Agenda - 06-23-2004-8b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ost oak (Quercus stellata), scarlet oak. (Ouereu~ea), mockemut 37 red oak (Ouerc__._._!?5 rubra)> P -----"-'---'-~--~amhar ~^~ciflua hickory (Carva t_.__ o~a)> a°`d sweet gum (L~._------ The lazgest, approximately 9-acre, portion of this Dry Oak-Hickory Forest is an impressive open, mature white oak uercus alba dominated forest with a great diversity of specimen trees. The land-use history of this oak-hickory forest is interesting in that the portion on the western half of this forest community has not been timbered in the past century.. The present owners, the Allisons, Performed some very selective cutting of the dead and damaged hardwoods as an amenity toward maintaining a healthy forest.. The eastern half of'the hazdwood stand, as described by Owen Allison, had been timbered for saleable oak and pine in the late 1440's to eazly 1950's and the milling was conducted on site. What is present today~be0r o peration and, hickories and other hardwoods not felled during that specie ~ pus oak species that were left in of course, a great diversity of other hardwoods, including Oak Hickory Forest is a the forest as too young to be of value at that time, The present day Dry joining of an older undisturbed forest with one that was selectively timbered approximately sixty years ago., The result, fallen s ecimen trees here and there esu tmg fr°m tha °S verge ~rflce storms of beauty marred only by P the past two yeazs. Along the ridge top, the Virgmra Pme Forest grades into the Dry Oak-Hickory forest. A path (old road bed) along the northwestern edge of the pine forest, cleazly defines a distinct~eeg art 0 ore the two forest types, indreatmg tare likelihood of agricultural field activity during P more yeazs, as akeady described by Owen Allison, The canopy of the western portion of the ridge top and extending down slope to the west is essentially a pure stand of white oak uercus alba , presenting a dramatic open o eru20fmches in d ameter~A dozen ort more are overo 24 inches mature specimen trees averaging with at least 6 specimen trees over 30 inches in diameter. A few Virginia pines occur in the canopy with diameters of 16-20 inches s Theisen tazhee oak forest sTlrerfo est flop of this portion of opport~mistically succeeded in opening the site is dramatic with orhon o f the landscape was never disturbed fo~nagricultural use bp,s der size, indicating that this p previously described, this portion of'the forest has not been timbered in the past hundred years resulting in the present open mature forest landscape, Lower o18 n h diameter shagbark hi kory oak stand occur sizeable specimens of other species including: (C a ovata ; 29-inch diameter southern red oak (Ouercu.,,_.___._ s ~)Pa~)> ~O ~ nn tulip fer~e AS the sweet gum (Liauidambaz civraciflua); and 29-inch tulip poplar 2' white oak forest extends down the edge to the north southern red oak (Ouae cu___._._ S fal~?ta)aP ~ ~ occunence of a diversity of other species including: (Ouerc_._!~, Ste~~ata); black °ak and red oak hybna ~onr~h ~e gum (1,iauldambazut hickory (Carta tomentosa ;tulip poplar (1-~ eiflua ;black gum (Nyssa___._._Sy1yat14a)> ash raxmus species) and honey locust, (Gledestzia triancanthus „ The sub-canopy layer is very spazse with some dogwood (Comu„___._.5 fl4??da) and sourwood (Ox• dendron azboreum) present as small specimens.. However, it is notable that at least three specimens of two and three multi-tivnlc sourwoods are present in the eastern portion of the oak-hickory forest with average 12-inch diameters. The shrub layer, excepting a few vigorous patches of blueberries accuu sizeable native azalean(Rhododendron venclymen a~) w~eavy deer browsing, although a very noted in the center of the white pine dominant azea. Common vines scattered throughout aze cross-vine (Anisostichus cayreolata) and catbrier Smilax species). The herb layer was also spazse with here and theieh~~ 1 um species), o casional clumps ofppotted wintergreen asses, primarily witchgrass (D__._,_._._.-.----