Publications/ Presentations, Awards & Mass Media

Keith P. Tomlinson

Publications/ Editorial Work/ Awards/ Certificates/ Mass Media

Books:

Contributing Author. American Botanicals, Native Plants of the Mid Atlantic. Botanical Artist for Education and the Environment. L. Ingles Press. 2014

 

 

Reviewer, City of Gardens, Glorious Public Gardens in and Around the Nations Capital. 2004. Capital Books.

Reviewer, Biodiversity Basics, 1999. World Wildlife Fund/ Acorn Press

Consulting Naturalist, Flora and Fauna Identification. Smithsonian Guides to Natural America, Vol. 1 The Pacific (1994). Vol.8, The Central Appalachians (1995). Vol.11, The Great Lakes (1995). Vol.12, The south-central United States (1996). Vol.14, The Southeast (1997). Vol.15, The Heartland (1997). Smithsonian Press and Random House Books.

Curriculum Materials

Research Associate, World Wildlife Fund. The Biodiversity Poster Guide. World Wildlife Fund. 1997

Research Associate, World Wildlife Fund. An Educators Guide to the Video: Biodiversity-Exploring the Web of Life. World Wildlife Fund & WQED Public Television, Pittsburgh. 1996

Newspaper/Magazines

Tomlinson, K.P 2023 American Horticultural Society Travels in Morocco, The American Gardener

Tomlinson, K.P. J. Maloney 2019 Launch a Holiday Light, Parks and Recreation Business Magazine

Tomlinson, K.P. 2018 Urban Nature Reserves, Parks and Recreation Business Magazine

Tomlinson, K.P. 2016 The Indigenous Landscape, Parks and Recreation Business Magazine

Tomlinson, K.P. 2012 Istanbul: Where Globalization is Nothing New. The Virginia Sportsman, August/September

Tomlinson, K.P., M.H. Kwon, E.K. Hagenberger 2012 Meadowlark Botanical Gardens’ Korean Bell Pavilion: Creating an Extraordinary New Korean Garden in North America. In press, The Public Garden

Tomlinson, K.P., A.R. Tomlinson 2010 Educating for Sustainable Horticulture. Roots: Botanic Gardens Conservation International Education Review. Vol. 7 # 2.

Tomlinson, K.P. 2009 The Mighty Li River. The Virginia Sportsman, January/ February.

Tomlinson, KP 2008 First Landing State Park: Surviving 400 Years of Environmental Change.
The Virginia Sportsman. August/ Septmeber

Tomlinson, KP 2005 My Portal to the Great Outdoors. (Letter to the Editor) Washington Post News Papers Inc. December 15.

Tomlinson, K. P, G.Becht, D. Brodkey, 2005 Conservation Collections at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, USA: Supporting the International Agenda and Educating the Public. Botanic Gardens Journal, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Vol.2 

Tomlinson, K. P, 2003 Garden Portrait, Meadowlark Botanical 

Gardens, The Public Garden

Tomlinson K. P., M. N. Christmus. 2001. New Conservation Initiative at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, USA, Botanic Gardens Conservation International Magazine, Vol.3 #7.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1994. Hawaii Faces a Conservation Crisis. (Invited Editorial) Honolulu Star Bulletin, March 17, Gannet Pacific Corp.

Brochures

Tomlinson K. P., M. R. McGarry, 2002. Conserving Regional Plant Diversity: the Potomac Valley Collection. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens & the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

Tomlinson, K. P., C. A. Cohen. 2002. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens: A Living Museum of Plant Life.
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens & the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority

Tomlinson K. P. 1996. Exceptional Trees of Montgomery County, Maryland. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning, Commission, Horticultural Services Division.

Newsletters/ Bulletins/Scientific Journals

Tomlinson, K. P. 2004. Update from the World Botanic Garden Congress. Newsletter of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.

Tomlinson, K. P. 2002. A Brief Natural History of Potomac Valley Forests. Dirca, the Newsletter of Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Vol.3 #2.

Tomlinson K. P. 2000. Conservation Collections Update, 2001. Dirca, the Newsletter of Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Vol.1 #1.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1994. National Science Foundation Interns Join Staff at Herbarium Pacificum, Herbarium Pacificum News, Vol. 10 #2.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1994. Botanical Tour of Haleakala Crater. Herbarium Pacificum News, Vol. 10 #2.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1993. A New Geographic Filing System for Melanesian Specimens at Herbarium Pacificum (BISH). Taxon, Vol. 42, 276-277.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1992. Curatorial Update on the World Collection of Vascular Plants in the Herbarium Pacificum. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Botanical Society, Vol. 31(3) 28-30.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1990. The Winkler Botanical Preserve: Virginia 's Newest Native Plant Garden. Jeffersonia, Vol. 2 #3-4, 45-47.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1989. A Floristic Summary of a Post-Glacial Aquiclude. Jeffersonia, Vol. 20, #3,47-54.

Tomlinson, K. P. 1989. Composition, Distribution and Conservation of the Lycopodiaceae in Great Falls National Park Virginia. Jeffersonia, Vol. 20, #4, 38-41.

