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Forest Communities
Upper Armstrong Creek: Rich Cove, High Elevation Northern Red Oak, Mesic Oak, Submesic Oak, Dry Oak, Pine-Oak Heath, and Carolina Hemlock Forest.
Bee Rock Creek: Rich Cove, Mesic Oak, Submesic Oak, Dry Oak, Subxeric Oak, and Carolina Hemlock Forest.
Forks of Armstrong Creek: Rich Cove, High Elevation Northern Red Oak, Mesic Oak, and Dry Oak.
Woods Mountain: Dry Oak.
Fork Mountain: Acidic Cove, Submesic Oak, Dry Oak, and Dry Oak-Pine.
Largest Diameter Tree of Its Kind in the Nahtahala-Pisgah:
* Red maple 46.8 inches (Upper Armstrong Creek)
* Sourwood 22.7 inches (Upper Middle Fork of Cow Creek)
Unusual Plants and Animals
* Woods Mountain has the only known population of mountain heather (Hudsonia montana) outside Jonas Ridge in Linville Gorge. An islanded population of this mountain species is present on a rock ledge at Woods Mountain.
* The highest herb diversity found in this roadless area was in Rich Cove, High Elevation Northern Red Oak, Mesic Oak, and some Submesic Oak forests.
* Showy orchis, and numerous cove oriented herbs were found in Rich Cove and Mesic Oak forests in parts of Bee Rock Creek. Numerous bird species were heard in this same valley slope in May.
* The area named "Nettle Patch" is on the upper South Fork of Roses Creek. A very large patch of stinging nettle is present in Rich Cove forest. Mosses and lichens coat many trees in this old growth area.
* Woods Mountain provides high quality black bear habitat and local bear hunters scour the watersheds on this mountain tracking them. Doug Elliot has gone on one of these forays.
* A red-eyed vireo, a black-throated warbler, and a woodpecker were heard in High Elevation Northern Red Oak forest in the Good Cemetery Cove area in upper Armstrong Creek.
* A five inch long black salamander was found in Submesic Oak forest in upper Armstrong Creek. This suggests that high quality salamander habitat may be present in older upland forests in parts of this roadless area. |
