I suppose this area has fabulous context as its slope and dangerous substrate keep deer out from browsing and man out from logging. The substrate probably isn't favorable to exotics either.;This a forest dominated by basswood, red oak and Betula with mostly Virginia creeper in the shrub layer and Drypoteris and Arisaema in the herb layer. The is a clump of choke cherry in the middle. I'm not sure what maintains this mesic community because the substrate is very well drained. Perhaps there is a layer of shaley soil or an aquifer beneath, but I hear not water and see no soil. Some big red oaks and huge unbrowsed herbs.
Representativeness
This plot represents a strange, very steep colluvial slope near a ridge dominated by mesic and/or nutrient demanding species. This area is more forested than others in the stand where shrub layers are thick in canopy gaps.
