Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata), has been observed in the Preserve.
Plants and animals are only as healthy as their habitats, so setting aside land and
protecting it from disturbance is the surest way of preserving species. Mr. Troy Henry,
by donating Ev-Henwood to UNCW, has helped to ensure the preservation of some
uncommon southeastern North Carolina habitats and several rare species.
Continue on Dogwood Trail
Question 4: What is the surest way of preserving rare species?
BEAR-GRASS
The large plants in front of you are also called Silk-leaf, Adam's-needle Yucca, Spoonleaf Yucca, and Needle-Palm. Their scientific name is Yucca filamentosa. Yucca is a
native Haitian name, and filamentosa means "bearing slender threads" in reference to
the fraying edges of the leaves. Bear-grass can be found in dry, sandy sites over much
of the southeastern United States, and it is often cultivated. Two variegated varieties
are 'Golden Sword', with a green leaf margin, and 'Bright Edge', with the reversed
color pattern. Actually, a shrub with a very short trunk, Bear-grass produces a large
inflorescence of whitish flowers in summer. The flowers are pollinated only by the
Pronuba Moth, Tegeticula alba, which deposit eggs in the flower's ovary where the
larvae hatch and feed on the yucca seeds. Native Americans once ate parts of the
Bear-Grass plant. The petals on the flowers can be eaten as well as the fruit, cooked or
raw. The root can be made into a salve which is good for treating skin sores and
sprains.
Continue on Dogwood Trail to Tar Kiln
Question 5: What were the main uses of this plant for the Native Americans?
TAR KILN
The tar kiln is a mound of dirt used in the mid to late 19 th century and into the early
20th century by the Evans family for production of tar. This is one of the largest and
best preserved tar kilns in southeastern North Carolina. Further information about
the kiln and the naval stores industry is available at the naval stores display at the tar
kiln. In order to assure continued preservation of the kiln, please refrain from walking
on it.
Backtrack on Dogwood Trail past Rare Species station. Turn left on Black Gum Trail.
Question 6: How did the Evans family use the Tar Kiln to extract tar?
LOBLOLLY PINE
Most of the pines in Ev-Henwood are Loblolly or Old Field Pines. Their scientific
name is Pinus taeda. Pinus is the classical name for the pines and taeda is an ancient
name for resinous pines. Loblolly Pine is one of the largest southern pines, reaching
heights of 100' and diameters of 3'. It occurs in a wide variety of moist to dry habitats,
and it quickly invades abandoned fields, often forming pure stands. Economically it is
one of the most valuable trees in the Southeast. Because of its early rapid growth, it is
used extensively in reforestation programs, and the wood is used for lumber,
construction timbers, pulp, and plywood.
Unlike Slash and Longleaf Pines, it
produces low yields of oleoresin and is not worked for naval stores. Loblolly Pine is
often damaged and sometimes killed by southern pine beetles. Primary uses are
pulpwood and lumber.
Continue on Black Gum Trail
Question 7: How is the Loblolly Pine different from the Longleaf Pine?
RICE
Southeastern North Carolina is at the northern extreme of the Carolina Low Country,
an area that for the two hundred years prior to 1889 was the leading rice producing
region of the United States. Long-time residents of this area describe how families
planted patches of "upland rice" for personal use. The low area in front this station
may have been used for that purpose. The absence of large trees means that the area
was cleared, and the still-visible ditches could have been used to control water levels.
Most of the thousands of varieties of rice in the world belong to one species, Oryza
sativa. Oryza is an adaptation of the Arabic name eruz, and sativa means cultivated.
Rice is one of the cereal grasses, related to oats, wheat, rye, and barley, and is the
primary food source for millions of people in the world, especially in Asia.
Continue on Black Gum Trail
Question 8: What is the purpose of the ditches when growing rice?
BLACK GUM
There are two kinds of Black Gums. The scientific name of our common wetland
Black Gum is Nyssa biflora. It is commonly called Swamp Tupelo or Swamp Black
Gum and is closely related to the upland Black Gum, Nyssa sylvatica. Because there
are frequent intermediates between them, the two are often considered to be varieties
of the same species. Nyssa biflora has fewer fruits per stalk, its round-tipped leaves are
widest above the middle, and the stones of the dark blue fruits have prominent ribs.
Nyssa sylvatica has pointed leaves which are widest at the middle and the stones are
faintly ribbed. Common names for Nyssa sylvatica include Black Tupelo, for its dark
gray bark, and Sour Gum for its sour fruits. In New England it is called Pepperidge.
