Walkers on the Old Field trail may notice fallen trees and brush piles in the open, grassy area along the eastern boundary of the Arboretum. Arboretum staff and volunteers have begun to clear this area of recent, woody growth in an attempt to maintain some habitat diversity within the mostly forested preserve. It is hoped that current clearing may make it easier to proceed with future restoration of the field to the condition of an oak opening.

Most of the property now occupied by the Lillian Anderson Arboretum was extensively cultivated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Much of it has grown back with typical early successional shrubs and trees - including, unfortunately, many invasive species. The Old Field was one of the last areas kept cleared. Aerial photos taken as little as 15 years ago show approximately 10 acres of open field in the part of the Arboretum acquired from Western Michigan University. An attempt will now be made to keep this area clear - starting with a 2 acre portion around the Leopold bench just off the Old Field trail. Species like cherry and sumac will be cut. Clonal aspen and black locust will receive basal bark herbicide treatment. It is hoped that after the removal of woody species resources can be found to enable the field to be cut or burned on a regular basis.

It is not easy to determine the condition of the Old Field area prior to European settlement but it is known that one of the features of the southwestern Michigan landscape at that time was the oak opening. These intermittent clearings in the forest were covered with prairie grasses and wildflowers and a few scattered oak trees. Readers of E. O. Wilson's Biophilia will recognize this type of landscape for its appeal to humans throughout the ages. In pre-settlement times much of the middle-west was covered by prairie of various types and in the last half century many attempts have been made to restore some of these prairie ecosystems. One of the lessons learned from these attempts is that they are expensive and time consuming and self-sustaining prairies will rarely succeed in areas less than 100 acres. The Old Field is small by these standards and currently covered with knapweed and brambles and other invasive species. These would have to be eliminated by some combination of cutting, burning and herbicides and then the field would have to be reseeded with traditional grasses and forbs. It is unlikely that the Arboretum will have the resources for such a project in the near future but woody growth can be removed fairly easily now, while shrubs and trees are still small. This will keep open the option of future restoration and at least maintain the current level of environmental diversity within the property.

The clearing project will take some time and will largely rely on the assistance of volunteers. Luckily, shrubs and trees grow slowly and we should be able to keep ahead of them!