|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
One of the finest existing examples of a Piedmont flat rock outcrop, Heggie’s Rock stands nearly 70 feet above the surrounding pine and hardwood forest. The preserve spans 101 acres in Columbia county, near Appling in eastern Georgia. An astoundingly diverse range of life inhabits the granite outcrop, both on the face itself and in “dish gardens,” shallow rock pools. Twelve of the 18 species endemic to granite flat rock are found on Heggie’s Rock.
Two endangered species grow in the dish gardens: the pool sprite and the mat-forming quillwort, which grows in only one pool at the site. Heggie’s Rock is also home to the state-threatened granite stonecrop and the rare glade windflower. Lichens and mosses dominate the south face, while patches of trees and vegetation cover the more gentle slopes. Unusual this far north, Spanish moss grows in the cedar trees.
The site’s fauna is equally diverse. Beavers and otters inhabit a stream along one boundary, and eastern white-tailed deer, turkeys, and lizards dwell on or near the rock. Many rare and endemic species of spiders and insects also inhabit the site, some of them found only at Heggie’s Rock.
The Conservancy monitors several rare plants at the site and works to eradicate non-native invasive species like Japanese honeysuckle and Chinese wisteria. Volunteers provide periodic guided tours. Due to the fragility of some of the dish gardens’ plants, hikers are asked to be careful where they step.
Nature picture credits (left to right): Heggie's Rock © TNC; Goldenrod © Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database .
Join The Nature Conservancy on