The common name "Black Gum" is a misnomer, because the trees do not produce
gums or latex of any kind. Both have small greenish flowers in late spring and are
prized as "bee trees" for the "tupelo honey" that the bees produce. The leaves turn
scarlet-yellow in early fall.
Continue on Black Gum Trail
Question 9: Who wrote the song “Tupelo Honey”?
LAUREL OAK
The most common oak in Ev-Henwood is the Laurel Oak, a variable species found in
both lowlands and dry sandy uplands. The plants in the dry uplands apparently
flower about two weeks later than those in the lowlands and are sometimes considered
to be a different species. There are also leaf differences. The lowland plants are often
called Swamp Laurel Oak or Diamond-leaf Oak, while those in the uplands are
referred to as Darlington Oak or simply Laurel Oak. Oaks are "monoecious" (monee-shus), which means they produce both male and female flowers on the same tree.
The male flowers hang down in stringy clusters called catkins and produce the pollen,
while the inconspicuous female flowers give rise to the acorns. Laurel Oak is used for
hardwood pulp and as a fuel, and is widely planted as an ornamental in the coastal
plain, but is short-lived. The acorns are eaten profusely by wildlife. One of the Laurel
Oak’s primary uses is pulpwood for making paper.
Americans throw away the
equivalent of 30 million trees per year just in newspaper! If you cut down all of the
trees here at Ev-Henwood, it would not be enough to produce one Sunday edition of
the New York Times. If you recycle a stack of newspapers just three feet tall, you
could save a small tree. Keep track of your recycling and see how many trees you can
save.
Continue on Black Gum Trail.
Question 10: How many trees are thrown away each year just from throwing away newspapers?
LICHENS
This short trail leads to an area with a large population of lichens. Lichens are two
organisms living together in close association. The spongy body is made up of fungal
filaments, and living among the filaments are green algae or blue-green algae or
sometimes both. The algae supply food to the fungus which cannot make its own. The
fungus provides a place for the algae to live, but no other apparent benefit. Lichens
grow very slowly, and it has been shown that some lichens have lived as long as 4,500
years. Although sensitive to air pollution, many lichens live in extreme environments
where nothing else will grow, such as bare rocks in blazing sun, on trees, and in the
arctic. One of lichens primary uses is as miniature bushes and trees for model train
sets. If you look carefully, you will see two kinds of lichens at the end of this trail. You
may touch the lichens, but please do not pick them or step on them.
Make sure you see the lichen learning station by the Lichen Loop sign. After seeing the lichen patch,
return to and continue on Black Gum Trail.
Question 11: What two organisms form lichens?
FIRE!
In the early 1940's, when this loblolly pine was much smaller, a fire burned through
this part of Ev-Henwood. As it did so, it reportedly burned only the far side of the
tree. It is likely that the two tissues responsible for growth were damaged. Those
tissues are called cambiums. The growth of one results in an increase of the conducting
tissues (xylem, or wood, and phloem), and another provides for an increase in the
thickness of the bark. Apparently that side stopped growing for a time while growth
on the near side continued. The result is the unusual shape in the trunk of the tree that
we see today.
Continue on Black Gum Trail
Question 12: Why do you suppose the tree again turned upright?
PETRIFIED WOOD
Petrified wood is formed when tree trunks are buried in mud or sand. Water seeps
into the buried logs and fills the empty cells of the decaying wood with mineral matter
until the structure becomes solid stone. This stone shows every detail of the wood
structure, even under a microscope. The petrified wood is often stained various colors
by oxides of iron and magnesium. The most famous petrified forests in the United
States are in Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona, but other states also
have petrified wood, including California, New York, Wyoming, and North Carolina!
These specimens were retrieved from the Cape Fear River near Lock Number One in
Bladen County.
Continue on Black Gum Trail
TULIP TREE
Also called Yellow-poplar or Tulip-poplar, Tulip Tree is named for its flower---a large,
greenish-orange "tulip" that reveals the species' kinship to the magnolias. Produced
in April - May, each flower will develop into a three-inch-long cone, from which large
winged fruits twirl to the forest floor in the autumn, along with the golden-yellow
leaves. The abundant seeds feed birds, squirrels, and woodland mice. In fertile sites,
mature trees may reach 100 feet in height, and its straight-arrow trunks may be free of
branches for the first 80 feet. Early settlers would hollow out long, lightweight canoes
from tulip tree logs, and the easily worked wood is prized for furniture, toys, and
musical instruments. Its scientific name is Liriodendron tulipifera. Liriodendron is
derived from the Greek lirion, lily or tulip, and dendron, tree. Tulipifera means tulipbearing. This beautiful tree is widely used as an ornamental in yards, parks, and large
gardens.
