| CFSP-Seneca
Forest Special Mgmt Area update |
Dale
Luthringer |
|
Dec
15, 2006 15:42 PST |
Bob,
Will, Ents,
I spent a good part of the day today trying to finish my
'significant
white pine' tally at the park in the Seneca Forest Special
Management
Area. More specifically, I was in the section of woods and steep
slope
between Deer Park and Mohawk Trails. It is the section of woods
on the
west side of RT36 as you go from the Park Office to the
campground.
I just about have this area wrapped up. I still highly doubt
I'll find
another pine in the 150ft class that we haven't already
documented, but
there is a possibility to find some previously un-recorded large
hemlocks. The Seneca Hemlock, tallest hemlock known in the
Northeast is
very close to this area. I was not disappointed with the day's
finds.
This is a really nice section of ancient hemlock forest, one of
the best
stands in the park, and for that matter I guess that would make
it one
of the best in the Northeast. Found another 140ft class hemlock,
as
well as four more hemlocks that make it into the 12x100 class.
These
hemlocks a very fat and old for my neck of the woods. I believe
all the
hemlocks I measured would easily make it into the 200 year age
class,
many would make it to 300+. Sure would love to be able to
confirm a
400+ via core someday, but most of these old ones have rot too
far up
them for me to get a sample AND get my increment borer back out.
The day's tally follows:
Species CBH Height Comments
Black cherry N/A 109.8
Black cherry 8.4 122+
Black cherry 9.5 125.6+
Cucumbertree 7.8 115.2 trunk
cracked almost
halfway through but still alive
E. hemlock 11.7 105.1
E. hemlock 12.9 106.3 12x100
E. hemlock 12.2 109 12x100,
trunk cracked
almost halfway through, barely alive
E. hemlock 9.2 111.5
E. hemlock 12 112.5 12x100
E. hemlock 10.7 113.3
E. hemlock 11.1 113.8
E. hemlock 11.3 113.9
E. hemlock 13.1 115.4 12x100
E. hemlock 9.7 116.3
E. hemlock 11.6 116.5
E. hemlock N/A 117
E. hemlock 11.4 117.2
E. hemlock 11.8 118.1
E. hemlock N/A 118.3
E. hemlock 10.9 120
E. hemlock N/A 122
E. hemlock N/A 122.9
E. hemlock 10.4 124.4
E. hemlock N/A 124.5
E. hemlock 10.8 125.2
E. hemlock N/A 126
E. hemlock 7.1 126.2
E. hemlock 10 126.5
E. hemlock 11.1 126.8
E. hemlock N/A 127.3
E. hemlock 9.2 127.6
E. hemlock 11 129.2
E. hemlock 10.4 131.9
E. hemlock 8.7 132.5
E. hemlock 9.7 132.6
E. hemlock 11.9 132.6
E. hemlock 8.7 137
E. hemlock 10.1 137.7
E. hemlock 9.6 140.1 7th
hemlock in the
park to make it the 140ft class
N. red oak 10 108.5+
White pine N/A 126
White pine 10.4 129.2
White pine N/A 134
Two hemlocks, the 8.7x132.5 and the 9.7x132.6, were on opposite
edges of
a small canopy gap that was created when a major storm (at least
for us
Lee) moved through the park I believe about 3-4 years ago. The
gap was
associated with the same storm that took out the Kinzua Bridge
and blew
down a large majority of the ancient hemlock stand near the
parking loop
at the Tionesta Scenic Area. Blowdowns from this storm closed
all roads
into/out of the park for hours, including RT36. The skeletons in
the
middle of these two trees were quite amazing. Even in death
these trees
still support life. I often find myself in awe of the whole
cycle of
things in the forest. Took a good bit of time for me to wade
through
the blowdowns amidst the fallen giants. Sure would've been nice
to have
measured the other large hemlocks that used to be in between
these two
trees. We actually were very close to this area on a guided hike
we
took during the ENTS Rendezvous here in 2001. We were just up
the hill
a little too far. Many of the downed trees were in the 10-11.5ft
CBH
range, with one that would've gone over 12ft CBH.
