Nature reclaims a disturbed site in a variety of ways.

Looking south: Quarry island is slowly becoming vegetated, as witnessed by the scrawny, lone shrub. Although the man-made island provides little cover for water birds, it may be used as a loafing area during the daytime. Birds, including gulls, Canada geese, mallards and great blue herons may be seen using the site. Can you identify the excavation site within the shoreline? Is nature reclaiming this area? Now water-dependent plants, such as willows and currents, grown in the excavated area. Upland plants, including snowberry, serviceberry and chokecherry have grown in over disturbed soils. Oftentimes exotic plants may invade disturbed areas. Reed canary grass competes with other native wetland-dependant grasses, displacing them and creating a monoculture.

The Davis Family Lived Here (Site #5).

This was commonly called the Fox Farm. The foxes were raised for profit and are not native to the area. The Davis’ also ran the ferry from Coney Island to Camp Comfort. Scout Island originally had a peninsula attached to the mainland at this site. During the 1930’s the Boy Scout’s dug it out and was thence called Scout Island. For some reason a photographer dubbed the island “Canary Island” on postcards he made. The origin of the “Canary Island” name is uncertain. South of the Davis home was a spring in the hillside. Kids stuck a pole in it, hung a cup on it and could get drinks when they became thirsty while playing. There was an axmuth put on one of the rocks that points north and south on the island and it is still there today.