Releve 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
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
28
m
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: At summit of Stuart's Hill, ca. 0.3 miles SSE of jct. US 29 and Rt. 703.
Rock Types Present: Minor diabase debris.
At the time of the Civil War, this site was apparently an open field. Except for a few massive Quercus alba (one 116 cm DBH in plot, another 99 cm DBH just outside) which have persisted from that habitat, the contemporary forest growth is much younger. Soil chemistry and floristic composition are fairly typical for upland sites on diabase in the region. A recently cleared powerline right-of-way is close to the plot and may be responsible for the presence of several weedy exotics, including Microstegium vimineum and Lonicera japonica.