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TOPIC: Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/7ec3bea90f1b3db5?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, May 8 2008 10:42 pm
From: James Parton

ENTS,

Joy and I took a trip to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest last Sunday and spent about 5 hours in the forest measuring trees, taking pictures and just enjoying the beautiful forest. Like Cataloochee, this ancient forest is so enchanting. We explored both on and off trail. Not thinking, I wore sandals and the stinging nettle really got to my feet, thankfully I did not wear shorts! Joy was really impressed by the place and I have been meaning to do a detailed report here. It seems that ENTS has not done much detailed work here outside of a beetle release ( unsuccessful ) and a post or two. Nothing like the detailed study that Cataloochee has received. Compared to Cataloochee it seems that the trees of Joyce Kilmer are not quite as tall on the average but they are some truly massive ones here, especially tuliptrees. Some of them are massive and taper very slowly. Worthy of detailed trunk modeling. Like Cataloochee, HWA has hit the hemlocks really hard. Most of them are dead. 

Huge Tulip

Tuliptree Canopy

I found a small number of them on the trail that were still alive, they probably have been treated but are not healthy. White Pine is here also in small numbers but I did find one really tall one. When I first saw it, I said WoW! I knew it was taller than those Kellogg pines and looked like it may compare with the Pine Flats trees. I had a good view of the top but the base was partially obscured. Joy was with me so I had her to " spot " the trunk for me so I could get a measurement. It turned out to be an impressive 176.31 feet tall! The tree had the old growth look. 

Twin Tulips

Mountain Silverbell

A scraggly sparse crown and reddish brown bark. In all the measuring excitement I forgot to photograph it! Will also identified a tree for me that I did not know. I sent him a picture. It was Mountain Silverbell. A dark trunked tree that towered like a phone pole. Underneath, Trillium was in bloom on the forest floor, along with wild Iris. It was a wonderful day!

http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/joycekilmer.pdf

Here are some measurements.

CBH Height

Eastern Hemlock 9' 3 3/4" 137.97' ( Dead )
Eastern Hemlock 11' 9 1/4" ( Dead )
Tuliptree 13' 7"
Tuliptree 15' 3"
Tuliptree 14' 10"
Tuliptree 16' 2 3/4" 149.97'
Cucumbertree 12' 8 1/2"
Tuliptree 119.93'
Tuliptree 13' 0"
Tuliptree 17' 6"
Tuliptree 15' 7"
Tuliptree 15' 8 1/4"
Tuliptree 13' 3"
Tuliptree 20' 4 1/4" 148. 58' ( Impressive! )
Tuliptree 18' 2"
Tuliptree 21' 4"
Tuliptree 16' 4 1/2" ( Left Twin )
Tuliptree 16' 5" ( Right Twin )
Tuliptree 14' 6"
Tuliptree 17' 8 3/4"
Tuliptree 13' 1 1/2"
Oak ( Scarlet? ) 121. 11'
Tuliptree 15' 1/4" 139.65'
Tuliptree 16' 1 1/4"
Tuliptree 17' 4 1/4"
Tuliptree 14' 5 1/4"
Tuliptree 14' 2 1/4"
White Pine 10' 10 1/2" 176.31' !!

Obviously tuliptree dominated. I have never seen so many huge tulips in one place. Even in Cataloochee I have not seen this many large liriodendron in such numbers. Eastern hemlock has been eliminated as a dominent species. I will have to plan a visit back here during winter. The leaves made it nearly impossible for me to get accurate height readings on many trees, hence only the girth measurements on most trees.

James Parton

== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Fri, May 9 2008 6:32 am
From: Gary Smith


James,

The canopy in that one photo seems to be in good shape. Are the tops
in most of the titan tulip trees you came across still in similiar
shape? Many dead branches?

Nice photos. I have heard about Joyce Kilmer for many years and really
need to get there.

Gary S.

== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Fri, May 9 2008 8:23 am
From: James Parton


Gary,

Most of the big tulips seem to be in decent shape. I saw some with
dead limbs but not as many as you would think, considering the age of
the trees. Now the hemlocks were another story. Really sad.

James P.