Tomlinson, K. P., T. E. Jewell 1983. Kingsley Students Excel in Winter Backpacking Program. Alternative Programs News. Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

Invited Presentations/ Posters

Botanical Gardens of the World, Smithsonian Associates Annual Series programs- 2020-2024 (program founder) 

Keynote Address. Conserving Native Plants in the Wild and in the Garden: The Meeting of Aesthetics and Landscape Ecology. Prince William Wildflower Society 6th Annual Symposium. 2024

Tropical Plants and Their Care- Hawaii and Beyond. American Horticultural Society, Winter 2024 (Zoom)

Botanical Gardens World Tour, Smithsonian Associates, Jerusalem Botanical Garden and Donabo Gardens Morocco. Winter 2024 (Zoom)

National Parks of Washington State, Smithsonian Associates, Winter 2024 (Zoom)

Gardens by the Bay Singapore, Silver Spring Garden Club, 2023

Natural History Travelogues, Lifetime Learning Institute, Virginia Tech, 2020-2023 (Zoom) 

Assateague National Sea Shore, Smithsonian Associates National Park Series 2023 (Zoom)

Old Rad Master Naturalist Commencement, Spring 2022  

Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area and Monongahela National Forest, Smithsonian Associates 2022 (Zoom)

Yosemite and the Range of Light, Smithsonian Associates National Park Series, 2001 (Zoom)

Everglades and the River of Grass, Smithsonian Associates National Park Series 2021 (Zoom)

Eco-Savvy Garden Symposium

Combing Aesthetics and Ecology in Your Garden. Green Springs Gardens 2018

The Role of Botanical Gardens in the Conservation of Plant Diversity at the Regional, National and International Levels. Virginia Native Plant Society lecture series 2015

Launching a Successful Public Garden Holiday Light Show
Virginia Recreation and Parks Society Annual meeting 2013

Conserving the Native Flora of the Potomac River Valley, Irvine Nature Center, Maryland Native Plant Society. 2012

Connecting Kids with Nature, Special Parks District Forum. Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, Fairfax, Virginia 2011.

A Floristic Approach to Native Plant Conservation. Cullowhee Native Plant Conference. Western North Carolina University, July 2008

Keynote Address. Ecologically Smart Landscaping for the Chesapeake Basin: Good for Business and Good for the Environment. Chesapeake Conservation Landscape Council. Northern Virginia Community College, November, 2007.

Integrating the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation into Curriculum in the state of Virginia, USA to Create Sustainable Public School Gardens. April, 2007. 3rd. Global Botanic Garden Congress, Wuhan China. (refereed abstract)

The Place of Spirituality in Botanic Gardens in Relation to Plant Conservation. 6th International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens. Oxford University, England. September 2006 (refereed abstract)

Strategies for Interpreting Target 14 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. 6th International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens. Oxford University, England. September 2006 (refereed abstract) 

A Floristic Approach to Native Plant Conservation. Applied Plant Conservation Training Work Shop. Denver Botanic Garden. June 2005

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens: Reaching a Balance between Ornamental Horticulture and Conservation of Regional Native Plants. Smithsonian Horticultural Training Seminars, March 2005.

Implementing the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation: A Biogeographic Approach to Native Plant Conservation. World Botanical Garden Congress, Barcelona, Spain. April 2004. (refereed abstract)

Implementing the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. September 2003. Botanical Gardens Conservation International and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Grief, Loss and the Healing Powers of Public Gardens, Presenter. American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta Annual Conference, Boston, MA. June 2003 (refereed abstract)

A Biogeographic Approach to Interpretation and Conservation in Native Plant Collections (poster.) Presenter. American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta Annual Conference, Boston, MA. June 2003 with M.R. McGarry (refereed abstract)


Keynote Address. The Role of Botanical Gardens in the Conservation of Plant Diversity at the Regional, National and International Levels. May 2003, Washington DC Academy of Sciences Annual Awards Banquet.

Use of Native Plants in the Landscape. Master Gardener Series, Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. Merrifield Garden Center, VA. March 2003

Natural History of Tangier Island and the Chesapeake Bay. Study Tour Leader. Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution. Four trips each year 1999-2003.

West Virginia Natural History Weekend. Study Tour Leader. Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution. Summer 2000

Natural History of the Shenandoah National Park. Study Tour Leader. Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution. Summer 2001

Sunrise Hike at Great Falls National Park. Study Tour Leader. Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution. Spring 2000-2023

Biodiversity and Ecoregions: New Concepts in Conservation Science. International Baccalaureate Program Washington & Lee High School, Arlington, VA. Fall 1997

Natural History and Conservation of Hawaiian Native Plants and Animals. The Berry Botanical Garden Insider Lecture Series, Portland, OR. Spring 1996.

Environmental Education Programs at Bishop Museum. Hawaii State Science Teachers Conference, Honolulu, HI, Spring 1994.

Observations on Hawaiian Natural History. University of Hawaii Elder Hostel Program, Three times each semester 1993 & 1994.

Tropical Rainforest Conservation Through Private Enterprise in Costa Rica. University of Hawaii, Department of Botany, Fall 1992. Department of Geography, Spring 1993.

Interpreting Systematic Collections for Environmental Educators. Bishop Museum Department of Natural Sciences, Ohia Curriculum Workshop. Fall 1993

Writing A Gardens Mission Statement: A Holistic Approach. American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta Annual Conference, Center for Urban Horticulture, University of Washington, Seattle. June 1990 (refereed abstract)

Native Plant Conservation and Botanical Gardens: A National Trend. Council Meeting on Urban Planning and Resource Management for the city of Alexandria, VA, Fall 1989.

