Plot is in the middle of a forested tract managed by the MONF as a botanical area. Much of the easterly slope from top to bottom is very likely an old growth forest. With many large 90cm+ dbh trees scattered throughout. At the top of the slope is a grazing allotment. Across the drainage to the east is private land, owned by a limestone quarry. See other plots for more context.;Plot is centered around one of the largest red oak trees I have observed in West Virginia with a dbh of 116cm. There are other large red oaks scattered along the slope with the understory gaps filled with beech. There is a small 1m tall limestone cliff in the middle of the plot. The dominant herbs are white snake root and black cohosh.
Representativeness
Large patch of old growth forest on limestone. Plot was placed to sample dominance by red oak/american beech. Mature deciduous forest on limestone is a rareity in West Virginia. Much of the land has been converted to agriculture or is successional tuli
