The Gauley River is W of the plot ca. 500 m. To the E is a powercut. The dam is located roughly 1000 m to the N. For more context see plots GARI.51, 55, and 56. The Southern edge of our plot is on a Westvaco property boundary.;Dry scarlet oak - virginia pine forest growing along the edge of a large 80 ft. sandstone cliff. Dense undergrowth of Kalmia latifolia with Smilax rotundifolia intertwined. The forest here is also quite dense with lots of trees tightly packed together. The area seems relatively undisturbed. The forest feels hot and dry. Easily 10 degrees warmer than our last plot.
Representativeness
Thin patch of xeric oak - pine forest growing along the edge of the "rim" of the Gauley gorge. Similar to plot GARI.44. Here there is less of an edge, canopy is more dense, and there are fewer lichens.