VIA philadelphia 1
inventoryecology 2
VIA philadelphia vegetation The above map is a close approximation of tree canopy cover surrounding VIA philadelphia. It shows that, while there is good tree cover within Fairmount Park and surrounding neighborhoods, canopy is thin or nonexistent towards the 9th Street Branch of the Reading Viaduct. In fact, the raised rail corridor east of Broad Street contains the majority of trees in the neighborhoods immediately adjacent to it. This presents a valuable opportunity for the City of Philadelphia. If turned into a park, VIA philadelphia will greatly help restore urban tree canopy, creating a green oasis within the Callowhill, North Chinatown, and Poplar neighborhoods and acting as a starting point from which to spread the urban canopy into each neighborhood through initiatives such as TreeVitalize, Tree Philly, and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society s Plant One Million campaign. Doing so will help to accomplish three target objectives outlined in Greenworks Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter s ambitious sustainability plan to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America. VIA philadelphia has the power to bring Philadelphia one step closer to that goal. 1
inventory A Brave New Ecology The urban environment is already awash in plant life if one opens their eyes to a new way of seeing. -future green studio Spontaneously propagating, self-pollinating, tough urban plants inhabit our most derelict landscapes - along roadsides and chain-link fences, between cracks of pavement, and within vacant lots, rubble dumps, and highway medians. Remarkably these plants require no human assistance to assert and sustain themselves in these punishing, often volatile urban environments, while providing the same ecologically performative benefits of traditional landscape plants and street trees. vigorous growth self pollinating first to appear in spring tolerates low soil nutrients tolerates severe drought seeds attractive to wildlife advantageous seed germination first to colonize disturbed soils tolerates compacted / contaminated soil 2
VIA philadelphia vegetation // zone 1 0 300ft. N The notion that every city has a native flora that can be restored is an idea with little credibility in light of the facts that (1) most urban land has been totally transformed from what it once was... -Paul de Tredici 1
inventory opportunistic meadow Characterized by aggressive and/or invasive species that can survive in areas of very limited soil medium and extreme temperature fluctuations. Found throughout viaduct corridor in the cracks of sidewalks, mortar joints, neglected properties, vacant lots, and within railroad rights-of-way. Princess Tree Common Goldenrod Green Foxtail Narrowleaf Sweet Autumn groundsel Plantain Clematis paulowniablack locust forest Canopy species mainly invasive, edge-habitat trees, with minimal, mostly invasive shrub cover. Invasive vines prevalent. Contains many fruit-bearing species attractive to birds and mammals. Ground cover minimal, comprised of non-native herbaceous species. Princess Tree Pin Oak Black Locust Autumn Olive Wineberry Hairy Bittercress 2
VIA philadelphia vegetation // zone 2 0 300ft. N The notion that every city has a native flora that can be restored is an idea with little credibility in light of the facts that (2) the climate conditions that the original flora was adapted to no longer exist... -Paul de Tredici 1
inventory no vegetation Low-light conditions unsuitable for supporting significant plant life. Moisture seeping from walls near steam vents may support mosses and/or lichens. 2
VIA philadelphia vegetation // zone 3 0 300ft. N The notion that every city has a native flora that can be restored is an idea with little credibility in light of the facts that (3) most urban habitats are strictly human creations with no natural analogs and no indigenous flora. -Paul de Tredici 1
