releve Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
28
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
75
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
75
%
Nonvascular Cover
0
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Directions to plot and tree tag:
From 758 take 609 ~2.1mi. to NPS boundary. Follow boundary along field to area with several houses. Cross ravine bottom (small creek) and climb slope. Witness tree is flagged and on N-facing slope near edge of steep ravine. Moved plot a little down slope to reduce edge effects from field. Tagged tree is a Magnolia acuminata of 48 cm dbh with tag #489. Conduit is at a bearing of 246 degrees and 12 m from tree.
Plot location was pre-selected by the project's stratified random sampling design. However, Location was moved a little downslope to reduce edge effects from field.
Upper slope above Rock Castle gorge, just below edge of field. Canopy mostly red ample with sweet birch with larger scattered trees of red oak, Carya species. Lush herb layer, moderately rich. Large areas of Rhododendron maximum especially toward ravine. Oaks form canopy over red maple and birch. Magnolia fraseri, Magnolia acuminata, Ilex montana and Acer pensylvanicum are main tall shrubs.