Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Zonation?

The US National Park Service has installed informative signs along the Hammock Hills Nature Trail. Over the years I have read them, but recently I paid more attention. That's when I noticed the phrase "Zonation of Salt Marsh." Zonation?, I thought. It sounds like a made up word. Wouldn't "Zones of the Salt Marsh" be more elegant?

Follow instructions at right to enlarge














It turns out that "zonation" is listed in several on-line dictionaries, and even in my Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Not surprisingly, it means "structure or arrangement in zones." 

One feature that makes the salt marsh so dynamic is the zonation! Saltmeadow hay, black needlethrush, and saltmarsh cordgrass thrive in the supratidal & intertidal zones (both above the subtidal zone which starts from the average low tide line and extends into the sound).  

Fishermen, kayakers, clammers, and other adventurous folks know that Pamlico Sound offers numerous opportunities to enjoy unparallelled beauty and tranquility at Ocracoke Island near the marsh, an area teeming with life, and vital to the health of our coastal waters.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a brief history of the Soundfront Inn, one of the oldest structures on the island. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102113.htm.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous7:28 AM

    That is great to learn. If I knew someone named Zoe I would make them a sign, zonation-- to place on their bedroom door. I also think the above image would make for an excellent design for a T-shirt. A t shirt emblazoned with educational information is much better than the one I have seen-- Spooning can lead to forking. On second thought, that is a warning and warnings should not be taken lightly.DD

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