| Dutlinger
Natural Area |
Ernie
Ostuno |
| Jul
25, 2004 22:52 PDT |
Forest Dutlinger Natural Area of the Susquehannock State Forest
is
located in extreme northwest Clinton County, Pennsylvania in the
newly
designated Hammersley Wild Area. Pennsylvania recently purchased
the
mineral rights in this area, which allows full protection of
more than
30,000 acres of forest in Clinton and Potter Counties:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/resource/res2004/01-hammersley.aspx
The old growth consists of more than 150 acres of beech-hemlock
forest
that is elongated east-west. Apparently the result of a
surveying error
between the boundaries of competing lumber companies, the old
growth
consists of primarily hemlocks in the upper end of the valley of
Beech
Bottom Run and a mix of beech, hemlock, black cherry, sugar
maple and
oak on the flat top of the mountain. I visited this area on July
2,
1999. The largest hemlock I measured had a dbh of 47 inches.
Hemlock
recruitment was sparse. I found two large white pines with a dbh
greater
than 30 inches, but it appears the rest of the white pines were
removed
before the boundary dispute arose. The old growth hardwood
species are
impressive, as are the sheer volume of big hemlocks in the
stream
valley. This is probably the most impressive stand of old growth
beech I
have seen in Pennsylvania and I did not note any sign of beech
bark
disease at the time.
There are two ways to get up the mountain (an 1,100 foot climb
from the
valley) to the big trees. One is to follow a power line clearing
and the
other is to follow a trail along Beech Bottom Run, a small
stream that
flows into Hammersley Fork. The power line clearing route is
longer, but
less steep. Either way it's quite a hike, but the reward is
worth it.
Here are a couple photos of the big hemlocks that I found on the
web:
http://img.groundspeak.com/cache/log/4a432907-aa42-47bb-867e-50821824ae88.jpg
http://img.groundspeak.com/cache/log/950e9b50-a7ed-4400-bf05-fd72a2fdd737.jpg |
| RE:
Dale |
Ernie
Ostuno |
| Jul
26, 2004 14:50 PDT |
I'll try to answer all your questions at once:
Dutlinger Natural Area...
The beech were big, probably comparable to Tionesta. I don't
have any
dbh in my notes, but They were healthy at the time and I hope
they still
are. It was really depressing to visit Tionesta a couple years
ago and
seeing the majority of the beech dead/dying off. The beech are
most
numerous at the top of the valley, where it transitions into the
flat
top of the mountain. There is a vast area of over a hundred
acres that
contains scattered stands of big trees on top of the mountain
there.
This area is much more open than the dense stand at the top of
the
valley. I am not sure if this is due to some type of
human/natural
disturbance or not. I would say the max dbh of the
beech was about 3.5 feet. There were some big individuals but I
didn't
take any measurements. There were a couple really shaggy-barked
maples
in there as well as some old growth black cherry. |
| RE:
Lower Jerry Run Natural Area, PA |
Ernie
Ostuno |
| May
31, 2006 21:53 PDT |
Ed,
.....
The 1,200 vertical feet is about the climb it takes to get to
the old
hemlocks and beech at Dutlinger Natural Area. It doesn't look
like the
terraserver photos cover that area, though? One of the rangers
at the
Susquehannock State Forest sent me a detailed map of the
size/species
composition of the Dutlinger NA a few years ago but I haven't
been back
there since July, 1999. It's quite an adventure by both car and
foot to
reach those trees, but there's over a hundred acres of old
growth there.
Ernie
|
| Forest
Dutlinger Natural Area, PA |
Edward
Frank |
| Jun
01, 2006 14:57 PDT |
| RE:
Forest Dutlinger Natural Area, PA |
Anthony
Kelly |
| Jun
01, 2006 19:36 PDT |
Ernie,
About a year ago I made that 1200 vertical foot slog up Beech
Bottom Hollow
in the Dutlinger Natural Area only to have to turn around and go
back down
just as I got into the old-growth area due to the sudden
approach of a
violent thunderstorm. I hope to make it back there sometime this
summer.
You say there's 100 acres of old growth up there. What all were
you able to
see, exactly? Do you remember where those 100 acres are situated
with
respect to the trail? How much of it is on top?
I remember seeing hemlock and beach only near the top of the
trail just
before the terrain begins to level out. I followed the trail a
ways into
the flat area on top before heading back, but don't remember
seeing much
there.
You mention a detailed map of the size/species composition of
the Dutlinger
NA that the people at Susquehannock State Forest sent you. Do
you have the
name of that map? I'd like to send for it.
Thanks,
Anthony Kelly
|
| RE:
Forest Dutlinger Natural Area, PA |
Ernie
Ostuno |
| Jun
02, 2006 02:08 PDT |
Anthony,
Ed provided a link to terrasever imagery of Beech Bottom Hollow,
to
which I got the following photo link from:
http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=11&Z=18&X=645&Y=11486&W=3
I'm not sure if that link will work, but if it doesn't use Ed's
terrasever link in his "Forrest Dutlinger Natural
Area" post and then go
to the "Aerial Photo" tab at the top right. The old
growth begins where
the trail (and creek) turn south and continues onto the flat top
of the
mountain, all the way to the Trout Run Ridge Trail, which is
actually
visible on the terraserver photo, along with the power line
clearing
running west of it. Once you get up on the flat, the hemlock and
beech
are more scattered, and I am not sure if this is because of past
logging
or natural disturbance. But I consider that entire section to be
part of
the same old growth parcel as the thicker stand of hemlock and
beech at
the top of the stream valley, which would put it well over a
hundred
acres. I recall going off the trail in either direction for
maybe half a
mile.
On a side note, the illusion of being in a primeval forest was
shattered
as I approached the ridge trail and began to see ancient beech
trees
with dates and initials carved into their bark. Ugh.
I will have to dig up the map. I haven't looked at it in a few
years but
I recall it was a hand-drawn copy of a map of the Natural Area
and its
surroundings showing species/girths coded by number. For
instance, a
section on the map would have a "5", which would mean
"hemlock, dbh 18"
to 24", etc. If I find it I will scan it and send the image
to you. If I
can't find it you could call or email the Susquehannock State
Forest for
it.
I think you are on to something using the photo maps to try and
find old
growth hemlocks in the remote ridge/valleys. I'm willing to bet
there
are lots of small parcels of old growth that have not been
documented,
even on state forest land. I actually found a two acre section
of old
growth along Spruce Run Road in the Bald Eagle State Forest
while I was
trying to find the Mount Logan Natural Area.
Ernie
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