Continue on Black Gum Trail. Bear left on Stewartia Trail.
OLD FIELD SUCCESSION
For most of its recorded history, Ev-Henwood was owned by John Bassett Evans and
his descendents.
For nearly 150 years, the family resided nearby and used Ev-
Henwood for farming, logging, and the production of naval stores from native longleaf
pines. The uplands, such as those in front of you, were periodically logged and cleared
for the production of crops typical of the region. When those activities ended, the old
farm fields were able to begin the predictable, successional changes which eventually
will lead to a long-lasting oak-hickory forest which is the "climax" forest for this
region.
For example, Loblolly Pines, which are now so abundant, are not replacing
themselves because of the shady conditions, and hardwoods are becoming dominant.
Continue on Stewartia Trail.
Question 13: What will eventually happen to the pine trees if the hardwoods continue to grow?
HABITATS
Organisms are adapted to specific sets of environmental factors called habitats.
Living, or biotic, factors include soil microbes and fungi, plants, and animals. Some
nonliving, or abiotic, factors are moisture, soil, light, oxygen, and elevation. Many of
the plants and animals found in and along the small creek in front of you are very
different from those in upland areas of Ev-Henwood. Moisture loving mosses and
liverworts, Jack-in-the-pulpit, violets, royal ferns, poison ivy (!), and atamasco lily are
just of few of the plants found along the branch, but absent from dry uplands.
Likewise, amphibians, reptiles, and other animals which normally live along the creek
are adapted to that particular habitat. All factors in a habitat are interrelated, like a
web, and any disruption can be detrimental to the organisms that are a part of that
web. That is why habitat preservation is so important, for all living organisms.
Continue on Stewartia Trail
NATIVE AMERICANS
There is archaeological evidence that, prior to the arrival of the white man, EvHenwood was used by populations of southeastern North Carolina Indians, probably
of a Sioux-speaking tribe. Those visiting Ev-Henwood were probably small families of
hunters and gatherers. As you look around, you will see that you are on a rise at the
junction of the Old Field Branch of Town Creek and the floodplain of Town Creek
itself. Such high ground would have been an ideal site for traveling groups of Indians
to camp for short or extended periods of time. The presence of Town Creek with its
extensive swamp forests and adjacent uplands would have made Ev-Henwood an
excellent base for fishing, hunting, and gathering of food. Animal life is abundant due
to the extensive browse provided by low-growing shrubs and other plants, and
seasonal fruits such as blueberries. Within traveling distance are such food sources as
pocosins, savannas, pine flat woods, bogs, marshes, and ponds and lakes. Town Creek
and other rivers and streams in the area would have provided excellent fishing. It is
not hard to imagine groups of Native Americans living in Ev-Henwood hundreds of
years ago, and camping right where you are now standing!
Continue on Stewartia Trail
Question 14: Why did the Ev-Henwood property make such a good place for Native Americans to live?
AMERICAN BEECH
Not common in coastal North Carolina, American Beech prefers cooler and moister
north-facing slopes. That explains why, in Ev-Henwood, it is most abundant on the
north-facing slope along the Beechnut Trail.
These handsome trees are easily
recognized by their smooth, steel-gray bark and their long pointed winter buds. In
autumn the leaves turn yellow-brown and tend to persist on lower branches. Slowgrowing, the trees can eventually reach 100 feet in height with trunks 3 feet in
diameter. The wood, hard and strong, is widely used for toys, furniture, wooden
cookware, bowling pins, and for barrels to age beer. It is an excellent fuel wood and
was formerly used for charcoal.
Relatively disease-free and long-lived, American
Beech makes a fine shade tree. Male and female flowers are produced on the same
tree in spring. The fruits, 3-angled nuts, are produced in pairs in a spiny bur, and are
important food for many species of wildlife including birds, squirrels, and bears.
Continue on Stewartia Trail
Question 15: What makes the American Beech so important to wildlife?