Public Gardens/Arboreta visited and studied:
(Partial List)

The Americas

Darnel Boone Native Plant Garden, Boone, NC
Cheekwood Gardens and Museum, Nashville, TN
Berkshire Botanical Garden, Western MA
Tucson Botanical Garden, Tucson, AZ
Brookside Gardens, Maryland
Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania
National Arboretum, Washington, DC
Green Springs Garden Park, Virginia
Winkler Botanical Preserve, Virginia
Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Virginia
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Virginia
Western North Carolina Arboretum
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Florida
Leu Gardens, Florida
Center for Urban Horticulture, Washington
Ohme Gardens, Washington
Royal Botanic Gardens, Ontario
Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts
Bernhiem Arboretum, Kentucky
Berry Botanic Garden, Oregon
Wilson Botanic Gardens, Costa Rica
Rutgers University Arboretum, New Jersey
UC Berkley Botanical Gardens, California
Mendocino Coast Botanic Gardens, California
UC Davis Arboretum, California
Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, California
Missouri Botanical Gardens
Shaw Nature Reserve (Missouri BG)
Core Arboretum, West Virginia
Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Georgia
Callaway Gardens, Georgia
Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Massachusetts
Zilker Gardens, Texas
Deserter Botanical Garden, Arizona
Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Arizona
Portland Rose Garden, Oregon
Japanese Gardens, Oregon
United States Botanical Garden, Washington, DC
Chicago Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
New York Botanical Garden
Myriad Botanical Garden, Oklahoma
Noerenberg Gardens, Minnesota
Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden
San Louis Obispo Botanic Garden
San Francisco Botanic Garden
Huntington Library and Botanic Garden
Machu Picchu Botanical Gardens, Peru

Rhododendron Species Foundation Botanical Garden, Seattle

Georgia State Botanical Garden, Athens

Naples Botanical Garden, Florida

National Arboretum, Washington DC 

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Colorado 

Dawes Arboretum, Ohio

Asia and the Pacific

Kula Gardens, Hawaii
Lyon Arboretum, Hawaii
Amy H. Greenwell Ethno-botanic Garden, Hawaii
National Tropical Botanical Garden, Hawaii
Hong Kong Zoo and Botanical Garden, China
Chiang Mai Arboretum, Thailand
Singapore Botanical Gardens
Gardens by the Bay Singapore
Taj Mahal Gardens, India
Red Fort Gardens, India
Jantar Mantar Observatory Gardens, India
Wuhan Botanic Garden, China
Bejing Botanical Gardens, China
Nezahat Botanical Garden, Istanbul (Kadikoy)
Kings Park Botanic Garden, Perth Australia

Africa & Middle East

Auburi Botanical Gardens, Ghana
University of Ghana Botanical Gardens
Majorelle Gardens, Morocco
Hatari Garden Park, Morocco
Orman Botanical Garden, Cairo, Egypt
Kirstenbosh Botanical Garden South Africa
Ethiopian National Museum Gardens, Addis Ababa
Rangely Gardens, Blantyre, Malawi

Malawi National Botanical Garden, Zomba

Jerusalem Botanical Garden, Israel 

Le Jardin Secret Marrakech, Morocco

Jardin Exotic, Rabat, Morocco

Anima Gardens, Morocco 

Jardin Jnane, Fez Morocco

Donabo Gardens, Tangier Morocco

Europe

Chelsea Physic Garden
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, England
Morcomb Park Conservatory, England
Westonbrit Arboretum, England
The Eden Project, England
Oxford Botanic Gardens, England
Secret Gardens of Heligan, England
Royal Botanical Garden, Denmark
Dublin Botanic Gardens, Ireland
Vatican Gardens, Italy
Florentine Gardens, Italy
Tuileries Gardens, France
Cherbourg Botanical Gardens, France
Interlocken Alpine Gardens, Switzerland
Barcelona Botanic Gardens, Spain
Paris Botanic Garden, France
University of Istanbul Botanical Garden
Attaturk Arboretum Istanbul
Orgon Krakow University Gardens

The Palm Garten, Frankfurt, Germany

Forest Botanic, Aarhus, Denmark

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens’ Korean Bell Pavilion: Creating an Extraordinary New Korean Garden in North America.

 

The Public Garden, Journal of the American Public Garden Association Vol. 27 Spring 2012

Keith P. Tomlinson, Manager, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Biology Fellow, Washington D.C. Academy of Sciences

Min Hyeong Kwon
Ph.D Candidate, Korea University
Research Associate, Korea National Arboretum

Elise K. Hagenberger
Program Specialist
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

The first Korean immigrants arrived in America one hundred years ago, and the growth of Korean communities continued in the following decades. Today, dynamic Korean communities are found in many parts of the United States with concentrations in California, New York, New Jersey and Virginia. During this history, a uniquely close relationship between the United States and South Korea has developed through cultural exchange, a devastating war (the largest United Nations mandate ever), technological flow and academic exchange. American botanists have explored the diverse mountainous forests of Korea and have discovered intriguing taxonomic and floristic similarities to North American species. The ancient relationship between the flora of Korea and that of North America revealed an additional bond between people, landscapes and gardens. The Korean flora endowed botanical gardens with a supremely aesthetic palate of temperate plants to cultivate and display. In doing so, the world also discovered a rich culture with millennia-old traditions of celebrating and conserving nature.

The Vision

In 2006, a small group from the Korean American Cultural Committee (KACC) visited Meadowlark in search of a potential site for a bell garden. Among this group was Jung Hwa Elmejjad-Yi, President of the Korean American Cultural Committee, and Y. David Chung, a George Mason University Art Professor. Both have longtime roots in Northern Virginia. That initial visit sowed an incipient seed for a Korean American endeavor of combining a cultural icon with a horticultural icon. Fruitful, in-depth conversations ensued. Walks in the garden spawned design concepts and collection ideas. The aesthetic and emotive setting of Meadowlark forged a cooperative vision among the planners. Meadowlark’s parent agency, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) also played a key role. It was in NVRPA that KACC found a truly unique, largely self-funded agency with visionary new leadership, poised to consider inventive ideas and partnerships. After nearly a year of research, meetings and much fine Korean cuisine, an MOU was signed. Shortly afterward, the NVRPA Executive Director and Board Chairwomen visited several sites in Korea as the guests of Jung Hwa and Professor Chung. The Korean Embassy and Washington D.C. lent diplomatic support and continue to do so. Scott Scarfone, Principal of the Oasis Design Group, further enhanced the process by creating a new Master Plan with Meadowlark staff. For NVRPA and KACC, the timing was simply perfect.