inventory Paulownia forest Dominated by Paulownia, occasional occurrences of native but aggressive Catalpa. Characterized by advantageous trees; thorny, fruit-bearing shrubs; and a high occurrence of native and exotic vines. All species can tolerate soil compaction, salt spray, exposed slopes, and rock cuts. meadow Princess Tree Catalpa Tree of Heaven Multiflora Rose Wineberry Virginia Creeper Extremely limited biodiversity take advantage of exposed edge conditions. Aggressive species are early successional types that take advantage of disturbed soil conditions, vacant lots, and salt spray and can survive in places of very little soil such as masonry joints. forest Common Reed Goldenrod Japanese Honeysuckle Narrowleaf Plantain Virginia Pepperweed Common Groundsel Similar to Paulownia and Paulownia-Robinia forests. Typified by English Ivy groundcover and vine dominance that smothers the understory and is found only in the Overstructure section. Ivy can survive on masonry structures, damaging buildings and strangling trees. catapla meadow Catalpa Black locust Princess tree Oriental Bittersweet English ivy Cutleaf Blackberry Community found on old railroad bridge between 16th and 17th Streets, an area of limited soil substrate. No occurrences of tree or shrub species. Characterized by balance of aggressive, early-successional grasses and flowering perennials. Common Mullein Goldenrod Japanese Knotweed Green Foxtail White Panicle Aster Common Groundsel 2
VIA philadelphia vegetation // zone 4 0 300ft. N The notion that every city has a native flora that can be restored is an idea with little credibility in light of the facts that (4)...the idea that this vegetation can somehow be restored to the site is both ecologically and evolutionarily impossible. -Paul de Tredici 1
inventory meadow Dominated by native, flowering perennials. Thrives in exposed, sunny areas of limited substrate. Found on Viaduct s railroad bridge edges. Occasional Buddleia specimens found throughout community. grasslands Bittersweet Nightshade Butterfly Bush Green Foxtail Goldenrod White Panicle Aster White Snakeroot Dominated by warm season grasses, and punctuated by tall, flowering perennials. Early successional species thrive in poor, shallow substrates directly within existing railroad tracks. Little Bluestem Bluegrass Green Foxtail Goldenrod White Snakeroot Common Milkweed old field Found in fill areas of viaduct with deeper soil substrate. Defined as a meadow undergoing succession by tree and shrub species. Demonstrates a balance of native and exotic species. Princess Tree Catalpa Butterfly Bush Common Milkweed Chinese Silvergrass Bluegrass 2
VIA philadelphia wildlife // all zones The Urban wildlife of VIA philadelphia shows a surprising amount of diversity. In addition to familiar city denizens like pigeons, rats, common opossum, and European starlings, birds and mammals ordinarily limited to more rural environments can be seen near or on VIA philadelphia Creatures take advantage of the plant communities along VIA philadelphia for shelter, forage, and prey items. Several migrating bird species may use VIA philadelphia vegetative cover as a resting point on their journey. 1
inventory mammals White-tailed deer Norway rat Common opossum Raccoon Feral cat Gray squirrel Skunk Fox birds Cooper s hawk Rock dove (Pigeon) European starling Red-tailed hawk Peregrine falcon Ruby-throated hummingbird Common mockingbird Brown thrasher House sparrow Common nighthawk House finch Chipping sparrow Field sparrow Mourning dove American goldfinch Gray catbird American kestrel House finch Chimney swift reptiles Gartner snake Black snake 2
VIA philadelphia Plant Species Found along VIA Philadelphia Corridor Botanical Name Common Name Family Acer platanoides Norway Maple Sapindaceae Acer rubrum Red Maple Sapindaceae Ageratina altissima (L.) King & H. Rob. White Snakeroot Asteraceae Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle Tree of Heaven Simaroubaceae Allium cepa Common Onion Amaryllidaceae Apocynum cannabinum L. Indian Hemp, Common Dogbane Apocynaceae Aristida oligantha Michx. Prairie Threeawn Poaceae Artemisia vulgaris L. Common Wormwood Asteraceae Asclepias syriaca L. Common Milkweed Apocynaceae Buddleja davidii Franch. Butterfly Bush Scrophulariaceae Bulbostylis capillaris (L.) Kunth ex C.B. Clarke Densetuft Hairsedge Cyperaceae Cardamine hirsuta L. Hairy Bittercress Brassicaceae Catalpa sp. Catalpa Bignoniaceae Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. Oriental Bittersweet Celastraceae Chenopodium album L. Lamb s Quarters Amaranthaceae Clematis terniflora Sweet Autumn Clematis Ranunculaceae Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist Canadian Horseweed Asteraceae Daucus carota L. Queen Anne s Lace