Bob: If the area you mention is the other side of the railroad tracks from Todd and Clark Mts. facing to the west or southwest the appearance of large or very old trees is somewhat of an illusion.
During the early 1970s there were a series of severe forest fires that repeatedly burned several hundred acres in the Zoar Gap area. After the last of the fires there were a couple of the draws (ravines) that appeared to have some really large trees. The trees are large but the fire was so severe that everyting else was destroyed leaving the few residual trees in the middle of a fire generated clearcut that probably still provides an illusion of lare size when they are compared to the surrounding 35 to 40 year old forest. However, if you want to see some impressive older growth trees in the Hoosac Tunnel area there is a small patch of old white pine surrounding a very rocky point across the valley from Tunnel Road. The trees are readily visible after the leaves fall off. John...It is great hearing your send out some trip reports again. The Catamount area is interesting when you consider that in the early 1800s the area was nearly 100% open farmland. Snowshowing across the middle of the pond during a blizzard is a true New England treat! Also, if you get back to the Audubon sanctuary above Arms Cemetery, there are a few acres of possible old growth hemlock below the summit of the mountain...the slopes are between 80% and 90% but the terrain is unique. Russ -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Sun, Nov 8, 2009 8:31 am Subject: [ENTS] Re: Arms/Audubon site in Shelburne Falls John, Yesterday returning from Monroe, I observed a ravine on the east side of the Deerfield River north of Zoar Gap. Periodically, I spot the ravine and what appears to be some tall trees in it, especially several emergent white pines. Maybe we can check it out together. I expect that it will be totally oak dominated. Because it is a moist environment, it probably escaped the worst of the burns of nearby railroad origin. Your tagging the Catamount site has renewed my interest in compiling more Rucker indices. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Eichholz" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, November 7, 2009 11:03:59 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [ENTS] Arms/Audubon site in Shelburne Falls I don't think I have posted a report on the Arms Cemetery/Audubon reservation land in Shelburne Falls. I reconfirmed a few of the cemetery trees and gathered the rest scattered among my notebooks, mostly from 2006. There are a few trees I remember but couldn't find in my notes. The Arms Cemetery has lots of old gravestones dating back to the early heyday of Shelburne Falls. It sits on a high bank above the Deerfield River, which is probably of glacial origin. There are many old trees, but only a really nice tulip tree makes the list for height. On the slope opposite the Deerfield the land drops down to a basin that features a series of beaver ponds covering a flat area at the base of the Massamet Mountain. On the bank are several of the trees in this list, the most prominent being a ring of old white pine along the west bank of the pond. There are several trees over 9' in circumference. The tallest is 139.3'h x 11.3'c. The red oak and the white oak are on the same slope. The Audubon land begins at the pond, and continues up the slope to the top, where it includes the High Ledges area. The lower reaches of this slope have thick pine stands mixed mostly with black cherry, red and sugar maple, black birch, and hemlock, and open areas where shagbark and bitternut hickory and white birch mix in with the others. The rest of the trees in this list are found in this area, some in a mature forest on a toe slope area at the base of the first boulder field. There are a couple old red pines, and one will end up on this list. Just below this toe slope is a flat area criss crossed with streams, which has pine stand with a dozen or so trees over 120'h. Species height cbh WP 139.3 11.3 NRO 108.1 4.8 TT 107.1 13.2 BC 106.3 3.8 WO 105.3 4.6 BTA 104.8 4.0 WA 103.9 4.4 BB 103.5 5.9 SBH 102.0 4.4 RM 101.5 4.4 RI 10 108.2 The ten species Rucker Index for this site, 108.2 is just about the same as the Catamount index, which is 108.3. John --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