The Historical Aesthetic Embodied

Traditional Korean gardens are influenced by several different themes, including yin-yang, the Five Elements, feng shui and other meditative mediums. Collectively, these beliefs have taught Koreans as a culture to revere nature and celebrate its qualitative effects on the human condition. Korean bell pavilions have been built for hundreds of years as focal points for gatherings that celebrate the natural world, friendship and community (Woo-Kyung, 2007). According to an old Korean saying: Bells instill a righteous spirit in those who hear its ring, and gives rise to hope, a sense of cherishing life, alarm against disaster and sense of unity that brings people together, in order to bring prosperity, happiness, friendship, freedom, and peace for all people.

The concept for a bell garden at Meadowlark is unique as it places a traditional bell pavilion in a garden with associated cultural icons. The overall design is influenced by ten traditional symbols of longevity, called Ship-Jang Saeng, which are intricately carved on the bell and decorate the masonry walls. Hanging inside the pavilion is the stunning three ton bronze bell, modeled after the bell of King Seongdeok of the Silla Dynasty (57 BCE - 935 AD). Dedicated the “Bell of Peace and Harmony”, the Meadowlark bell is globally unique in combining images of native plants and animals from both Korea and Virginia. It serves as a cultural landmark for Korean Americans while inviting all visitors to enjoy the garden as a symbol of peace and prosperity between the two countries.

The surrounding garden further illustrates the nature-focused legacy of Korean history and culture with displays featuring the Korean alphabet, a sculpted turtle fountain and adjacent pond. A separate viewing area with traditional decorative walls and courtyard displays subtly colored masonry murals unique to Korea (Kwon et al, 2010). Also on the site are ancestral totem poles used to greet visitors in ancient times. Near the entrance gate, carved volcanic stone statues from Jeju-do Island stand sentry-like, inviting further exploration.

The design and landscape around the bell pavilion are highly naturalized and asymmetric, having smooth lines and using the natural contours of the land to embrace the site’s intimacy in a nuanced spatial cooperative. Traditional Korean gardens are arboreal in character with trees as a focal point among shrubs and perennials. Water is, of course, a central focus, often in the form of a winding stream. The Korean garden aesthetic is closely allied to forests, rivers and mountains, giving them a subtle naturalistic appearance, rather than a look governed by human contact as found in Japanese or Chinese gardens. This natural aesthetic is ideally suited to Meadowlark’s rolling Piedmont setting (Tomlinson, 2003; Scarfone, 2007).

Embracing Aesthetics, Conservation and Sustainability in Collection Development

Many fine Korean plant collections are found in North American gardens. The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden is considering a purposed Korean garden, and the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver has an exquisite Korean pavilion finished in the dan cheong style, featuring intricately stained colors. The Meadowlark pavilion that houses the bell is entirely built of natural wood-tones, making it the only structure of its type in a US public garden. American University (AU) is creating a Korean garden on its beautiful urban campus in Northwest Washington D.C., and Meadowlark and AU are sharing resources and plant material collected in Korea.

The bell garden at Meadowlark will include taxa native to Northeast Asia and be established as a conservation collection. Consistent with Meadowlark’s three existing conservation collections, species material will take precedent over selections or hybrids. Accessioned plants will include many “trademark” Korean natives well known to temperate zone gardens. No threatened or endangered species will be used as a matter of promoting conservation in the wild and garden collections in Korea. Korea has a system of botanical gardens and arboreta surpassing most of those in similar-sized European countries and US states (Jeong-Oh, 2007) and is particularly well-suited to conserving its native plant diversity. Overall, the collection will be managed with various criteria detailed in the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation (IA) and the Global Strategy of Plant Conservation (Tomlinson et al, 2005 & 2010).

The coalescence of funding, diplomatic overture, international support and master planning at Meadowlark has created an exceptional opportunity. As we move forward developing the plant collection around the bell pavilion, cultural and horticultural icons will merge and bestow an extraordinary gift upon the people of Northern Virginia and the greater Washington D.C. region. It’s a remarkable opportunity that illustrates the rare convergence of cultural exchange, botanical heritage and horticultural pursuit. The first Korean immigrants to the Americas would surely beam with pride at the notable accomplishments of their ancestors in promoting peace and harmony between two distant countries so intimately bonded by culture and nature.

References/Endnotes:

Jeong-Oh, H. (2009). Korean Botanical Gardens and Arboreta: Korean Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta & Korea National Arboretum.

Kwon, M., Song I.J., & Park, C.H. (2009). A Study on Meanings of Plants in the Flower Walls of Jakyongjon. Korea University Press.

Scarfone, S. (2007). Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Master Plan. The Oasis Design Group.

Tomlinson, K. (2003). Garden Portrait: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. The Public Garden, 1.

Tomlinson, K., Becht, G., & Brodkey D. (2005). Conservation Collections at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, USA: Supporting the International Agenda and Educating the Public. Botanic Gardens Journal, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, 2, (2).

Tomlinson, K., Tomlinson, A. (2010). Educating for Sustainable Horticulture. Roots: Botanic Gardens Conservation International Education Review, 7 (2).

Woo-Kyung, S. (2007). Korean Traditional Landscape Architecture. Korea University Press.

