the western side there are four large beech trees along with two 

 or three large oaks ( Quercus falcata , Q. velutina and Q. nigra ) . 

 Approximately 100 feet south of this there are more oaks (Q. stel- 

 lata , Q^. falcata and Q^. nigra ) . Lyonia lucida forms a shrub layer 

 beneath this canopy near the edge of the island, with Vaccinium 

 spp. and Gaylusaccia spp. in the drier areas. The west side of the 

 island has a fringe of Gaylussacia with scattered As imina 

 parvif lora and Hamamelis virginiana . The northeast end of the 

 island has two large beech. 



BUCKHORN CREEK 



The lower part of Buckhorn Creek is a young cypress-gum 

 forest. This area has been logged in recent years. Most cypress are 

 less than 8 inches dbh, with a few large specimens standing as 

 lone sentinels. Nyssa sylvatica biflora is by far the dominant 

 tree. Fraxinus caroliniana is scattered throughout. None of the 

 Fraxinus are large trees, nor do they make up a very large portio- 

 of the canopy or subcanopy. Several areas along the creek have 

 Zizania aquatica and Nuphar luteum in shallow water. 



At the power line crossing are several pines and maples 

 (with increasing frequency over that near the mouth of the creek) . 

 The northeastern side of the creek has more cypress and fewer Nyssa 

 sylvatica biflora. There are also more cypress here than near the 

 creek mouth. 



The south side of the creek was investigated by foot down- 

 stream (near the first large bend from the power line crossing) . 

 Again, by far, the most abundant tree was Nyssa sylvatica biflora . 

 Pines and large cypress were scattered throughout. The understory 

 was predominantly Arundinaria gigantea, with Smilax , small trees and 

 Vaccinium on mossy hummocks in the dense understory. There are many 

 fallen trees in some sections. There were also young red maple and 

 a few Magnolia virginica in the understory. 



FLUVIAL/ESTUARINE ESCARPMENT along upland boundary of Forestry 

 Foundation property (3,800 acre tract). 



At the escarpment adjacent to the Union Camp Corparation 

 property on the uplands, there is a decrease in elevation of 

 approximately 15 feet. On the slope there is a localized popula- 

 tion of Liriodendron tulipif era surrounded by Pinus taeda . 

 Northwest of this site at lower elevation is a population of Acer 

 rubrum. This area is wet and has a low ground cover of Leucothoe 

 axillaris , Woodwardia and sphagnum along with a sparse shrub 

 layer represented by Clethra alnifolia, Persea borbonia and 

 Magnolia virginiana . This area differs from the area described 

 below in that vegetation beneath the canopy is less than three 

 feet tall and is mostly ground cover, whereas the following site 

 is mostly a very dense layer of shrubs, mostly Ilex glabra . 



172 