STEWARTIA
The shrubs on the slope in front of you are Silky Stewartias, the "official plants" of
Ev-Henwood. They are also called Silky Camellias. The scientific name for Silky
Stewartia is Stewartia malacodendron. Stewartias were named by Linnaeus after John
Stewart, (1713-1792), a patron of botany and “malacodendron” describes a
resemblance to the woody mallows. As members of the Tea Family, they are related to
Camellias, Loblolly Bays, and the cultivated teas. Silky Stewartia grows on the coastal
plain and in the piedmont from Virginia to Louisiana.
Another native species,
Mountain Stewartia (Stewartia ovata), is found in the mountains and piedmont from
Virginia to Alabama.
Others grow in China, Japan, and Korea.
In May, Silky
Stewartia produces beautiful, large white flowers with blue and purple stamens, and in
autumn the leaves often turn an attractive purplish color before falling for the winter.
All Stewartias are sometimes cultivated.
Continue on Stewartia Trail.
AMERICAN HOLLY
The large tree in front of you is an American Holly. The beautiful leaves and red fruits
(called drupes) produced by American Hollies are often used as Christmas
decorations. Many years ago the people who owned Ev-Henwood gathered holly
branches and sold them to make money. That is why many of the large hollies in the
Preserve do not have lower branches. Hollies are usually "dioecious" (di-ee-shus),
which means that some plants have only male flowers and others only female flowers.
The female plants are the ones that produce the fruits. Can you tell whether this tree
is male or female? American Holly is generally pest-free and is a valuable landscape
ornamental with numerous cultivated varieties available. The white wood is valued for
use in decorative inlays in the manufacture of fine furniture.
Continue on Stewartia Trail.
SMALL STREAM SWAMP
You are overlooking a portion of the floodplain swamp which borders the black water
Town Creek. Black water streams have periodic floods of short duration, and at those
times the swamp is full of slow-moving water. The water tends to be very acidic, low in
nutrients, and darkly-colored by tannins, hence the term “black water.” At other
times the swamp appears quite dry. Trees in the swamp include various combinations
of Bald Cypress, Swamp Tupelo, Red Maple, Ironwood, and other black water
floodplain species. Both the shrub and herb layers are generally sparse, although Saw
Palmetto and vines such as Poison Ivy and Muscadine Grape may be prominent.
Larger animals in the swamp include Gray Squirrels, Raccoons, Eastern
Cottonmouths, White-tailed Deer, and Beavers. Many species of birds can be seen at
various times of the year.
Continue on Stewartia Trail. When you get to Holly Loop, you may go left or right. Both directions lead
to the parking lot.
If you are taking the Troy Henry Learning Trail, head past the small buildings and turn left onto the trail
through the field.
Troy Henry Learning Trail
AMERICAN ALLIGATOR
The American Alligator only lives in the southeastern United States. Alligators have
been seen in Town Creek and have also been seen in this pond. The largest alligator
found in North Carolina was 12’7” while the largest one ever found in the U.S. was
found in Louisiana and was 19’2”!
They have the most acidic stomach of any
vertebrate and eat a large variety of food. They eat things like fish, turtles, snakes,
small mammals, and even small alligators. Sticks, stones, bricks, and even aluminum
cans have been found in their stomachs. They may have as many as 80 teeth which are
designed for grabbing rather than cutting.
Alligators will grab hold of larger
mammals and take them under water so that they will drown. The Gar is one of the
alligator’s favorite foods. Gars eat large numbers of bass and bream. So if you are in
an area where there are alligators, there may be good fishing because there are no gars
to eat the game fish. Alligators are considered sexually mature when they reach a
length of 6 feet. They generally lay between 40 and 60 eggs. Alligators lay so many
eggs because 80% of the babies will not survive to maturity. Most baby alligators will
be eaten by birds, raccoons, bobcats, snakes, and larger alligators. The gender of the
baby alligators is determined by the temperature of the nest. If the nest is 86 degrees
or lower, all females will hatch. If the nest is above 90 degrees, all males will be born.
Alligators build nests out of mud and sticks to lay their eggs. Over time they may
continue to use the same nest, but build it larger and larger. Eventually these nests
create islands big enough to support trees.
Continue on trail across field and enter the woods. Turn left on Beechnut Trail.
Question 3: Why do you suppose the alligators along the gulf get so much bigger than the North Carolina
alligators?
