Black Ash Long-Term Monitoring Plots

This page provides a summary of the preliminary data from the first year of establishing black ash long-term monitoring plots.

What lies ahead: 

1. An interactive map with the locations of each long-term monitoring site.
2. A description of how this data was compiled, and what it represents.
3. Summary graphs, displaying trends across the 10 sites: percent black ash by site, black ash canopy health by site, and black ash bole condition by site.
4. For each of the 10 sites, there are four graphs and three figures. The graphs include (1) black ash diameter distribution, (2) basket size trees, (3) black ash bole condition, (4) black ash canopy ratings. The figures represent (1) basal area by species, (2) herbaceous plants, (3) seedlings and saplings present. 

As of December 2022, there are 10 sites with black ash long-term monitoring plots. Each site from 1 to 3 plots, depending on the distribution and frequency of black ash within the site boundaries. The site locations are plotted on the interactive map below. Note that Alburgh Dunes State Park and Tinmouth Channel WMA have both northern and southern sites.

1. The original goal was to establish a minimum of three long-term monitoring plots per site. Because these plots are intended to monitor black ash trees, the number of actual plots established was dependent upon the distribution and presence of black ash within the site. The number of plots established at the northern Alburgh Dunes State Park Sites was limited by time, as there was there a large enough population to establish an additional plot.
2. All figures are expandable. Simply click on the figure, and you’ll enter full screen mode.
3. Unless otherwise specified, figures depict trends across a site. For example, if there were three plots in a site, then the data has been adjusted to reflect a plot average.
4. Exceptions to the averages: Herbaceous Plants & Saplings and Seedlings Species. These figures represent a basic presence or absence across a site.
5. The maps are expandable and interactive. By clicking on a feature, such as a plot location or site perimeter, you can view the attribute table associated with the feature.
6. Any tree greater than 1-inch in diameter was measured and included in the plot’s data set.
7. You can navigate to each long-term monitoring site by clicking on the relevant heading listed in the navigation bar.

B1: Trunk is straight, free of knots, and lacking any curvature B2: Trunk has straight sections of 8 ft. + B3: Trunk has at least one straight sections of 6 - 8 ft. B4: Trunk has frequent curves, twists, and knots. No straight sections greater than 6 feet B5: Trunk is about as twisty as can be, significant epicormic activity

C1: Canopy is full and healthy C2: Canopy has started to lose leaves (thinning), but no dieback (dead top canopy twigs without leaves) is present C3: Canopy has less than 50% dieback C4: Canopy has more than 50% dieback C5: Canopy has no leaves; epicormic sprouts may be present on the tree

SM: Smooth Few or no mounds; if present, less than 1 foot high, and no more than 20 feet apart MO: Moderately mounded Mounds 1 ft. to 3 ft. high and 10-20 ft. apart ST: Strongly mounded Mounds 1 ft. to 3 ft. high and less than 10 ft. apart EX: Mounds more than 3 ft. high

For each of the 10 sites, there is a description of the site, a zoomed-in map and seven charts describing the initial The following text, charts, and maps describe the 10 sites with long-term monitoring plots.

Natural Community: Red Maple Black Ash Seepage Swamp Total Plot(s): 1 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 22 pH: 6.5 Hydrology: sloped, groundwater Microtopography: MO

This red maple black ash seepage swamp is located in Vermont’s Champlain Islands. There are numerous black ash along the western edge of the swamp, while the center of the swamp transitions to hummocks that are dominated by red maples. 

As of August 2022, the nearest confirmed emerald ash borer infestation was about 1.3 miles to the south-southwest, in a green ash adjacent to the park entrance. Within the site, the black ash are visibly stressed (see “canopy health” graph). During plot establishment, there were woodpeckers flitting about, vocalizing from the canopies. Most trees exhibited substantial canopy dieback, epicormic shoots, or both. 

Natural Community: Red Maple Northern White Cedar Swamp Total Plot(s): 2 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 54 pH: 7.0-7.5 Hydrology: Plot 1: sloped, ground + surface water; Plot 2: depression, groundwater Microtopography: Plot 1: SM-ST ; Plot 2: MO

There were definitive EAB signs near and in the plot. As noted in the previous site description, a dead green ash by the entrance station had the outer bark stripped off, exposing serpentine galleries and D-shaped exit holes. 

The 17.6 acre site currently houses two plots, both located where the black ash were concentrated along the western edge of the site. There were several dead green and black ash, and lots of woodpecker activity. It’s important to note that this data only includes black ash that exhibited signs of life, including epicormic shoots. The majority of black ash within these plots exhibited some type of bole defect.

Natural Community: Hemlock-Balsam Fir-Black Ash Seepage Swamp Total Plot(s): 2 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 7 pH: 6.5 - 7.0 Hydrology: Sloped, groundwater Microtopography: SM

The majority of this 5-acre site had been transformed by beaver activity. In both the southern third and middle third of the site, many of the trees have transitioned into snags following inundation. The southern portion has been abandoned, but beavers continue to maintain the dam in the middle section. 

