| Bark
Cabin Natural Area |
Ernie
Ostuno |
| Jul
26, 2004 00:27 PDT |
Bark Cabin Natural Area is located in the Tiadaghton State
Forest,
Lycoming County, PA. I visited this site on 10/18/99. The old
growth
here is bordered on the north by a power line clearing and on
the west
by private land that had been recently clearcut, except for a
few small
hemlock. There are about 30 acres of old growth hemlock, but old
stumps
can be found on all but about 3-4 acres in the northwest corner
of the
natural area. The biggest hemlocks are not very large (max dbh =
34
inches)or tall (90-100 feet) although they do appear old.
Perhaps
climate or soil conditions have something to do with the smaller
sizes.
Hemlock recruitment is good, as many saplings were noted.
Besides
hemlock, old growth species include some tulip poplar, sugar
maple and
oak. A stand of mature white pine (dbh 28-30 inches), with some
large
red pine, can be found along the southern boundary of the
natural area.
Most of the white pine is actually outside the natural area. It
would
be nice if the area could be expanded to include the pine to the
south.
It would be especially nice if the cutover land to the west
could be
purchased to create a much needed buffer. I was told by a ranger
of the
Tiadaghton State Forest that the power line clearing (which
dates from
the 1940s)resulted in the cutting of several acres of old growth
hemlocks. |
| RE:
Dale Part 2 |
Ernie
Ostuno |
| Jul
26, 2004 15:27 PDT |
Bark Cabin NA...
The red pine were naturally occuring and growing among the white
pine in
a stand along the southern edge of the NA. I haven't been to
Lebo NA so
if you get a chance to go to Bark Cabin, let me know how these
compare
to the red pines at Lebo.
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