WHITE-TAIL DEER
The White-Tail Deer is the most frequently hunted animal in United States. They
range in size from 100-350 pounds. During the warmer months, the White-Tail has a
reddish-brown coat, but when it turns cold their coats change to a grayish-brown. The
males, called Bucks, have antlers which fall off during January and February, after
the breeding season. Their antlers then grow back in the spring. White-Tail antlers
are some of the fastest growing tissue known to man. Their antlers may grow as much
as 1-2 inches per week during development. The Native Americans used the deer
extensively for food and clothing. Despite urbanization, the White-Tail Deer has made
a come back due to successful management practices. Also the plants in our garden
and farm crops make an excellent source of food for the deer. White-Tail Deer eat
leaves, stems, acorns, grasses, mushrooms, fruits, corn, and soybeans.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
Question 4: What were the main uses of White-Tail Deer for the Native Americans?
BLACK BEAR
The Black Bear is the only species of bear that lives in North Carolina. They can be
found in 24 mountain counties and 28 coastal counties in large areas of uninhabited
woodland or swamp with dense cover. You will not see Black Bears in the piedmont
because there are too many people. There may have been as many as 100,000 Black
Bears in North Carolina, but because of hunting and urbanization there are only 4,000
bears left in the state. Unlike the Grizzly Bear, Black Bears are very fearful of
humans. Females can grow up to 300 pounds while males can reach 590 pounds.
Black Bears are omnivores which means they eat both plants and animals. Their diet
consists of fruits, berries, acorns, nuts, corn, leaves, roots, honey, insects, frogs,
reptiles, grasses, larvae, seeds, carrion, fish, and small mammals.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
AMERICAN BEECH
Not common in coastal North Carolina, American Beech prefers cooler and moister
north-facing slopes. That explains why, in Ev-Henwood, it is most abundant on the
north-facing slope along the Beechnut Trail.
These handsome trees are easily
recognized by their smooth, steel-gray bark and their long pointed winter buds. In
autumn the leaves turn yellow-brown and tend to persist on lower branches. Slowgrowing, the trees can eventually reach 100 feet in height with trunks 3 feet in
diameter. The wood, hard and strong, is widely used for toys, furniture, wooden
cookware, bowling pins, and for barrels to age beer. It is an excellent fuel wood and
was formerly used for charcoal.
Relatively disease-free and long-lived, American
Beech makes a fine shade tree. Male and female flowers are produced on the same
tree in spring. The fruits, 3-angled nuts, are produced in pairs in a spiny bur,
and are important food for many species of wildlife including birds,
squirrels, and bears.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
Question 5: What makes the American Beech so important to wildlife?
SNAGS
Snags are standing, dead or partly dead trees, both large and small.
They are
important because they provide a portion of the life support system for many species
of plants and animals of the forest. Fungi, mosses, and lichens use the decayed wood
as a growth substrate. Numerous invertebrates such as moths and beetles use the
spaces under bark as cover and as places for feeding. Mammals use the cavities for
dens or escape cover, and the areas under loose bark are used by bats for roosting.
And snags are very important for birds. They use them to perch and to support nests,
and the cavities are used for nesting or roosting. Snags also play an important role in
forest insect control because many snag-dependent birds and mammals feed on insects.
Snags undergo a series of successional changes from the time a tree dies until final
collapse, and each state in the decay process has value to certain wildlife species. A
healthy forest has many snags!
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
TOWN CREEK HISTORY
When colonists first started settling the area, Town Creek was as far up the Cape Fear
River as they could go. This was because sediment flowing out of the mouth of Town
Creek caused a large shoal in the Cape Fear. This shoal was too shallow for large
boats to pass over, so the settlers just stopped at Town Creek. In November of 1664, the first
settlement in the area, called Charles Town, was on the west bank of the Cape Fear
River at the mouth of Town Creek. Town Creek was by far the most important
tributary for settlement in the area. The creek provided a transportation system for
settlers to travel into the city. By 1790, most people in the area had settled along Town
Creek or the Cape Fear River. In 1881, Town Creek’s channel was deepened to a
depth of 4 feet. This channel went for 20 miles up Town Creek starting at the Cape
Fear. This channel stops just a short distance from the Ev-Henwood property. A small
steamboat, called the Acme, used to travel from Wilmington about 30 miles up Town
Creek. This steamboat would have gone past the Ev-Henwood property. Members of
the Mercer family, a prominent Brunswick County family at the time, remembers
another steamboat called the Charles M. Whitlock that used to come up the creek.