A Floristic Summary of a Post Glacial Aquiclude in the Winkler Botanical Preserve

Keith P. Tomlinson, Botanical Manager
Winkler Botanical Preserve
Jeffersonia, The Newsletter of Virginia Botany, Spring 1989

ABSTRACT

The Winkler Botanical Preserve is located on forty five acres in Alexandria, Virginia. The forest cover is a xerophytic Oak-Hickory woodland. The shrub layer is comprised of several species dominated by Ericads. In addition, a varied herbaceous community is present. The preserve’s landforms are composed largely of an alluvial outwash derived from the paleo-Potomac River, and secondarily, from Coastal Plain sediments. The composition and distribution of these soil profiles give rise to a unique hydric plant community located in an otherwise xeric woodland.

GEOMORPHOLOGY

Consequences of Pleistocene glaciation are clearly evident throughout the Potomac River Valley. Although no glacial ice entered the Potomac drainage, the river’s basic morphology did undergo substantial change. The drop in sea level during Pleistocene glaciation caused the river to deepen its channel due to increased water volume and velocity. Mather Gorge, immediately below Great Falls, clearly represents a dramatic change in the river’s pre-glacial and post-glacial form (Reed, Sigafoos, Fisher 1980).

Below the fall line the paleo-Potomac discharged vast areas of gravel, sands, and cobbles onto the Coastal Plain (Johnston 1964; Wentworth 1930). These deposits consist primarily of former gravel bars (Malcom 1986) located above the fall line between the Coastal Plain and Pedimont. Ultimately several large lobes of this river outwash were deposited on Cretaceous soils of the Coastal Plain. These older soil profiles are assigned to the upper and lower Potomac soil groups (Woodward, Clyde 1987).

The retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier and subsequent rise in sea level over the past 16,000 years has allowed the Potomac Watershed to stabilize. Presently, the Pleistocene outwash forms a large alluvial fan that underlies much of Alexandria and adjacent Fairfax County. This underlying strata is referred to as the River-Terrace Gravel formation (Johnston 1964). Eight kilometers to the east this formation grades into Holocene alluvium forming the present Potomac River shoreline. Two kilometers to the west the Sykesville formation is encountered. This boundary marks the fall line between the Coastal Plain and Pedimont (Darton 1947).

The topography of the region is marked by rolling hills with intermittent ravines forming small creek beds. Additionally, linear ridges are present, often with a north-south declination. Within this area evidence of River-Terrace Gravel is commonly seen as rounded cobble stones protruding through upper soil horizons. In effect, the River-Terrace Gravels form a veneer of alluvium over the older Potomac soil groups (Dietrich 1970). The junction of these two substraights creates a surface aquiclude *(Allaby 1989). The aquiclude facilitates a consistent low level flow of water to a specific area in an otherwise xeric woodland.

SOIL COMPOSITION

Soil conditions on higher elevations of the River-Terrace Gravel display on a very short hydroperiod. Similarly, relatively little organic matter is present in most areas. Once precipitation percolates through the gravel cap its vertical migration slows at the older Potomac soils. These subsoils evolved in a deltic environment some 140 million years ago. They are relatively impermeable, high in clay, and micaceous in some locations (Woodward, Clyde 1987). Upon reaching this substraight most ground water is channeled laterally to the seam between the River-Terrace Gravels and the Potomac soils, resulting in the surface aquiclude. This drainage system is recharged by rainfall and preexisting ground water.

The aquiclude seam is approximately 350 meters long and 5-20 meters wide. The average elevation is 62 meters above sea level (Sutton-Kennerly 1987). It is located at the base of a northwest facing slope. Soil conditions adjacent to the aquiclude differ substantially from the surrounding substraight. A moist leaf litter averaging 15 cm. in depth is present. Below the leaf litter a shallow, fibrous rootmat is apparent. The rootmat is subtended by sand and gravel 2-5 dm. deep, derived from the post-glacial outwash. Immediately below the outwash, upper Potomac soil horizons are encountered. The overall soil composition is strongly acidic with an average pH of 5.0-5.5. Moisture levels are consistently high in horizons above the underlining Potomac soils.

FLORISTIC SUMMARY

Floristic components of the aquiclude seepage seam are unique in contrast to the surrounding woodland. Several genera of mesic and hydric habitats are present. Many genera of cosmopolitan habitat are also noted. Herbaceous vegetation is dominated by various Pteridophytes. Lycopodium obscurum forms a large colony in the northern portion of the aquiclude. Osmunda cinnamomea constitutes the largest single species distribution in the community with several solid stands illustrating areas of constant seepage. Osmunda regalis is present in less abundance. Pteridium aquilinum is interspersed throughout the drainage.

Various herbaceous angiosperms are present among the dominant ferns. Medeola virginiana is present in several prolific colonies. Monotropa hypopithys, M. uniflora and Symplocarpus foetidus are found in limited numbers. Demonstrating bimodal moisture tolerance, Cypripedium acaule is present in the seepage area and adjacent dry woods. At the extreme southern end of the seepage a colony of Isotria verticillata is found. In addition, Smilax glauca and S. rotundifolia are prominent in a few locations. Two Carex spp. are growing near the trail. Where the seepage grades rapidly into a dry hill side, Epigaea repens and Chimaphila maculata are established.

The shrub layer is dominated by Ericads. In the wettest areas of the seepage Lyonia ligustrina, Vaccinium corymbosum, Leucothoe racemosa, and Rhododendron viscosum are common. Also growing here is Aronia arbutifolia (Rosaceae). Kalmia latifolia is a principle component of the shrub layer both in and around the seepage. Grading into the slightly dryer ecotone between the seepage and the surrounding woodland Rhododendron nudiflorum, Gaylussacia frondosa, and G. baccata are found. In the adjacent woodland Lyonia mariana, Vaccinium staminium, and V. pallidum dominate. Notable among the species mentioned here are several specimens of Vaccinium corymbosum, that attain nearly 5 meters in height.

