Ecology of Red Maple Swamps in the Glaciated Northeast: A ...

ships, and state and federal wetland probction
laws. The impacts of logging on other functions
and values of these wetlands, such as wildlife
habitat, open space, and recreation, must be carefully
considered.
Sociocul tural Values
h d maple swamps are also valuable Lo society
for their scenic beauty, their contribution to biotic
diversity, and their use as recreation and openspace
areas. This collection of wetland values has
been variously referred to as socioculturd or heritage
values Wiering 1979) and aesthetic, recreational,
and landscape values (Smardon 1988).
The scenic or aesthetic value of red maple
swamps is most obvious at the landscape level
during early fall when the brilliant ello ow, red, and
orange foliage of the swamps provides striking contrast
to the upland vegetation whose foliage has not
yet changed from the predominantly green shades
of summer, Although red maple has the greatest
visual affect becausc of its predominance, other
spies such as black gun and ashes may also be
striking. Mixed stands of hardwoods and conifers
offer a uxsique contrast in fall foliage in some
swamps. Rad maple swamps border major highways
throughout the Northeast, and each fall these
bright auturml colors are seen daily by thousands
of motorist. h d maple swamps clearly are a disthetive
partz of the scenic beauty that characterizes
this region.
'I'he aesthetic value of red maple swamps can
be appreciabd on a more subtle level as well: in
tbe flowers of the spicebush, which form a yellow
haze in the ur~derstory of hillside seepage swamps
and along upland drainageways in early spring;
in the curious hoodlike inflorescence and broad
green leave8 of the skunk cabbage; in the lush
growth of cinnamon ferns interspersed with dark
psals of wator, invoking images of the pri~nevd
forest (Fig. 2.1); in the fragrant aroma of sweet
pepperbush flowers (Fig. 8.1) in late summer; or
in the bright red fruits of the common winterberry
throughout fail and winter. These also are common
sights along northeastern roads and hiking
trails; they are the detaiIs that create visual diversity
In a predominantly forested landscape.
The public engages ih a variety of forms of
recreation in red maple swamps. Depending upon
the water regime and the pro&ity of the swamps
open water, hunters nay pursue watedowl,
deer, ruffed Gouse, rabbits, squirPels, or even
ring-necked pheasants (Phcrsknus ahhicus) in
these habitats. Red maple swamps are frequented
by birdwakhers as well, especially during late
spring when migrating warblers and other songbirds
feed on insects attracted to the flowers and
breaking leaf buds of red maple trees. Canoeing,
hiking, and photographing nature art, other forms
of recreation that may be pursued in and along the
edges of red maple swamps. Picking native highbush
blueberries is another activity that is part of
the cultural heritage associated with these forested
wetlands.
Biotic diversity, particularly the presence of rare,
threatened, unique, or unusual plants axad animals,
is itself an aspect of our natural heritage to which
red maple swamps contribute. As noted previously,
many species of plants and animals found in red
maple swamps are classified in threatened or endangered
conservation status categories by state
agencies (see Appendixes B and D). Still, documentation
of the flora and fauna (especially invertebrates)
in red maple swamps has been limited;
more detailed surveys are needed throughout the
Northeast.
Pollen preserved for thousands of years in the
sediments beneath red maple swamps provides
tangible evidence of the changes in climate and
plant communities that have occurred in the
Northeast since the retreat of the glaciers
(Beetham and Niering 1961). Thus, some red maple
swamps may have considerable value for research
and education.
In highly urbanized areas of the Northeast, red
maple swamps also provide a natural, low-cost
form of open space. Frequently, the term open
space is limited to aesthetics and recreational
value, but in many cases its chief value may be in
reducing the visual and psychological impacts of
urbanization on humans m d their quality of life.
Public parks, athletic fields, agricultural land,
and other undeveloped uplands also provide open
space, but wetlands are particularly well suited to
this purpose for several reasons: (1) they perform
a variety of other functions, such as flood storage
and water quality improvement, that are highly
valued by society; (2) they are unsuitable for most
other land uses because of their wetness; and (3)
they are frequently distributed in a linear pattern,
paraiieiir~g watercourses, which maximizes human
contact with undeveloped parts of the landscape.
Red maple swamps are especially effective
open-space areas (Fig. 8.2); the trees and shrubs
provide a tall, visual screen between developed
areas and help to reduce noise emanating from