Surrounding wetland is approximately 100 acres in size in "basin" below cleared/grazed mountaintops. Cattle graze vegetation severely but soils are not too compacted to be restored. Half of wetland will be fenced off permanently, the other half will be livestock free on a seasonal basis only. Greenbrier limestone outcrops on slopes above wetland contributing to circumneutral nature of the west end of site. Sandstone underlies east end. Various rare species associated - especially with circumneutral side of wetland. Slight alder thicket in middle of site and Rhamnus alnifolia clonal patches on east end. Wetland primarily dominated by graminoids - large Carex zones and Glyceria zones. Landowner reports that this site was a fir-spruce wet forest at turn of century when logged - none now!;A sedge/grass dominated herbaceous community. Heavily grazed by cattle. Dry year so no muck or standing water but suspect there is during wet years. Soils still very moist - even during this extremely dry period. Most of the grass is Glyceria striata but some Agrostis sp. As well. Amazing density of clump sedges (Carex lurida, stipata, atlantica cf, vulpinoidea cf). This community is adjacent to an Alder shrubland - although herbaceous species still codominate/maybe predominate there. I believe the soil compaction/dissication from cattle has stunted or beaten back the shrubs significantly - does not look as vigorous as I would suspect in a pristine setting. Also adjacent to Rhamnus alnifolia (shrubland) clonal patches. These, too, are stunted - probably due to current grazing. This community is most closely adjacent to upland pasture with more exotic grass, white clover, and Ranunculus acris.
Adjacent to Greenbrier limstone outcrop upslope to west -- assume that sweetwater feeds a portion (but not all) of wetland.
