Hi Folks,
I’ve finally got all my tall tree data organized for the state
of
Pennsylvania. I no longer have data backlogged to the beginning
of
October. After my recent whirlwind tour of the Smokies, PA’s
natural
areas, and getting paperwork finished for the park, I finally
had time
to sit down at the computer and start poking in and rechecking
my
results. I’ve attached an excel spreadsheet for those who are
interested in current tree height records for Pennsylvania and
Rucker
Index comparisons for some of our natural areas.
First a short description of each PA natural area I’ve had a
chance to
visit over the last 2 months.
...
The Joyce
Kilmer Natural Area had no tree heights of any significance.
This area encompasses 77acres which is most likely entirely old
growth.
It is located just below a ridgeline, ~2000-2300ft elevation, on
a very
steep slope. The old growth runs parallel to the ridge about ¼
mile
down from top. The trail through this area is straight uphill,
unless
you want to come in from the top on a very rarely used and very
rough
access road. The only thing here is that you have to walk back
up to
get out. I still couldn’t tell which was harder, coming down
or going
up. Needless to say I started from the top and worked my way
down. I
noted hemlock wooly adelgid egg sacs at the ridgetop. This area
was
unique in that it reminded me of the knarly tops on the old
growth E.
hemlock in the Smokies. My best way to describe this stunted old
growth
site, would be to take the top 65ft of a Smokies old growth
hemlock and
stick it in the ground. That’s exactly what this site looked
like. I
also noted stunted pitch pine and white pine in this area. Soil
was a
very thin covering over a boulder field.
...
Dale
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