Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School
Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
An Inventory of our Public Lands

Stephanie Jones, Bradley Jones, & James H. Norris, Jr.
Athens, Georgia

Bark Rub

Discover Life | All Living Things | Identification Guides | Education | Explore Your School Yard | Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School

Physical Description

Site Description:
Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary school is located north of the busy two-lane road Oglethorpe Avenue. The area around the school can be described as urban. West of the school's property is a large construction site with a neighborhood on the eastern side. The property consist of two general habitats which are forested and grassy. Existing in the open grassy area is a driveway leading to the school and a parking lot that is located on the northern side of the school. Loblolly pine is the dominate tree species located in the grassy area. The loblolly pines appear to have been planted at one time due to their positioning into rows in an ordered manner. Obvious signs of landscaping are visible around the school building and parking areas. This is evident by the exotic species planted. The forest area is a dense area of mixed hardwoods and pines. This area separates the main school grounds, consisting of the building and parking lots , and the play grounds, which consist of a ball field and play ground equipment. A cut through road leads from Oglethorpe Avenue to the playground area inside the opening in the forest. The playground is bordered by the forest area and consist of sand and clay. There is a nature trail that starts on the northern side of the playground and leads through the forest area into the open ball type field consisting of cut grass. The property funnels down to an ephemeral stream that is located within the forested area. Various birds, as well as squirrels were observed throughout the property. The animals were seen and heard primarily in the open grassy area where they were foraging. Evidence of white-tailed deer were found in the forest area. Deer tracks were discovered as well as signs of foraging. By talking to local residents in that area we learned that deer are observed grazing in the forest and grassy area regularly and that many are hit and killed in the busy highway in front of the school.


The Plat

Scale Map

The Quad Map

Index
Biological Description

We found many species of trees, shrubs, herbs, and vines on our site. Some of these plants were growing naturally and others were obviously planted to add to the landscape of the area. We found the trees and plants that grew in the grassy area differed some from the trees and plants that grew in the forested area. These differences can be attributed by the difference in sun light or soil type for the two habitats and by the differences in maintenance of these areas. The vines found on our site included Honey Suckle, Poison Ivy, Smilax, Wisteria, Muscadine, and Virginia Creeper. Below are two tables listing the tree and herb species we found.

Index
Identification Tables for Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School

Tree Identification Table
Trees (scientific name) Common Name Native/Exotic Planted/Natural Forest Habitat Grassy Habitat
Betula nigra River Birch Native Planted No Yes
Acer rubrum Red Maple Native Planted and Natural Yes Yes
Pinus taeda Loblolly Pine Native Planted and Natural Yes (natural) Yes (planted)
Pinus virginiana Virginia Pine Native Planted No Yes
Quercus nigra Water Oak Native Natural Yes Yes
Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood Native Natural and Planted Yes (natural) Yes (planted)
Lagerstroenia floribunda Crepe Myrtle Exotic Planted No Yes
Malus sylvestris Apple Naturalized Planted No Yes
Ilex opaca American Cherry Native Planted and Natural Yes (natural) Yes (planted)
Liquidambar styraciflua Sweet Gum Native Natural Yes Yes
Magnolia grandiflora Southern Magnolia Native Planted No Yes
Robinia psuedoacacia Black Locust Native Planted Yes Yes
Liriodendron tulipifera Yellow Poplar Native Natural Yes No
Ulmus alata Winged Elm Native Natural Yes No
Prunus serotina Black Cherry Native Natural Yes No
Juniperus virginia Eastern Red Cedar Native Natural Yes No
Platinus occidentalis American Sycamore Native Natural Yes No
Nyssa sylvatica Black Gum Native Natural Yes No
Diospyros virginiana Common Persimmon Native Natural Yes No
Prunus avium Sweet Cherry Exotic Planted No Yes

Herbs Identification Table
Herbs (scientific name) Common Name Native/Exotic Planted/Natural Forest Habitat Grassy Habitat
Ambrosia artisimiifolia Ragweed Native Natural Yes No
Antennaria neodioica Pussy-toes Native Natural No Yes
Cynodon dactylon Bermuda Grass Exotic Natural No Yes
Elephantopus zomentosus Elephant's Foot Native Natural Yes No
Eremochloa ophiuroides Centipede Grass Exotic Planted No Yes
Eupatorium capilofolium Dog Fennel Exotic Natural Yes No
Hypericum hypericoides St. Andrews Cross Native Natural Yes No
Krigia biflora False Dandelion Native Natural No Yes
Lespedeza cuneata Sericea Lespedeza Exotic Natural Yes Yes
Lespedeza stiata Common Lespedeza Exotic Natural Yes No
Paspalum dilatatum Dallis Grass Exotic Natural No Yes
Phytolacca americana Pokeberry Native Natural Yes No
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern Native Natural Yes No
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion Native Natural No Yes
Tridens flavus Purple Top Native Natural Yes No
Trifolium repens Ladino Clover Exotic Natural No Yes

Index
Photographs of the Site

Entrance of School

Road In Front of School

Road In Front of School

Parking Area

More Parking

More Parking

The Nature Trail

The Playground

Index
Photographs of Pat Wimbush's Fifth Grade Class

Children Pointing

Pat Pointing

Austin Pointing

Daniel and Friend

Jake and Tree

Laura and John

Pat and Tree

Pat and tree

Pat's Class

Pat's explanation

Bark Rub

Bark Rub

Pat and New Growth

Pat and Pinecone

Pat and Pineseed

Index
Photographs of Herbs found in the Grassy Area

Taraxacum officinale
Dandelion

Krigia biflora
False Dandelion

Paspalum dilatatum
Dallis Grass

Cynodon dactylon
Bermuda Grass

Trifolium repens
Ladino Clover

Erecmochloa ophiuroides
Centipede Grass

Antennaria neodioica
Pussy-toes

Lespedeza cuneata
Sericea Lespedeza

These images were made by downloading with DeskScan and then cropped/reduced with Adobe Photoshop v4.0.
The photographic method included a Nikon Cool Pix 900 which is property of Dr. John Pickering.
Copyright Dept. of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens.
All rights reserved.

Index
Photographs of Herbs found in the Forested Area

Lespedeza striata
Common Lespedeza

Lespedeza cuneata
Sericea Lespedeza

Ambrosia artisimiifolia
Ragweed

Hypericum hypericoides
St. Andrew's Cross

Eupatorium capilifolium
Dog Fennel

Tridens flavus
Purple Top

Elephantopus tomentosus
Elephant's Foot

Polystichum acrostichoides
Christmas Fern

Phytolacca americana
Pokeberry

Index
An Ecological Experiment

Our group conducted an experiment with ants of the property of Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School using two different trapping methods in each habitat. One method consisted of vials filled with a chunk of hot dog used as bait. We randomly placed eight vials out in each habitat. These vials were then collected approximately thirty minutes later. Each vial was marked and we later counted and identified the ants collected inside. The results to this collection is included below in a graph. The second method consisted of using pitfall traps in a 24 hour period. These eight traps were randomly buried in both habitats and then collected 24 hours later. Each trap was labeled with a unique bar code and the captured ants were counted and identified. The results to this method are also listed below in a graph.

Discover Life | All Living Things | Identification Guides | Education | Explore Your School Yard | Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School

Last updated: 17 August, 2004