Friday, February 15, 2008

Frozen Forests at Ridley Creek State Park






I took some much needed time out this week to enjoy a small hike at Ridley Creek State Park. Ridley Creek State Park includes more than 2,606 acres of woodlands located in Delaware County near the West Chester Pike (Route 3).

Among the park’s many features is the
Park Office and Gardens. From the DCNR park website:

"The park office is in the “Hunting Hill” mansion, built by the Jeffords family in 1914. The mansion was built around a 1789 Pennsylvania stone farmhouse that forms the core of the building and serves as the reception center."
Recently the Philadelphia area has seen bits of snow, ice, rain, and freezing rain, which meant that on this particular hike, most of my attention was spent trying to maintain my balance on icy trails. We will return soon on less icy days when I can carry my camera and bring you photos from the forest. In the spring I will also return to share images of the gardens. In the absence of pictures, I can tell you that the creek was roaring and full, and the trees were snuggly in their icy snow-blanket.

If you’re in the Philadelphia area and would like to learn more about local trees and forests, be sure to visit Steven Chmielnicki at
Artisan Trees. Steven is an ISA Certified Arborist of Artisan Tree & Treehouse, LLC. Recently Steven began organizing informal “tree walks” at parks in our area. He invites groups of people to join him in learning to identify local species. These tree walks are free and open to the public. I hope to join Steven in the future and share a little about his tree walks here at Arboreality.

To learn more or to join in future tree walks
visit the Artisan Trees website.

6 comments:

  1. I just discovered your blog through Caroline's Earth-Friendly Gardening. The photographs from Ridley Creek are beautiful - what a wonderful place.

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  2. Kate, greetings and welcome! I'm glad you found Arboreality (I love Caroline Brown's blog). Thank you for the compliments - I can't wait to share more from Ridley Creek. What you see here is really just a peek. ;)

    Best,
    jlb

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  3. Great photos, as usual JL! I'm still in snow mode but it doesn't look like it will be lasting much longer.

    Have a great weekend! G

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  4. I haven't found my local tree experts yet, since I've moved. You are inspiring me to get out and meet new folks and make new friends - when the weather warms a bit, of course.

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  5. You've won an award JL (again) stop by when you can!!!

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  6. Was at the mansion yesterday, April 19 2008.....unbelievable piece of history sitting alone, in that park. How it makes me dream of going back in time....meeting the family or families that lived there.....were they happy, were they miserable.....with all those balconies....how could anyone ever be sad living there! It is now my spot when I need to be alone and think. Wow....if those walls could talk.....or those trees! Unbelievable....it just brakes my heart that there are two huge sycamore trees out there that are completely engulfed in a vine, that could be cut at the base....and save the tree. I would hate to see my favorite tree, the sycamore, die because of a stupid vine, and no-one that cared enough to chop it at its base. Barbara in Media, PA

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