Forest Succession and Grazing in William Cameron Park, an Urban Natural Area in Waco, Texas

Abstract

Abstract William Cameron Park is a 166 ha civic park located at the confluence of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers in Waco, Texas. During the pre-settlement period (first contact—1849), an oak-red cedar forest flourished on the ridge-top. In the early settlement phase (1849–1910), villagers cleared much of the ridge-top for logging and later for grazing. During the late settlement period (1910–present-day), vegetative cover increased markedly after the dedication of Cameron Park released ridge-top pastures. This release event resulted in delayed and differential regeneration of forest cover, first in Juniperus spp. and then in broadleaved species. Regeneration of deciduous species not only occurred after that of Juniperus spp. but initially followed historic fence-lines. Broadleaf species moved into the interiors of former pastures only within the last few decades, first in species such as Ulmus crassifolia and Quercus sinuata and later in Fraxinus texensis. The oldest ridge-top trees were Quercus fusiformis,...