Intensive Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
1500
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
18
m
Shrub Height
4
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
20
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
75
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This planted stand of ca. 50-year-old Pinus palustris has attained open, aesthetically pleasing structure as a result of intensive fire management over nearly a decade. A low heath layer contains a large population of Kalmia angustifolia near the southern limit of its distribution; ericads form a mosaic with clumps of Pteridium aquilinum var. pseudocaudatum. Plot is situated on the crest of a gently rolling sandhill. Just to the east the terrain slopes subtly to a seasonally saturated swale containing Pinus serotina and more robust but less dense Vaccinium. This stand represents a model for the restorative effects of prescribed burning.
Plot overlaps Stewardship plot 13.
0 - <1 - O horizon (often nonexistent)
0 - 30 - fine, light gray sand with some fine organic matter
30 - 85 - moist, yellowish, coarser sand
~85 - dark brown, moist sand, with somewhat more fine organic matter; this may be spodic horizon
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Stand prescribed burned in February 2001 and two times previously.