Arboreal species in the seepage illustrate a relatively diverse composition. Among the lower canopy trees Amelanchier arborea, Hamamelis virginiana, Chionanthus virginica, Cornus florida, Alnus serrulata and Sassafras albidum are found. Upper canopy species in the wetter areas include Acer rubrum, Quercus rubra, Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia virginiana and several large specimens of Pinus virginiana. Grading into the dryer areas Carya tomentosa, Prunus serotina, Quercus alba, Q. velutina and Q. prinus are dominant. Of cosmopolitan habitat, Nyssa sylvatica occurs in abundance throughout the area. In general, composition and distribution of arboreal growth seems less affected by aquiclude soils than herbaceous growth. However, the distribution of Magnolia virginiana and Liriodendron tulipifera clearly reflects a substraight of increased moisture and organic matter.

CHECKLIST OF VASCULAR FLORA

The checklist follows Taxonomic arrangement used in The Flora of West Virginia, 1977 by Strausbaugh and Core. New county records for Alexandria are indicated by an asterisk (*), where relevant. This information is based solely on maps of plant distribution found in The Atlas of the Virginia Flora by Harvill and Associates. In addition, each species is assigned a number code to illustrate habitat distribution within the seepage and adjacent woodland. The numbering system is as follows: 1) hydric seepage, 2) seepage ecotone, 3) xeric woodland, and 4) grading randomly through the study area.

TAXA CODE

LYCOPODIACEAE

Lycopodium obscurum L. * 1, 2

OSMUNDACEAE

Osmunda regalis L. 1

Osmunda cinnamomea L. 1

POLYPODIACEAE

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn 4

PINACEAE

Pinus virginiana Mill. 1, 2

CYPERACEAE

Carex spp. 1

ARACEAE

Symplocarpus foetidus (L.) Nutt. 1

LILIACEAE

Medeola virginiana L. 1, 2

Smilax glauca Walt. 1, 2

Smilax rotundifolia L.

ORCHIDACEAE

Cypripedium acaule Ait. 4

Isotria verticillata (Willd.) 2

JUGLANDACEAE

Carya tomentosa Nutt. 2, 3

CORYLACEAE

Alnus serrulata (Ait.) Willd. 1, 2

FAGACEAE

Quercus alba L. 2, 3

Quercus prinus L. 3

Quercus rubra L. 1, 2

Quercus velutina Lam. 2, 3

MAGNOLIACEAE

Magnolia virginiana L. * 1

Liriodendron tulipifera L. 1

LAURACEAE

Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) 4

HAMAMELIDACEAE

Hamamelis virginiana L. 4

ROSACEAE

Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Ell. * 1

Amelanchier arborea (Michx. F.) Fern. * 1, 2

Prunus serotina Ehrn. 4

ACERACEAE

Acer rubrum L. 1, 2

NYSSACEAE

Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. 4

CORNACEAE

Cornus florida L. 4

PYROLACEAE

Chimaphila maculate (L.) Pursh. 3

Monotropa hypopithys L. * 1, 2

Monotropa uniflora (L.) Gray 1, 2

ERICACEAE

Rhododendron nudiflorum L. Torr. 1, 2

Rhododendron viscosum L. Torr. 1, 2

Kalmia latifolia L. 4

Lyonia mariana L. 3

Lyonia ligustrina L. DC. 1, 2

Leucothoe racemosa (L.) Gray 1

Epigaea repens L. 3

Gaylussacia frondosa L. T.&G. 2, 3

Gaylussacia baccata (Wang) K. Koch 2, 3

Vaccinium staminium L. 3

Vaccinium pallidum Ait 3

Vaccinium corymbosum L. 1

OLEACEAE

Chionanthus virginicus L. * 1, 2


References:

1. Allaby, M. 1989 Dictionary of the Environment. 3rd ed. New York University Press. Washington Square, NY, NY. 532 pp.

2. Darton, N.H. 1947. Geologic Map of Washington D.C. and Vicinity. United States Geological Survey. 1947.

3. Dietrich, R.V. 1970. Geology of Virginia. University of Virginia Press. 185 pp.

4. Harvill, A.M. Jr., T.R. Bradley, C.E. Stevens, T.F. Wieboldt, D.M.E. Ware, D.W. Ogle. 1986. Atlas of the Virginia Flora. 2nd Ed. Virginia Botanical Associates, Farmville, VA. 135 pp.

5. Johnston, P.M., 1964. Geology and Groundwater Resources of Washington D.C. and Vicinity. United States Geological Surver, Water Supply Study #1776. 97 pp.

6. Malcolm, H.R. 1986. Winkler Botanical Preserve Hydrologic Analysis. Unpublished. 31 pp.

7. Reed, J.C. Jr., Sigafoos, R.S., Fisher, G.W. 1980. The River and the Rocks: The Geologic Story of Great Falls and the Potomac River Gorge. Unit4ed States Geological Survey Bulletin #1471. 73 pp.

8. Strausbaugh, P.D. and E.L. Core. 1978. The Flora of West Virginia. 2nd Ed. Seneca Books, Inc., Grantsville, W.V. 1075 pp.

9. Sutton-Kennerly Associates. 1987. Winkler Botanical Preserve, Interstate Tributary StreaImprovement Map. Greensboro, N.C.

