Behind locked gate within Cacapon State Park. Buffered on three sides by protected Oak forest, but to the west is an old (gated) road used for hiking & horseback riding. Private land (hunt club) lies about 100m to the west. Old road is vector for garlic mustard and Japanese stiltgrass.;Large stand of Oak - Hickory forest, part of matrix Oak forest on the ridgetop of Cacapon Mtn. Probably second growth following logging and burning within last 100 years. Quite a few large deadfalls occur in this community (no stumps visible). Several snags may be related to gypsy moth outbreak in 1980's. Shrub layer is sparse and herb layer is dominated by graminoids. Boot strap fungus observed under the bark of the standing dead oaks.
Representativeness
Plot placed to sample matrix ridgetop forest within windy ridge polygon. This plot is similar to CCSP.2 but has a greater hickoy componet.