Photo Essay of Hubbard Site

This is a photograph of the only woodland pit (pit 1).  It looks west and slightly down slope into the old field where pits 2, 3, and 4 are located.  Pits 1, 2, 3, and 4 are located in a slight depression where the water table is elevated to nearly a foot below the land surface.  Pit 1 is representative of the Hoopeston series.  The soils in the Hoopeston Series are deep and sandy. They are moderately well drained to somewhat poorly drained soils on stream terraces. 

The above photograph is taken facing to the northwest where pits 5, 6, 7, and 8 are located.  The locations of these pits are upslope from the previous picture.  The preceding pits belong to the Finchford series.  The Finchford series is characterized by hummocky upper horizons and sandy lower horizons. 

Photograph Source: Pepin County Soil Survey, 1997

When Finchford soils are tilled after harvest there is a potential for wind erosion problems (see above).

East

The picture above is an East view of our study site.  The Hubbard property is situated in a oak savannah landscape.  The forested areas are comprised of several mixed hardwood species including bur oak, hills oak, slippery elm, silver maple, trembling aspen, and bitternut hickory.

North

This is a North view of the site facing the Chippewa River.  The bank is vegetated with large white pines and a few silver maples.  The Chippewa River is approximately 15.24 meters down slope from the tree line. 

West

Visible throughout most of the photographs is the old field, comprising a substantial portion of the property.  The field is a remnant corn field that has not been cultivated for approximately 2-3 years.  Here lies the evidence of wind erosion due to the abundance of exposed cobbles on the surface of the field.

South

This photo looks down slope where the pits inundated by water are located.  In times of drought, this area was cultivated in corn as can be seen by the presence of remnant corn stalks.  Approximately 13.72 meters through the woods and upslope from this area is a .081 hectare wetland.