10. Wentworth, C.K. 1930. Sand and Gravel Resources of Coastal Plain of Virginia. University of Virginia. 146 pp.

11. Woodward-Clyde Consultants. 1987. Geotechnical Investigation of Small Dam Structures in the Winkler Botanical Preserve. Unpublished. 20 pp.

*Aquiclude (or Aquitard) is defined as a geological rock or soil formation that is sufficiently porous to absorb water slowly, but does allow water to pass quickly enough to furnish a supply for a well or spring. In this case the aquiclude forms a linear spring or seepage in the forest floor.

The Mighty Li River

Keith P. Tomlinson

The Virginia Sportsman Exploration Column, February/March 2008

Our China Air 727 climbed above the smog of Wuhan, among the worlds most polluted cities. I had just finished a presentation at the 3rd. Global Botanic Garden Congress and visiting Wuhan’s exquisite botanical garden. Over a thousand delegates from more than sixty countries had gather to discuss conserving global plant diversity in gardens and in the wild. China is considered mega-diverse when it comes to plants. It was only appropriate to have this gathering in a place with so many plants under so much pressure.

In just over an hour our plane banked hard toward the runway at Guilin. A small city by Chinese standards set among some of the most scenic landscape on Earth. As far as the eye could see limestone pillars of every dimension shoot skyward. Some entirely clothed in a lush subtropical flora, others Yosemite-like in their display of vertical rock, etched by clean dihedrals’. In the distance the Li River meanders away snaking between the centaury-like pillars guarding its inky blue-green waters. I was thrilled to be on the ground and done with the Congress. Talked out, now it was time to explore this remarkable place.

Many of us don’t realize we have seen images of Guilin’s dreamscape for years. Most often as tacky art work in a local Chinese restaurant…the image of an impossibly steep mountain with the sole pagoda and wind-dwarfed pine at the summit. Indeed, this is Guilin in all its glory.

The city is a major tourist attraction for citizens of growing economies in East Asia. Koreans, Thais, Japanese and of course many Chinese tour the streets with a zeal one might expect in Paris. The City itself is accommodating and easy to walk around…a pedestrian mall is inviting but not too western. A quick turn down a side ally and a trace of old China may be found, boiling woks full of ducks, frogs and many different fish tempt a culinary adventure. I had a duck with remarkably little meat and a lot of fat. Most of the internal organs remained, codified by searing old. While chewing on one particularly elastic piece, I noted its funnel-like shape and perfectly seemed walls. Suddenly, I was transported back to an Ornithology class twenty 20 years hence. With muted curiosity I realized I was eating the bird’s cloacae, the combined avian reproductive and excretory organ. A hard swallow and it was gone. I gave the rest to a local cat.

Most people venture to Guilin see the Li River, and its worth every step of the way. I met my boat the next morning. Arriving at the dock it was immediately apparent we weren’t the only tour that day. If fact there were five other boats of similar size, hosting about one hundred passengers each. Some were clearly in disrepair listing just slightly. My boat seemed on the higher end, complete with an interior floor and observation deck above. Without delay I was on the upper deck taking in the stunning scenery. On this perfect April day the Li ran at an ideally level and speed for the boats. Broad gravel bars, sinuous and long bare testament to seasonal floods.

The urbanity of Guilin faded rapidly as we progressed with the other boats, evenly spaced by a half mile or so. The rivers canyon deepens in places ever directed by the towering limestone pillars. Some falling directly into the water while others formed a pleasant apron of vegetation, often supporting a small riparian farm. At a few locations water buffalo swam lazily against light current. My memory took me back to rural northern Thailand twenty years earlier and only about 500 miles away. Then as now, water buffalo seems the agrarian sentinel of south-east Asia. Part draft animal, part pet, this noble bovine has been domesticated for millennia. Its work is never done as a part of human agricultural endeavor.

A few miles before disembarking at Yangshuo, a local fisherman is seen in the distance. There no mistaking him, he is endemic to the Li. His boat is barely more that surfboard of bamboo, on each end sets a cormorant. These primitive fish eating birds are trained and leashed to harvest fish. In the center of the boat a modest woven basket carries the mornings catch. The fisherman appears satisfied, the cormorant’s look longingly at rivers expanse, surely wishing to escape. It is however, a remarkable sight to see bit of human-bird enterprise, perhaps a fleeting glimpse of the once remote Hermit Kingdom.

The true travelers bible, Lonely Plant Guide Books, calls Yangshuo the back packers’ paradise of south China. As we descend the walkway to an ancient stone wharf a tourist scrum of considerable proportion takes shape. Everything is for sale, beer, watches, local art, food, rooms and escort services. I make my way to the main street embedded in a crowd of hawkers and fellow boaters. A small saloon beckons. I have light lunch and indulge in the local liquor poured from bottle full of fermenting snakes. Sipping slowly, I spy the Li flowing in the background while intense bartering and banter fills the air. For a moment the great limestone pillars take a back seat to the human cacophony and the Li meanders on, seaward.

Istanbul: Where Globalization is Nothing New

Keith P. Tomlinson

The Virginia Sportsman Exploration Column, August/September 2012

The crowd on the plane spoke volumes about our destination, multiple languages chatting away as we found our seats…Indians, Pakistanis, Iranians, Saudis, Somalis, Ethiopians and Turks to name a few. The all-nighter to Istanbul departs Dulles at midnight, right on time. For me this new ten hour direct flight was almost disorienting without a long layover somewhere...Rome, Frankfurt, Madrid. Like its home nation, Turkish airlines is on a bullish roll, expanding, changing, innovating. Upon boarding the plane you are met not only a Steward but the Chef too. Mid-day sun soaked the tarmac in a Mediterranean glow when we pulled up to the gate at Ataturk International Airport. On the south side of the airport a discreet village of hardened bunkers houses US made F-16s. A subtle reminder you are in one of the world’s strategic crossroads and geopolitical hot spots. Not surprisingly, Turkey fields one of the regions largest and best equipped military's. A longtime NATO member and close US ally, Turkey has lent troops to many conflicts and peace keeping missions since the Korean War.

