Ecological Setting

Located on 3413 hectares in the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau Physiographic province of the Appalachian Mountains, the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest (WWERF) encompasses two entire watersheds and the upper reaches of a third. The elevation of the forest ranges from 734 meters along the Middle Fork River to 1180 meters at the crest of Rich Mountain. Topography consists of steep side slopes with broad, plateau-like ridgetops and narrow valleys with small, high-gradient streams. Soils are acidic and well-drained Inceptisols and Ultisols. The WWERF is characterized by a cool, humid climate. Precipitation occurs throughout the year, often exceeding 160 cm. Snow is common throughout the winter months.

The WWERF is dominated by mid- to high elevation forest communities. The majority of the forest overstory is characterized by a northern hardwood-Allegheny hardwood type of beech, yellow birch, black cherry, Fraser magnolia, red maple and sugar maple occurring at elevations above 850 meters. Cove hardwood and mixed mesophytic communities of yellow-poplar, northern red oak, basswood, cucumber magnolia, sweet birch and white ash are found at elevations below 850 meters. Montane red spruce-eastern hemlock stands occur at the upper elevations and within sheltered frost pockets on the WWERF above 1000 meters. Riparian areas with dense rosebay rhodendron occur throughout the WWERF. Xeric forests of chestnut oak, black oak, scarlet oak, and hickories are restricted to a few low elevation side slopes with southwestern aspects. An artifact of high deer herbivory pressures, understories throughout the WWERF are characterized by a striped maple shrub layer and a dense hay-scented fern groundcover.