Editing Eastern Prickly Pear (section)

==== Concerns About Preservation ====

The West Rock South Colony of ''Opuntia humifusa'' (identified on the southern half of West Rock Ridge) is apparently healthy but, as is typical of inland colonies, it is relatively small and confined to a single rocky outcrop.  Despite the fact that this colony is only about 60 feet off of the southern park road, it is unlikely that this colony is at risk of easy discovery.  There aren't any parking areas within close range to the colony, meaning that park traffic is not likely stop in the immediate vicinity.  In addition, there are no trails that lead to the rocky clearing, so hikers aren't likely to happen the colony.  Thus, there is a bare minimum of concern about the preservation of the ''O. humifusa'' colony at this site and a high probability that it will persist well into the future.

The colonies of the West Rock North Complex (identified on the northern end of West Rock Ridge) are exceptionally healthy and quite large.  Although hiking trails run within 40 or 50 feet of the clonal clusters at the highest elevations, the cacti would be difficult to spot unless one were expressly looking for them.  Furthermore, the "cascading" quality of these colonies means that, even if harm were to come to the more accessible high-elevation clonal clusters, those clusters on the lower ledges would still flourish by virtue of their relative inaccessibility.  There is little concern about the preservation of this ''O. humifusa'' complex.