Apiaceae Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. Autumn Olive Elaeagnaceae Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. Autumn Olive Elaeagnaceae Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr. Japanese Knotweed Polygonaceae Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Rosaceae Galium sp. Bedstraw Rubiaceae Glechoma hederacea L. Ground Ivy Lamiaceae Hedera helix English ivy Araliaceae Juncus sp. Rush Juncaceae Juniperus virginiana L. Eastern Red Cedar Cupressaceae Lepidium virginicum L. Virginia Pepperweed Brassicaceae Lepidium virginicum L. Virginia Pepperweed Brassicaceae Liquidambar styraciflua Sweetgum Altingiaceae Lonicera japonica Thunb. Japanese Honeysuckle Caprifoliaceae Magnolia grandiflora L. Southern Magnolia Magnoliaceae Magnolia grandiflora L. Southern Magnolia Magnoliaceae Malus sp. Crabapple Rosaceae Melilotus alba Medic. White Sweet Clover Fabaceae Miscanthus sinensis Andersson Chinese Silvergrass Poaceae Morus sp. Mulberry Moraceae Oenothera biennis L. Common Evening Primrose Onagraceae Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper Vitaceae Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud. Princesstree Paulowniaceae Persicaria pensylvanica (L.) Small Pennsylvania Smartweed Polygonaceae Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. Common Reed Poaceae Phytolacca americana L. Pokeweed Phytolaccaceae Plantago lanceolata L. Narrowleaf Plantain Plantaginaceae 1
inventory Plantago sp. Plantain Plantaginaceae Platanus occidentalis American Sycamore Platanaceae Poa sp. Bluegrass Poaceae Populus grandidentata Michx. Bigtooth Aspen Salicaceae Prunus serotina Ehrh. Black Cherry Rosaceae Quercus palustris Pin Oak Fagaceae Quercus prinus Chestnut Oak Fagaceae Rhus typhina L. Staghorn Sumac Anacardiaceae Robinia pseudoacacia Black Locust Fabaceae Rosa multiflora Thunb. Multiflora Rose Rosaceae Rubus laciniatus Willd. Cutleaf blackberry Rosaceae Rubus pensilvanicus Poir. Pennsylvania Blackberry Rosaceae Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim. Wineberry Rosaceae Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash Little Bluestem Poaceae Senecio vulgaris L. Common Groundsel Asteraceae Setaria faberi Herrm. Giant Foxtail Poaceae Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv. Green Foxtail Poaceae Silene latifolia Poir. White Campion Caryophyllaceae Solanum americanum Mill. American Black Nightshade Solanaceae Solanum dulcamara L. Bittersweet Nightshade Solanaceae Solidago sp. Goldenrod Asteraceae Stellaria media (L.) Vill. Common Chickweed Caryophyllaceae Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (Willd.) G.L. Nesom White Panicle Aster Asteraceae Symphyotrichum sp. Aster Asteraceae Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg Common Dandelion Asteraceae Tilia cordata Mill. s.str Small-leaved Linden Tiliaceae Triodanis perfoliata (L.) Nieuwl. Clasping Venus Looking Glass Campanulaceae Verbascum thapsus L. Common Mullein Scrophulariaceae 2
VIA philadelphia Ecology Websites Credits [Princess Tree] www.radfordpl.org pg. 6, 10, 12 [Common Groundsell] www.sitkanature.org pg. 6, 10 [Goldenrod] www.google.com pg. 6, 10, 12 [Green Foxtail] www.msuturfweeds.net pg.10, 12 [Narrowleaf Plantain] www.urbpan.livejournal.com pg. 6, 10 [Sweet Autumn Clematis] www.duke.edu pg. 6 [Pin Oak] www.upload.wikimedia.org pg. 6 [Black Locust] www.nps.gov pg. 6, 10 [Autumn Olive] www.sierrapotomac.org pg. 6 [Wineberry] www.google.com pg. 6, 10 [Hairy Bittercress] www.torrens.org pg. 6 [Catalpa] www.google.com pg. 10 [Tree of Heaven] www.treepicturesonline.com pg. 10, [Multiflora Rose] www.ceas.ku.edu pg.10 [Virginia Creeper] www.fcps.edu pg.10 [Common Reed] www.extension.entm.purdue.edu pg.10 [Japanese Honeysuckle] www.ppws.vt.edu pg. 10 [Oriental Bittersweet] www.nps.gov pg.10 [English Ivy] www.naturehills.com pg. 10 [Common Mullein] www.fws.gov pg. 10, 12 [Japanese Knotweed] www.ecy.wa.gov pg.10 [White Panicle Aster] www.davesgarden.com pg.10, 12 [Bittersweet Nightshade] www.pbase.com pg.12 [Butterfly Bush] www.countrysideaustin.com pg.12 [White Snakeroot] www.britannica.com pg. 12 [Little Bluestem] www.wildflowermix.com pg. 12 [Bluegrass] www.turfgrass.ncsu.edu pg. 12 [Common Milkweed] www.fcps.edu pg. 12 [Chinese Silvergrass] www.dnr.state.il.us pg. 12 1
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