17. Attitude of Owner or Custodian Toward Preservation (contacted?): 

 Jabe Six Properties, Ltd., was contacted on July 24, 1981. The 

 owners expressed an interest to sell their 1/6 undivided interest 

 in the 800 ac parcel which includes Southwest Ridge. 



Mr. W. F. Sledge was contacted on July 27, 1981 regarding his 



1/2 interest in the 90 ac tract at the east end of Southwest Ridge. 



He also expressed a favorable attitude toward sale of the property, 



or other disposition of his share to a conservation foundation. 



18. Uses of Natural Area: The area was last selectively logged between 

 1954 and 1956. Evidence is present that indicates use, formerly, 



of the area for gathering naval stores. Historically and at present, 

 the area is used mainly for deer hunting. The ridge might have 

 some archaeological significance. 



19. Uses of Surrounding Land: Wildland 100% 



20. Preservation Status: Category 3, 68%; Category 6, 32% 



21. Regulatory Protection in Force: No regulatory protections in effect 



22. Threats: No major threats to the area at this time except that 

 possible timber harvest of some of the trees is feasible during 

 very dry weather or when access from the north is provided. A deed 

 from 1954 indicates that timber rights are held separately for the 

 western portion of the tract. 



23. Management and Preservation Recommendation: (1) Improved access by 

 pedestrian trail, (2) abandonment of jeep trail from north, (3) plan 

 for control burns, (4) discouragement for game food-plot development, 

 (5) prohibition of logging, and (6) acquisition for potential 

 inclusion into Holly Shelter Game Lands with regulated hunter access 

 and utilization. 



Natural Characteristics Summary 



24A. Vegetation - Biotic Community Summary: 



Community type: Pinus palustris / Aristida stricta - Vaccinium crassifolium 



Community cover type: Pinus palustris 



General habitat feature: Longleaf pine sand ridge 



Average canopy height: 50-60 ft 



Estimated age of canopy trees: 150 yrs (tree ring counts of 146, 149, 



and 154 yrs from increment borings) 



Canopy cover: Open 



Estimated size of community: 200 ac 



Successional stage: Edaphic climax 



Sere type: Psammosere 



Common canopy species in community cover or community type (but not 



dominant) : None 



69 



