| Kyle
Woods, OH |
Thomas
Diggins |
| Mar
18, 2004 12:15 PST |
ENTS,
Finally getting some time to browse a few of our nice OG
remnants in NE OH.
Trying to get some tree heights with leaves off AND the right
equipment.
Looks like the best forest in the region might be Kyle Woods, a
spectacular
but all too small stand of mesophytic hardwoods in Mahoning
County. Only
about 10 acrres of really solid old growth. It's a state nature
preserve,
part of a large historic farmstead, described as follows:
"Although primarily a beech-sugar maple community, Kyle
Woods has a striking
diversity of woody species and is more complex than similar
woodlots in
northeastern Ohio. Tree species include cucumber magnolia, wild
black
cherry, black gum and several species of oaks and ashes
including several
white oaks more than 300 years old."
I wouldn't have called it beech-maple, but otherwise the
description is
right on. Looks like those 10 acres hold at least 15 canopy
species in very
fine old-growth condition, with several others in the understory
only. Very
heterogeneous soil and moisture conditions, including a
marvelous pin oak
dominated swamp. The pin oaks are near the edge of the really
good stuff, so
I question if they're old growth, but some are very large. They
likely date
from pre-1900.
Some highlights (I've numbered the trees contributing to the
Rucker Index):
2. Sugar maple 117.2'
x 9' 11"
5. Red maple 115.6'
x 8' 4"
1. Tulip 123.1'
x 9' 0"
Tulip 121.1'
x 8' 3"
Tulip 122.0'
6. Bitternut 115.2'
x 6' 6"
7. Shagbark 114.8'
x 5' 2"
9. Basswood (Am.) 109.9'
x 11' 4"
4. White ash 116.0'
x 4' 10"
Beech 106.6'
x 5' 4"
Black cherry 106.8'
x 7' 6"
10. Cucumber 107.8'
x 9' 3"
Sassafras 102.8'
x 4' 2"
Sassafras 102.5'
x 5' 11"
Sassafras 97.2'
White oak 105.9'
x 11' 4"
White oak 101.2'
x 13'3" x 75' crown
White oak 101.8'
8. NR oak 111.2'
3. Pin oak 117.0'
x 7' 2''
Pin oak 113.5'
x 6' 0"
Pin oak 110.7'
x 10' 7"
Black oak 100.2'
x 9' 5'
Rucker Index = 114.78'
This is an upland site, with no obvious protection from wind.
Hence, the
rather low maximum height of 123' for tulip tree. Very rich,
though, in
terms of species over 100', and over 10' CBH (sugar and red
maple, and NRO
also exceed 10'). Also, a VERY urbanized site, totally
surrounded by
development. It would be a subdivision if not for its
designation as a
nature preserve.
Looking forward to Forest Summit next fall, too bad about the
weather this
spring...
Tom Diggins |
| Re:
Kyle Woods, OH |
dbhg-@comcast.net |
| Mar
18, 2004 19:33 PST |
Tom:
Good to hear from you. I very nice site. At 114.78, Kyle Woods
is quite respectible. I'm sure you can get another point out of
it in a few more trips. It is good to have some Ohio sites.
Dennis and Marie Hayman and I went to Mohawk today. The snow was
deep and I did flounder around in it, but also confirmed another
150-footer in the Pocumtuck grove. That's #45 for Mohawk. The
new 150-footer is close to two others, so it isn't that
surprising. Are there more? Well, maybe one or two, but if there
are, we'll have to confirm them between now and May. Thereafter,
measuring within the tightly packed Pocumtuck Grove is extremely
difficult.
I'm very interested in getting more black
cherries, black birches, bigtooth aspens, and red maples to
allow a few more iterations of the Rucker index and raising the
last 5 or 6 of the current 20.
Bob
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