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Ecosystem Mapping A Public Park Essay

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In this exercise, I examine a public park, specifically one corner of the Crotona Park Nature Center measuring 50 feet by 50 feet, with an aim of making a number of observations within the selected area. In so doing, I will be seeking to describe what is growing in the said area. More specifically, I will not only identify the trees present, but also identify the ground cover of the identified area.

Method and Materials



To identify a location for this experiment, I made use of Google Earth to scan my neighborhood and soon found an appropriate area, i.e. a nearby public park. I then zoomed-in to a certain spot, made a screenshot of the same, and chose the following day as the day of actual visit. The tools I carried on my way to the park included a camera, a retractable steel tape, a clipboard and several blank sheets of paper, a piece of chalk, and a pen. Once on location, I measured a 50 by 50 feet area using the steel tape so as to demarcate the required area, after which I then marked the 4 corners of the area with the piece of chalk. I took note of all the vegetation within the identified area and developed a map highlighting key features. Next, I measured the circumference of the four trees present by putting the steel tape around each tree (at a height of 4.5 feet above ground), and divided each trees measurement results with 3.1417 so as to define the DBH in inches. The measurements were recorded. The park caretakers helped me in the naming of the trees identified.

Results



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Luckily on the day of the exercise, the sky was clear and therefore, I did not encounter any adverse weather elements throughout the exercise. I was able to identify all three tree types with the help of park caretakers. These are 1 thornless honeylocust tree, 2 greenspire littleleaf lindens, and 1 fraxinus americana. The ground cover of the selected area is predominantly grass, with some rocky surface covering some sections of the area.

What I learned



In essence, this was a valuable exercise on various fronts. To begin with, I came to learn of the relevance of technology in the enhancement of efficiency and accuracy. Thanks to Google Earth, I was able to effortlessly identify an area of interest without necessarily having to scout for an appropriate site via actual visits. In so doing, I was therefore able to save a lot of time and energy. In future, I will be happy to explore the various other ways technology can be utilized in ecosystem mapping. Next, I was also able to learn about the many tree types found in Riverdale, Bronx NY. Previously, I was only distantly aware of various trees by general appearance, but I always failed to take a closer look to identify subtle differences existing between trees. I was also largely unaware of a concise method or approach used in the classification of trees on the basis of DBH (using diameter measurement readings).

Improvements and Suggestions



I am of the opinion that although the exercise, as…

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