Just below the dam, there were several black ash saplings, as well as a handful of larger black ash with poor canopy condition. North of the beaver activity, there were several black ash scattered throughout the forest. The northern plot was established in the highest density area, and contained six black ash up to 13.99” DBH. While the canopies were in considerably better shape than below the dam, most trees exhibited epicormic sprouting -- possibly the result of beaver activity and other stresses. 

Natural Community: Wet Clayplain Forest Total Plot(s): 1 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 21 pH: 7.5 Hydrology: Sloped, surface Microtopography: SM

The boundary of Dead Creek WMA, located in Addison County,  encircles a 17.2 acre wet clayplain forest site. Bordered by cattail swamp, agricultural fields, and fragmented forest parcels, the boundary of this site is a jungle of common buckthorn, Morrow’s honeysuckle, prickly ash, and multiflora rose. However, the interior of the community is more open, and full of swamp white oak, American hop hornbeam, basswood, white pine, bitternut hickory, and green ash.

There’s one cluster of black ash within the site. The plot sits in the middle of this cluster, adjacent to a small stream channel. During plot establishment, the stream was dry, although it likely fills with water during precipitation events.

Natural Community: Sugar Maple Ostrich Fern Floodplain Forest Total Plot(s): 2 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 3 pH: 7.0 Hydrology: Sloped, surface Microtopography: SM

This two acre site hugs either side of a deeply incised stream that cuts through the middle of Niquette Bay State Park. In the spring, the floor of this Sugar Maple Ostrich Fern Riverine Floodplain Forest was mostly bare soil. By July, it was a tangle of Allegheny blackberry, ostrich fern, cinnamon fern, and swamp milkweed. 

Within the site, there were several green ash, basswood, and sugar maple trees. The black ash are few and far between. The first plot, located around the midpoint of the site, has two black ash trees and numerous seedlings. The second plot has only one black ash, which has the largest diameter measured within any of the plots at 16.0 inches. Over all, there was relatively little black ash regeneration within the site.

Natural Community: Sugar Maple Ostrich Fern Floodplain Forest Total Plot(s): 2 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 2 pH: 5.5 Hydrology: sloped, surface Microtopography: SM

This small 1.7 acre floodplain forest has a gently sloping floor adjacent to the stream channel. There were only two black ash within the site, both in poor canopy condition. While the figure displays presence of black ash seedlings and saplings, this observation was limited to a single individual in poor condition.

Natural Community: Sugar Maple Ostrich Fern Floodplain Forest Total Plot(s): 1 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 7 pH: 7.0 Hydrology: Sloped, surface Microtopography: SM

As the crow flies, Sweet Pond State Park is less than 1.5 miles from the Massachusetts border. The park’s main feature is a 20-acre artificial pond. Out towards the entrance of the park, there’s a 1.5 acre sugar maple ostrich fern floodplain forest with one monumented plot. Within the site, there’s one patch of black ash, all hugging the stream side. The plot contains six black ash, most with canopy dieback and some with epicormic shoots. There were no signs of blonding within the plot. Black ash regeneration was present on the site.

Natural Community: Red Maple Northern White Cedar Swamp Total Plot(s): 2 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 20 pH: 8.0 Hydrology: Plot 1: sloped, groundwater; Plot 2: depression, groundwater Microtopography: MO

This site is north of Route 140, in a 91-acre red maple northern white cedar swamp. On the edges of the swamp, meandering streams cut through hummocks that support towering northern white cedars. The swamp itself sits down below the cedar forest, and is a dense community of larch, black ash, birch, hemlock, white pine, and balsam fir trees. 

The tree density within the site is formidable, mostly Larix laricina, with notable standing dead wood. The black ash were in decent condition, with varying levels of bole condition. The majority of black ash were smaller than 5 inches diameter. The variety of herbaceous species within the plots was notable.

Natural Community: Red Maple Black Ash Seepage Swamp Total Plot(s): 3 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 119 pH: 6.5 - 7.0 Hydrology: Sloped, groundwater Microtopography: SM - MO

In this 14.8 acre red maple black ash seepage swamp, black ash trees codominant throughout the swamp, with frequent black ash seedlings. The topography slopes gently down to the south, and is bordered on either side by drier ridges.

This site had the highest density of black ash of all of the 10 sites, and hosts three plots. The middle plot had 81 trees with 59 black ash. This site will be an interesting one to monitor as EAB continues to spread across Vermont.

Natural Community: Hemlock Balsam Fir Black Ash Seepage Swamp Total Plot(s): 2 Black Ash Within Plot(s): 31 pH: 6.5 - 7.0 Hydrology: Sloped, groundwater Microtopography: SM - MO

Victory State Forest is in Essex County, one of three counties in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The setting is more remote, and accessing the site requires navigating a series of logging roads and forest tracks. In places, the hemlock-balsam fir-black ash seepage swamp to inhibit GPS connection. The swamp’s interior includes mossy hummocks, a cobble-filled stream, deep pockets of muck, numerous black ash, moose poop, and a healthy mosquito population.

This 7.4-acre site could house another plot, but time constraints prevented establishing a third plot during summer 2022.