They remember their father having to meet the Whitlock to get supplies for their store
in Bolivia. The Evans family most likely used the steamboats to ship tar barrels to
Wilmington and get goods to sell in their general store.
Question 6: Why did the first settlers of the region stop and settle at Town Creek?
OTTERS
Overall, there are 13 species of otter, but the main species found in North Carolina is
the North American River Otter. Otters are very social animals and can be seen
playing or wrestling with other Otters in the water or on land. When on land, Otters
can run up to 18 mph. Otters have been on Earth for approximately 30 million years
and live on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. In cold countries such as
Russia, Otter fur is used to make warm hats. Otters have webbed feet, which makes
them excellent swimmers and their fur is designed to trap air which keeps them warm
in cold water. Otters are mainly fish eaters, but also eat frogs and crayfish, and have
been seen eating small birds.
BEAVERS
During the mid 1800’s, the beaver was hunted almost to extinction. This was because
their pelts were very valuable and they were a good source of meat. Beavers reach a
length of 2-4 feet long and males can weigh from 30-80 pounds while females can
weigh 30-70 pounds. Beavers usually live to be about 10 years old, but may live as
long as 20 years. Beavers have been called “Natures Architect” because they build
dams. The dams are made of trees and sticks that they piece together. The dams
generally have an underwater entrance and a living area above the water called
“dens.” Beavers are herbivores (eating only plants) and feed mainly on the inner bark
of trees.
During the summer months, beavers will eat large amounts of aquatic
vegetation. A beaver’s diet includes bark, twigs, leaves, pond lilies, reeds, duckweed,
alfalfa, and clover.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
BALD CYPRESS
The largest tree that you can see in the swamp is a Bald Cypress tree. The Bald
Cypress tree is a member of the Redwood family and can grow to heights of 80-120
feet. It can have a diameter of 3-5 feet but can sometimes grow to a diameter of 10
feet! The Bald Cypress is often called the “Wood Eternal” because the wood is very
resistant to decay. Bald Cypress trees are some of the oldest trees in the world. When
our grandparents were young children, these trees were already very old. Some of
these trees can live to be well over 1000 years old! The Bald Cypress is deciduous
which means that its needles (about ¼-1 inch long) fall off in autumn. It makes its
home in the very swampy soils of riverbanks and floodplains. The wood of the Bald
Cypress is used in the building of docks, boats, and bridges because it is so resistant to
decay. The Native Americans often used Bald Cypress wood to make canoes.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
Question 7: Why is wood from Bald Cypress used in boat making?
BLUEBERRIES
There are several species of Blueberry here at Ev-Henwood including the Highbush
Blueberry, Lowbush Blueberry, and the Sparkleberry. The Sparkleberry is the largest
of the three, growing into a small tree. The Blueberry is one of the few fruits native to
North America. Native Americans would dry and then crush the Blueberries. They
would rub the powder into meats to cure them and make a type of meat jerky.
Blueberries are a very important source of food for wild animals. Many varieties of
birds, rodents, and rabbits eat the berries. Each berry contains hundreds of seeds and
the plant relies on animals to eat the berries and then deposit the seeds somewhere else
through their feces. Humans do not eat the Sparkleberry because it is a gritty, nonjuicy berry which tastes very bad to humans. North America is the leading producer
of cultivated Blueberries, producing 90% of the world’s Blueberry crop each year.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
WETLANDS
The wetlands are some of the most important natural resources on the Earth. They
have many functions that most people do not even realize. Wetlands are areas where
water either covers the soil year round or various periods of time such as swamps,
marshes, bogs, and estuaries.
These wetlands help regulate water levels within
watersheds, improves water quality by filtering out pollutants, reduce flood and storm
damage, provide important fish and wildlife habitat, and support hunting, fishing, and
other recreational opportunities.
It is also believed that wetlands help control
atmospheric conditions by storing carbon rather than releasing it into the atmosphere
as carbon dioxide. Wetlands are some of the most diverse ecosystems because they
usually lie in-between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 43% of all threatened and
endangered species rely directly or indirectly on the wetlands for survival. Between
the 1780’s and 1980’s North Carolina lost 49% of its original wetland acreage. The
land was filled in for agricultural fields and for development of strip malls and
neighborhoods. The leading cause of poor water quality in the remaining wetlands,
waterways, estuaries, bays, and oceans comes from untreated runoff from agricultural
fields, urban areas, and golf courses. Some scientists believe that many vaccinations
and medicines that have not yet been discovered are located in wetlands. Wetlands
provide us with many of the types of seafood that we eat. Without healthy wetlands,
we would have no oysters, clams, shrimp, and nearly no fish to eat.