The ancient ramparts of the old city sweep north to south on the west side to town. Highway traffic along the Sea of Marmara speeds bye without blinking an eye. Soon we arrived in Sultanahmet, heart of the tourist district and home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites. The view across the Bosporus beckons, Asia is just a ferry ride away. Looming over my tiny Balkan style hostel, the Blue Mosque six minarets jut skyward, neatly crowned in conical gold. A city of this caliber simply eliminates jet-lag, there's just too much to see. Into the streets I go.

At the center of downtown is the Hippodrome, an ancient chariot racing course. On the east side the Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque rises with an architectural grander surpassed by few manmade structures. The grand courtyard invites Worshipper and tourist alike to breath-in the exceptional antiquity steeped in Islamic faith and culture on the furthest door step of Eastern Europe. Built between 1609 and 1616 Blue Mosque defies engineering logic that such a structure could be built 400 years ago. Single marble pillars measure nearly thirty feet across and rise seventy feet to the ceiling. The name Blue Mosque derives from more than 20,000 intricately painted tiles frequently depicting flowers, fruits, trees and birds. Some 200 stained glass windows transform light into a cascading glissade of color and texture.

Typical of Istanbul, you need not walk far to encounter yet another spectacle of human agency as expressed through divine inspiration. Just to the north of the Blue Mosque the Hagia Sofia towers above Sultanahmet Park. Hawkers, chestnut vendors and self appointed tour guides ply the cobblestones among the tourist throng. The Hagia Sofia is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Byzantine architecture, containing one of the first domed ceilings ever built. Completed in 537 A.D. it makes the Blue Mosque seem downright new. For nearly 1000 years it served as the largest Christian sanctuary in the world. It is here that the Great Schism took place ultimately splitting the Roman Catholic empire and creating the Eastern Orthodox Church. But that's ancient history, as in 1453 the Ottoman Turks took Constantinople and converted it into a mosque.

Beyond the Hagia Sofia is Topkapi Palace in all its glory, complete with exquisite artwork, gardens and the site of the world’s best known Harem. The palace enjoys a commanding view of the Bosporus and the Golden Horn. On it's southern flank is the beautiful arboretum-like Gulhane Park. Alexandrine Parakeets, Eurasian grey herons and Indian house crows add an aviary quality to the park. Locals and tourist stroll this exceptional space rarely mentioned in travel guides. Walking north through the park one can access the bustling waterfront where the Golden Horn enters the Bosporus. The collective commotion of this area is both intriguing and nearly over stimulating. Shoe shiners display their ornate brass polishing stools and fisherman crowd the Galata Bridge. Gulls plunge, then float on the wind just above the snarled traffic, seeking a morsel of discarded fish. Ever-present passive cigarette smoke fills the air as a trio of blind musicians play a traditional tune in the salty breeze. Ferry's leaving for the Asian side of the city, depart hap hazardously navigating among smaller boats of all shapes and sizes. Once clearing the docks, the ferry's cross wakes with rusted freighters headed north to the Black Sea or south to the Mediterranean.

Spying the Rustem Passa Mosque across from the wharf, I duck into a pedestrian tunnel under the street. In the blink of an eye I'm consumed in a hidden bizarre. Tourist and merchants barter among the din of music and smoke. Emerging at the mosque I find a relatively quite spot to pursue one of Istanbul's great past times...people watching. Istanbul has been a global hub of humanity for millennia and the changing trends continue to present day.

Among all the grand hubbub of culture, food, scenery and street commerce Istanbul is a truly Muslim city. Indeed, five times a day the call to pray rings aloud from mosque's on nearly every city block. The faithful gather and kneel in communal rituals that transcends the cities hectic pace for a few moments. The piety is endemic and engaging but never intrusive. More a beautiful strand in the devotional fabric of a city steeped in religious tradition existing cohesively with a staunchly secular national government. On that measure, Turkey stands largely unique among Muslim nations. This is no theocracy, but the religious history and context of the city is profound, mysterious and attractive to the foreign tourist.

Just above the wharf through a few narrow ally's one can enter the Spice Bazaar...old world in it's affect, maybe Istanbul at it's best. The products extend well beyond exotic spices, sumptuous nuts and a plethora of dried fruits, vendors are hawking all types of wares from fine rugs and artwork to intricately painted dish-ware. I found a deep bucket of powdery green henna, one the most unique products for sale. The multitudes of spices are displayed in neat pyramids never far from the oft calibrated scale. In reality, the entire city is one large bazaar. While there are predictable tourist trinkets, the bazaar is generally overflowing with beautiful and interesting items. Haggling is mandatory but pleasantly lacks the intensity I've experienced in West Africa or East Asia, more requisite banter than economic duel.

On my last night in town I rested tender, walked-out feet, in an unassuming eatery filled with locals and a smattering of tourists. The indigenous Efes beer hit the spot with a lamb kabob, copious yogurt and a fine crushed pepper relish. After dinner I wondered out to a small park overlooking the Blue Mosque and Hippodrome. The setting sun bathed the building in a celestial glow as a waxing gibbous moon peaked over the central dome. With at least twenty nationalities I gazed upon a vision no photograph could effectively convey. As a group we were simply travelers, jointly mesmerized by the aesthetic prowess of our species. As individuals we are forever enriched by Istanbul's riches. Like so many before us, we are globalizers at a grand crossroads of human civilization.