Behind the plot there are large boulders roughly 10 m across. To the west, the area becomes heavy with Rubus. Below the plot to the south ca. 400 m is the Gauley River.;Cool, somewhat moist south facing boulder slope. The sweet birch trees are somewhat gold in color like yellow birch but the bark is tight not exfoliating. There is also hemlock and chestnut oak in the overstory. The trees here are slightly slanted downslope (slope creep). There is evidence of fire, charcoal on rocks and woody debris.
Representativeness
Bouldery slope with Betula lenta and Quercus prinus. Plot was placed to sample the deciduous photo signature on SAMB 2003 aerial photography .