In 1991,
Louisiana’s wetlands produced $244 million worth of shellfish.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
Question 8: What is the leading cause of water pollution in our wetlands?
MUSHROOMS
Stone carvings of mushrooms with human features have been found as relics of ancient
Mayan cultures, and were possibly used during religious ceremonies.
The
"mushroom" at this station was hewn out of a fallen water oak by David A. Dickman.
It serves to remind us of the importance of mushrooms and other fungi to forests.
Mushrooms are actually the spore-producing fruiting bodies of fungi which live in soil
or in dead plant material in the form of thread-like filaments called hyphae. Some are
even found on living plants, especially trees. As they grow, they cause the decay of the
materials on which they are living. This process releases important minerals into the
soil, and living plants use these minerals to grow and stay healthy. Mushrooms are
also an important source of food for insects and other small animals.
Many
mushrooms live in or on the roots of living green plants without causing harm. This
association, called a mycorrhiza, benefits both the mushroom and the green plant. The
fungus gets moisture and carbohydrates from the plant. In return, the fungus helps
supply the green plant with nitrogen and essential minerals such as phosphorus and
zinc. Authorities believe that most woody plants develop mycorrhizal relationships,
and that such relationships are vital for the health of the forest.
Continue on Beechnut Trail.
AMERICAN HOLLY
The tree in front of you is an American Holly. The beautiful leaves and red fruits
(called drupes) produced by American Hollies are often used as Christmas
decorations. Many years ago the people who owned Ev-Henwood gathered holly
branches and sold them to make money. That is why many of the large hollies in the
Preserve do not have lower branches. Hollies are usually "dioecious" (di-ee-shus),
which means that some plants have only male flowers and others only female flowers.
The female plants are the ones that produce the fruits. Can you tell whether this tree
is male or female? American Holly is generally pest-free and is a valuable landscape
ornamental with numerous cultivated varieties available. The white wood is valued for
use in decorative inlays in the manufacture of fine furniture.
Continue on Beechnut Trail to large Bald Cypress.
GUS
The tree in front of you is a very large and very old Bald Cypress Tree. This tree was
given the name Gus, by Troy Henry, because it is humongous. At 4 feet above the
ground, the tree has a circumference over 20 feet and a diameter over 6 feet! Even
though it is impossible to put a precise age on this tree, some estimates have given the
tree an age over 1000 years old! That means that this tree may have already been 200
years old when Marco Polo made it to China; 400 hundred years old when the Italian
renaissance began, and 500 years old when Columbus visited this country. Native
Americans were using this land when the tree was just a seedling and they may have
sat next to the tree while fishing in the creek. Bald Cypress trees have a maximum
lifespan of 2000 years which means this tree may have only lived half of its life!
From Gus, go back, taking the right fork.
LICHENS
Lichens are two organisms living together in close association. The spongy body is
made up of fungal filaments, and living among the filaments are green algae or bluegreen algae or sometimes both. The algae supply food to the fungus which cannot
make its own. The fungus provides a place for the algae to live, but no other apparent
benefit. Lichens grow very slowly, and it has been shown that some lichens have lived
as long as 4,500 years. Although sensitive to air pollution, many lichens live in extreme
environments where nothing else will grow, such as bare rocks in blazing sun, on trees,
and in the arctic. One of lichens primary uses is as miniature bushes and trees for
model train sets. You may touch the lichens, but please do not pick them or step on
them.
Continue on trail.
Question 9: What two organisms form lichens?
WILD TURKEY
Benjamin Franklin is rumored to have proposed that the Wild Turkey be the national
symbol of the United States of America instead of the Bald Eagle. The Wild Turkey
was nearly hunted to extinction in the late 1800’s, but through successful management
practices the numbers of turkey have gone up dramatically. Female turkeys may grow
up to a length of 3 feet while male turkeys may grow to a length of 4 feet. The males
have a beard hanging down from their breast which is actually a modified feather.
Turkeys have much better sight and hearing than humans which helps them stay
hidden from people. They can also run at speeds of 25 mph and fly at speeds of 35
mph. They eat various insects, small lizards, frogs, small snakes, seeds, fruits, nuts,
and other vegetation.
Continue on trail.
