And Chestnut Oak Forest/Woodland Recovering from Lacking Or May Have Scattered Tree Woodlands Have More Oak Species (Black, Small Mammals and Birds Including Fire

Chestnut Oak Forest/Woodland State Rank: S4 - Secure

scarlet, white, red, and chestnut Chestnut Oak Forest/Woodland is oak) than most other types of dominated by chestnut oak with other oak forests, and birches and oaks over an often dense shrub lack abundant pines or understory; This community typically hemlock. Chestnut Oak is not occupies dry upland sites with thin soil dominant. Oak - Hemlock - over acidic bedrock on ridges and upper White Pine Forests are slopes; dominated by a mix of tree oaks with scattered white pine saplings, mountain laurel, striped maple, and hemlock, either of which American chestnut, and witch hazel. Short may be in local dense patches. shrubs are dense in patches dominated by Abundant scarlet oak with black huckleberry and lowbush- Rocky Chestnut Oak Forest/Woodlands with black oak is the key indicator of blueberries with scattered sheep laurel. sassafras. Photo: Patricia Swain, NHESP. Black Oak - Scarlet Oak The herbaceous layer is sparse and Woodlands. Open Oak Forests/ Description: Chestnut Oak Forests/ dominated by wintergreen with occasional Woodlands occur on hill slopes with short turkeys. The understory of blueberries and Woodlands occur as long narrow bands false foxgloves, sedges (particularly red and white oak trees scattered over a huckleberries is used by many of these along dry ridges and upper slopes with Pennsylvania sedge), and bracken fern. grassy or low shrub understory around same species. Song birds, moths, thin soil over acidic bedrock. They may small rock outcrops. Coastal Forests/ butterflies, and other insects of the oak extend down steep, convex, rocky, often Woodlands are within a few miles of the forest continuum occur in Chestnut Oak west or south facing slopes where soil is coast at <~60 ft. elevation and receive Forests. shallow and dry. The canopy is closed to storm winds and spray. The diverse partially open (>25% cover). The deep canopy includes oaks and often has Examples with Public Access: oak leaf litter has slow decomposition. American holly, sassafras, and black gum. Copicut WMA, Fall River; Leadmine Often many trees have multiple fire scars White Pine - Oak Forests and Pitch Pine - Mtn. Conservation Area, Sturbridge; and charred bases, fire appears to play a Oak Forests/Woodlands have >25% cover Tekoa Mtn. WMA, Russell. role in maintaining the community of pines overall (not just local patches) occurrences. Chestnut Oak Forests/ and a mix of oak species where black oak Woodlands often occur with closed oak or Chestnut Oak, features: Leaf (L). Photo: Chris is particularly important. pine - oak forest down slope and more Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org. Bark open communities above. (R). Photo: Vern Wilkins, Indiana University, Habitat for Associated Fauna: Bugwood.org. Mature upland forest types provide Characteristic Species: The canopy valuable structural attributes such as tree of Chestnut Oak Forests/Woodlands is Differentiating from Related cavity den sites (used by a variety of bird dominated, often completely, by chestnut Communities: Although distinctive and mammal species) and large woody oak. Less abundant associates include because of the dominance of chestnut oak material (used by various amphibian, black, red, and/or white, and less and its usual upper slope and ridgetop reptile, and invertebrate species). Because commonly, scarlet oak, with red maple, position, Chestnut Oak Forest/Woodland chestnut oak acorns are particularly and white or pitch pines. The subcanopy is part of a continuum of dry, acidic sought after by wildlife, Chestnut Oak layer is sparse and consists of canopy communities that contain a variety of tree Forests/Woodlands provide seasonally species and black birch. Tall shrubs are oak and pine species. Mixed Oak Forests/ preferred foraging habitat for large and Chestnut Oak Forest/Woodland recovering from lacking or may have scattered tree Woodlands have more oak species (black, small mammals and birds including fire. Photo: Patricia Swain, NHESP.

From: Classification of Natural Communities of Massachusetts htthttpp://www;mass;gov/nhesp/://www;mass;gov/nhesp/ Updated: 2016 Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Division of FishFisheeriesries & Wildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd;, Westborough, M! 01581 (508) 389-6360