Dale |
| RE:
CFSP-Seneca Forest Special Mgmt Area update |
John
Eichholz |
| Dec
16, 2006 18:35 PST |
Dale,
Wow, those are some impressive Hemlocks. I hope someday to see
them,
perhaps next spring. I might be able to produce a list as long
as that,
but it would be the result of several day-long trips.
I have a new appreciation for hemlocks of that girth, having
spent my
recent tree time searching for any that might be found in MTSF.
So far
I have found 3 over 11' girth, none over 12'.
Is it true at Cook, that in prime hemlock areas, most other
trees are
not that tall for their type? That seems true at Mohawk, except
for in
the Trout Brook basin.
John
|
| RE:
CFSP-Seneca Forest Special Mgmt Area update |
djluth-@pennswoods.net |
| Dec
17, 2006 14:14 PST |
Hi John,
I never really thought about that before... other tree not being
tall in prime
hemlock areas. Let's see, I'll put my brain on "scan"
mode to see if that may
have credence at Cook. Here's a list of prime hemlock areas at
Cook Forest,
and other trees that reach "significant" height. In
Northwestern PA, trees
that I've deemed significant in height (worthy of GPS
coordinates) are:
Species Height (>=)
white pine 140
hemlock 135
tulip 135
black cherry 130
white ash 125
Am. beech 120
N. red oak 120
white oak 120
cucumbertree 120
red maple 120
sugar maple 120
white ash 120
cottonwood 120
slippery elm 120
scarlet oak 115
black oak 115
chestnut oak 110
black birch 105
black gum 105
sassafras 100
yellow birch 100
Am. chestnut 70
Prime hemlock sites follow:
Site species
that reach significant height
in
hemlock stands at Cook Forest
Forest Cathedral N.A. EH, WP, RM, AB, CT
Seneca Forest EH,
WP, BC, BG, CT, RO, AB, BB
Toms Run
Maple Drive WP
Deer Meadows
Cook Trail WP,
WA, TT, RM, CO, BB
Swamp N.A. RO
Ridge Camp WP
After looking at my list, I'd suggest that for most oaks, ash,
and tulip you'd
have a tough time finding trees that would reach significant
height in hemlock
dominated stands. Many of the hardwoods that reach significant
height in areas
listed above are very old trees, so they've had a long time to
grow, or may have
taken advantage of canopy gaps. There are other hardwoods that
would make the
above list since they are located in the official boundaries of
these areas,
but they are not located in hemlock stands WITHIN these areas.
On the other hand, it has also been my experience at Cook that
significant white
pines, black cherries, red maples, and Am. beech are often found
in heavily
dominated hemlock stands. I'm guessing soil chemistry has a lot
to play in
this.
Dale
|
| RE:
CFSP-Seneca Forest Special Mgmt Area update |
Robert
Leverett |
| Dec
18, 2006 06:08 PST |
Dale,
I am, once again, in awe of the abundance of majestic eastern
hemlocks
in Cook Forest. The sheer number of 10-ft girth and over,
120-foot tall
and over trees is utterly amazing. The number of 140s is
especially
impressive, give that we once thought there was only one with
little
hope of others. With the height champ just over 146 feet, your
documentation of the significant heights of the species reminds
me of
our 140-foot march through the white ashes of Mohawk. Maybe
there is one
150-foot hemlock in Cook. Dare we dream that dream?
Bob
|
| RE:
CFSP-Seneca Forest Special Mgmt Area update |
djluth-@pennswoods.net |
| Dec
19, 2006 10:19 PST |
Bob,
A 150ft hemlock at Cook would be nothing short of a miracle...
but, maybe in
about 10 years we might have one.
Dale
|
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