Opposite aspect is mostly red oak without rhododendron.;Steep rocky lower slope above a small high gradient stream. Community is deciduous forest dominated by short paper birch growingmostly in clusters (root sprouts).Yellow birch and sweet birch also occur in stand. There is a dense tall shrub layer of giant rhododendron, mixed with minnie bush, blueberry in more open patches. Lots mosses on rocks. Paper birch may have long term potential by root sprouting, but no seedlings were seen.
Representativeness
Small patch in stream bottom slope. Placed to sample dominance by paper birch, a rare tree in WV. Continues up and downstream 100 + meters, sparse paper birch upstream and on opposite aspect.
