Up the ridge to the east is a large sandstone cliff ~15m tall and ~200m long. The community on the north and south facing slopes surrounding the cliff is successional tulip poplar. The Copely trail runs along the southwestern edge of the plot along the ridge. The West Fork of Twelve Pole Creek and CR35 are located .3 miles NE of the plot.;The plot is located on the northeastern shoulder of a narrow ridge. The overstory is dominated by large red oak with sugar maple and pignut hickory in the understory. The S2 and herb layers are heavily browsed. There is a lot of woody debris, most of which has fallen to the east. There are a few decaying stumps in the plot with the downed tree still there. No signs of recent logging - maybe the trees are a trail buffer?
Representativeness
Small patch of old growth red oak growing on a northeast facing shoulder slope with sugar maple and hickory coming up. Plot was placed to sample mature deciduous forest with a northerly aspect, avoiding tulip poplar.