Acquired in 2002, Marshall’s Corner (formerly Thompson Preserve) is located in north central Hopewell Township along Pennington-Hopewell Road. Previously abandoned agricultural land, the 57-acre preserve now protects forest, meadows and a portion of the Stony Brook riparian floodplain.
Join me and Orzo, my black-and-white terrier mix, on a walk through Marshall’s Corner on a beautiful August morning.
You’re enjoying a feature piece as part of a MercerMe series in partnership with Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS). This article was written by FoHVOS land steward, Kaitlin Muccio.
Before journeying down the 1.6 mile loop, we were distracted by the wild fields that greeted us upon arrival. The fields encompass 17 acres of the preserve and are leased to a local organic farmer growing specialty wild herbs. Instead of rigid rectangles, the fields are beautifully carved by radial paths that converge at a center circle. These rounded borders seem to be a gentler delineation of the landscape, similar to flowing Stony Brook that curves around this preserve. The land is minimally managed with little-to-no tilling, allowing the establishment of beautiful perennial native grasses and wildflowers and the buildup of healthy soil. Our visit that day was mistimed to the flower blooms, but we still caught glimpses of milkweed, goldenrod and native sunflowers.
Heading back down the trail, we hugged the edge of the fields, with the forest on our left and walnut trees lining our path. Upon entering the forest, we came across a 5-acre gated deer exclosure. Back in 2018, corporate and student volunteers assisted FoHVOS in planting 1,000 native shrubs and trees within the enclosure. The fence, funded by the USDA, ensures these native plants have a chance to grow without threat from deer browse, ultimately allowing the forest to regenerate.
The deeper we walked into the woods, the more lively the preserve became. Flickers, gray catbirds and common yellowthroats were plentiful. Cicadas noisily buzzed from the treetops.
Off in the distance, I just barely heard the rapid, nasally song of a white-eyed vireo. This petite, gray and olive green bird can be easily recognized by the bright yellow eye spectacles contrasting with the vivid, you guessed it, white eye! I sadly did not catch a glimpse of the fellow, as he was well hidden in the thicket. Some say the jumbled notes of the vireo’s song comically sounds like, “Spit. And see if I care. Spit.” – see if you can hear the witty pneumonic here! However one remembers the song, just hearing this species was a treat. I am sure by now this little songbird has departed these woods and is migrating south towards his overwintering grounds in either southern US or Central America.
One of the Stony Brook’s tributaries runs along the northern edge of the preserve. There are a few offshoots from the trail where you can catch a glimpse of the stream. The actual Stony Brook carves through the eastern portion of the land and at this point of the trail we entered the riparian zone. Riparian habitat, the area occurring along the edges of streams and rivers, is considered a priority not only for hosting a diversity of species, but also for the vegetation along the bank helping maintain water quality and stabilizing the streambanks, which reduces erosion and minimizes the speed of flood waters.
Enjoying this guide? Also check out Trail Guide with Jenn Rogers: Exploring Fiddler’s Creek Preserve!
As a result of the emerald ash borer outbreak in the area, much of the forest canopy will soon open up due to ash die-off and tree fall. With more sunlight penetrating the forest floor, opportunistic invasive plants could take over, decreasing the health of the forest.
In 2019, FoHVOS led a restoration project, as part of the “Roots to Rivers” grant provided by The Watershed Institute and funded by The Nature Conservancy, to combat the potential surge of invasive plants. With the help of volunteers, hundreds of native trees and shrubs such as red maple, sweet birch, red chokeberry, willow, shagbark hickory and white hickory, were planted to replace the dying ash. In years to come, the trees will restore the canopy and protect the stream by stabilizing the bank from the roots.
As the loop started to turn back, we ended our journey passing by the final restoration project at Marshall’s Corner. Two of the five original agricultural fields were overgrown with dense multiflora rose – a land steward’s nightmare! With funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2010 FoHVOS clear cut the invasive shrubs and reseeded with native grasses and wildflowers. The now 8-acre native wildflower meadow showcases forbs with a diverse phenology to provide food for pollinators at all stages of the season, and habitat for wildlife throughout the year.
Clearly over the years, Marshall’s Corner has experienced a plethora of restoration projects. As with any preserve, FoHVOS aims not only to preserve land, but to build back its health as well. Like the projects described here, much of this work involves invasive species management and restorative native plantings across different habitat types. All of this work could not be accomplished without the financial assistance from funding partners, and the dedication of our amazing volunteer groups.
From meadow, to forest, to floodplain, Marshall’s Corner provides a nice, easy hike that lets you experience a diversity of beautiful habitats and gives a glimpse at the important stewardship work that takes place within the Hopewell Valley. Orzo and I encourage you to visit some time!
This has been a feature piece as part of a MercerMe series in partnership with Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS). This article was written by FoHVOS land steward, Kaitlin Muccio.