BIRDS
Over 50 different kinds of birds have been identified in the Ev-Henwood property
including several that nest and raise families here. Ev-Henwood’s bird diversity is
largely due to the diversity of habitats found here, including open grassy field,
bottomland hardwood swamp forest, and drier upland forest habitats. Each habitat
supports a unique variety of birds. Grassland birds including Bobwhite Quail and
Field Sparrows prefer the open fields, while Barred Owls, Pileated Woodpeckers, and
Prothonotary Warblers are found in the bottomland swamps. The dry upland forests
are favored places for Great-crested Flycatchers, Northern Cardinals, and Cooper’s
Hawks. In Town Creek itself we find Wood Ducks, Belted Kingfishers, and Great Blue
Herons. While Exploring Ev-Henwood, the quieter you are the more birds you may
see and hear. Remember, birds and their nests are protected by state and federal law.
Please do your best to take only pictures and leave only delicate foot prints.
Continue on trail through fields across the dam and back to the parking lot.
Question 10: Why are so many different types of birds seen here at Ev-Henwood?
ANSWERS
David Sieren Learning Trail
1. The Evans family primarily used the land for farming and production of naval
stores.
2. North Carolinians are called Tar Heels because their feet used to get covered in
pine resin from working the Longleaf Pine stands for naval stores.
3. The Dogwood got its name from another species of Dogwood that was used
treat mangy dogs.
4. The best way to preserve rare species is to set aside land to protect the species
from disturbance.
5. Native Americans used Bear-Grass as a source of food (petals and fruit) and
they used the root to make a paste that was good for treating sprains and sores.
6. The Evans family used the Tar Kiln to extract tar by stacking logs on top of one
another (boxing) and burning them very slowly. The tar would drip into a pipe
or hollow log in the middle of the kiln. The tar was collected at the end of the
pipe and put into barrels.
7. The Loblolly is different from the Longleaf because the Loblolly’s needles and
cones are much smaller than those of the Longleaf. Also, the Loblolly does not
produce the large amounts of oleoresin (sap) that the Longleaf produces.
8. The ditches along the edge of the rice field allowed tenants to control the
amount of water in the rice field.
9. The song “Tupelo Honey” was written by Van Morrison in 1971.
10. The equivalent of approximately 30 million trees is thrown away each year
just in newspapers. Recycling a stack of newspapers 3 feet tall can save a small
tree.
11. The two organisms that form lichens are fungus and algae. The algae live on
the fungus and the fungus feeds off of the algae.
12. The reason the tree has turned back upright is because it is growing towards
the sun. If the tree continued to grow at an angle, the surrounding trees would
not allow sun to come through, which would kill the tree.
13. If the hardwood trees continue to grow, the pine trees will eventually go away.
The hardwoods will shade out any small pines and they will not be able to grow
because of the lack of sun.
14. Ev-Henwood is suitable place for Native Americans because there is high
ground where they could live.
Also, there would have been excellent
opportunities for hunting, fishing, and gathering food.
15. The American Beech is so important to wildlife because its nuts provide a
large food source for many different species of animals.
Troy Henry Learning Trail
1. The Evans family primarily used the land for farming and production of naval
stores.
2. North Carolinians are called Tar Heels because their feet used to get covered in
pine resin from working the Longleaf Pine stands for naval stores.
3. Alligators along the gulf get so much larger because temperatures along the
gulf are warmer than temperatures in North Carolina.
This allows the
alligators to stay active longer which allows them to become larger.
4. Native Americans would use the White Tail Deer for food, and its hide for
clothing and shelter.
5. The American Beech is so important to wildlife because its nuts provide a large
food source for many different species of animals.
6. The first settlers stopped at Town Creek because sediments flowing out of the
mouth of the creek formed a large shoal at the mouth of the creek. Settlers
could not get past this shoal to head further up the Cape Fear River.
7. Wood from Baldcypress trees is prized for boat making because it so resistant
to decay. Since the wood is resistant to decay, the boat will not rot when
exposed to water.
8. Untreated runoff from agricultural fields, urban areas, and golf courses is the
leading cause of poor water quality in our wetlands, waterways, estuaries, bays,
and oceans.
9. The two organisms that form lichens are fungus and algae. The algae live on
the fungus and the fungus feeds off of the algae.
10. So many different birds can be seen due to the varying habitats located on the
property. There are open fields, wetlands, and upland forests.
32
NOTES