Plot is on western edge of scrub shrub island sitting in a low between four mountain ridges to the east, west, north and south. To the west ~30m is a logging road which runs along the toeslope of the hillside which is being logged in areas. To the east ~100m is a road which roughly defines the eastern boundary of the swamp. According to Sean Carpenters recollection, his grandfather, who once owned the property, had tecounted that he had once been able to hop across the swamp (at that time a wet meadow) and that the land had once been farmed with corn and sugar cane. Bill Graftons notes show that as of the '80's, the swamp had been more diverse, with swamp and forest present as well as emergent vegetation. Sean believes that the swamp has been encroaching since he purchased the land, perhaps because of beaver activity.;Plot is in very dense, youngish alder grove. Alder grows in wood stem cluster hummock-islands with several different species of Sphagnum colonizing the raised mounds; seperating the islands are flatter and lower channels with burreed growing patchily where there is sun exposure, otherwise, there is no vegetation, only exposed soil with a thin litter layer.
Representativeness
Plot was placed near edge of scrub-brush swamp to capture the dominant alder shrub signature which seems to occupy the entire Carpenter property swamp.
