Strange, but I didn't get that message from Bob that you responded to- but coincidentally I sent the following to Bob earlier:
*** It's often said that in areas where the bedrock is very mixed doesn't correlate all that strongly with the vegetation in glaciated areas because the soil was pushed around (till) and all mixed up but there still has to be some correlation. At least it's a factor along with the protection MTSF gets from having high hills nearby. The high hills not only offer protection but lots of water draining down from on high- and nutrients draining down with that water. Probably the biggest factor of all though is the fact that those stands were not cut- similar good terrain is probably common and should have had similar great trees. I think the lesson learned is that PROTECTION is the most important thing- which is why we must continue to protect other forests that have the potential to also be great, even if it's centuries from now. Wild guess but I suspect there must be many similar pockets of trees in the NE that were not cut - which simply haven't been discovered by big tree lovers. *** To give some background on the volcanic origin of the bedrock of MTSF: first we need to realize that central Mass- a hour's drive east of MTSF is the boundary between the ancient continents of Laurasia and Gondwanaland- just a few miles east of my house. The area just west of the Connecticut Valley (which didn't exist that far back) was a chain of volcanic islands. The erosion of those islands and deposition as sedimentary rocks is the origin of several rock formations extending from Greenfield westerly to just west of MTSF. Those rock formations were later compressed and faulted. Joe ----- Original Message ----- From: Edward Frank To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:39 PM Subject: [ENTS] Geology of Todd and Clark Mountains, MTSF, MA Bob, You have hinted several times for me to look at the geology of MTSF. Here is a basic summary of what I found. There is much more data I looked at, but much of it is pretty esoteric. Attached is a geologic map of the Mohawk Trails Area - Todd Mountain Moretown Formation Om http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=MAOm;0 This correlates with the Beauceville Formation: The Beauceville Formation of the Magog Group is mainly composed of graptolitebearing pelagic mudstone and volcaniclastic rocks, which were deposited in a fore-arc basin during the Ordovician. The volcaniclastic rocks of the Beauceville area, their transport and depositional mechanisms are not well known. http://theses.uqac.ca/resume_these.php?idnotice=10982977&lang=en Simlarly it is correlated with the Missisquoi Formation of VT which is described as a metasedimentary sequence that has undergone multiple episodes of deformation. Gneiss at Hallockville Pond Ohpg http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=MAOhpg;0 Hawley Formation Oh http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=MAOh;0 Geologic Map http://mrdata.usgs.gov/sgmc/ma.html The rocks on Clark and Todd Mountains are metasedimentary rocks that have undergone several episodes of deformation, The original rocks that formed the sediment may have been of volcanic origin, but it was eroded, transported, and deposited as sediment before it lithified into the original bedock before deformation. There is a possibility of some igneous intrusions into the metasedimentary rocks, but none are mapped ion the area of Clark or Todd Mountians Ed "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science." - Albert Einstein ----- Original Message ----- From: Bob To: ENTS Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:12 PM Subject: [ENTS] Sun, Mike, Joe, and Me ENTS Today the above named hiked in MTSF. We'll likely all post pictures, but just a few observations sent from my trusty iPhone. Joe examined rocks on Todd and Clark Mtns and observed complex geology. Heavily metamorphized rocks that I loosely called schist appear to have a volcanic origin. I'll let Joe address the subject, but if Joe is correct and I suspect he is, then the mineral content of the rocks is probably very rich. Mike, Would you mind sharing your thoughts on what you saw today? Bob Sent from my iPhone --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
