Vegetative Cover Types of the Forest Lake Club

I. Upland Cover Types (xx%)

    Forested Cover Types  (xx%)

	Deciduous Hardwoods (xx%)
	     		
      Oak Dominated Vegetation –types with greater than 60% coverage of Quercus species.  Cover         types dominated by oaks are the most extensive on FLC property. (xx %)
		   
A.	Scrub oak (xx%)
Greater than 30% relative dominance of Quercus ilicifolia often in dense stands both in the understory and overstory.  Characteristic of the most open and topographically exposed forested sites with the shallowest, most infertile soils. Associated with Quercus prinus, Quercus coccinea, Pinus rigida, and Carya glabra.

		  B.  Chestnut oak-scarlet oak (xx%)
	Greater than 70% combined relative dominance of  Quercus prinus and Quercus coccinea.  Characteristic of extremely dry, open, topographically exposed ridges and upperslopes with shallow, infertile soils.  Associates include Quercus alba and Carya glabra. 

		  C.  Chestnut oak (xx%)
	Greater than 70% relative dominance of Quercus prinus.  Characteristic of  open, very dry ridgetops and upper slopes with shallow, infertile soils.  Often occurring alongside the chestnut oak-scarlet oak type, but generally not quite as dry as that type.  Associates include Quercus coccinea, Carya glabra, and Quercus alba. 

		 D.  Chestnut oak-pignut hickory (xx%)
	Greater than 60% combined relative dominance of Quercus prinus and Carya glabra, with the latter composing > 25%.  Characteristic of dry, open sites, with shallow soils.  Found only in small, localized communities.  Associates include Quercus coccinea and Quercus alba. 

E.	Mixed oak-pitch pine
Mixed oak type (F), where Pinus rigida is present and has greater than 15% relative dominace.  Characteristic of dry to very dry sites that are prone to fire, after which pitch pine can become established.

		G.  Mixed oak-mountain laurel (xx%)
	Mixed oak type (F) in the overstory with a dense understory of Kalmia latifolia. Characteristic of moderately open to open sites often with west and southwest aspects allowing light penetration to the forest floor.

		  F.  Mixed oak (xx%)
	Communities with various mixtures of Quercus prinus, Quercus alba, Quercus coccinea, Quercus rubra, and Quercus velutina, where none of the prementioned species has a greater relative dominance than 30%.  Associates include Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, Carya glabra,  and less commonly Pinus rigida and Pinus strobus.  The most predominant type on FLC property and can occur on very dry to dry-mesic sites.
 			
		  H.  Mixed oak-black birch (xx%)
			Mixed oak type (F) with Betula lenta present as an associate in the overstory at 
	a relative dominance less than 25%.  Betula lenta also most often present in dense stands in the understory, especially if the site is moderately open.  Characteristic of disturbed sites or sites with a large coverage of rock outcrops.

I.	Mixed oak-white pine
Mixed oak type (F) where Pinus strobus is present and has a relative dominance 
	greater than 15%.  Characteristic of moist, often rocky sites along lake edges that occasionally are susceptible to fire following which white pine can become established.

		  J.   White oak dominated mixed oak (xx%)
Greater than 60% relative dominance of Quercus alba.  Characteristic of intermediate slopes on relatively deep, moist soils, often associated with shallow fragipans that support water.  Associates include Acer rubrum, Quercus coccinea, Quercus prinus, and Quercus rubra.  Red maple often the main associate, present in the understory and as a subdominant in the overstory.  

K.  Northern red oak dominated mixed oak (xx%)
Greater than 60% relative dominance of Quercus rubra.  An infrequent type only occurring in small, localized stands that is characteristic of protected foot slopes and flats, on deep, moist soils.  Associates include Quercus prinus and Quercus alba.
		 	
	Non-Oak Dominated Vegetation  (xx%)

		  L.  Black birch (xx%)
Greater than 70% relative dominance of Betula lenta, most often saplings in extremely dense stands.  Occurrence is limited to recent clear-cuts or other disturbed sites.  Associates include mixed oaks and Acer rubrum.
 
		  M.  Red maple (xx%)
Greater than 80% relative dominance of Acer rubrum, most often saplings in extremely dense stands originating from stump sprouts.  Occurrence is limited to recent clear-cuts.  Associates include mixed oaks and Betula lenta.

AA. Red maple-white oak
	Greater than 60% relative dominance of Acer rubrum and less than 40% relative dominance of Quercus alba.  Associates include Prunus serotina, Pinus strobus, Tsuga canadensis, and Quercus rubra.  Carpinus caroliana often present in the understory.  This type is found exclusively in Rattlesnake Valley landform due to the climatic conditions associated with the landform.

BB.	Trembling aspen
Populus tremuloides in pure stand.  Originating from a clear cut and found exclusively in two separate stands on the boundary of the Rattlesnake valley landform.  Maintained as grouse habitat.
  
		  N. Northern hardwoods (xx%)
	Acer saccharum, Tilia americana, Fraxinus americana, Carya ovata, Tsuga canadenis, Betula allegheniensis, Acer rubrum, Quercus rubra, Quercus alba, Quercus prinus, Betula lenta, and Pinus strobus in varying mixtures with none of the prementioned species having a relative dominance greater than 25%.  Characteristic of protected,  moist sites along stream channels.

	Conifer and Conifer-Hardwoods  (xx%)	

		  O.  Eastern white pine-eastern hemlock (xx%)
Greater than 70% combined relative dominance of Pinus strobus and Tsuga canadensis.  Associates include Quercus prinus, Quercus coccinea, Quercus alba, and Quercus rubra in the drier sites and Betula alleghaniensis,Tilia americana, Acer saccharum, Fraxinus americana in the moister sites. Characteristic of fire-prone areas along lake edges and moist drainages.

		  P.  Red pine (xx%)
	Pinus resinosa in a manageable condition and identifiable as a plantation.  This type is the result of plantings and occurs only two particular plantations (one near the old farm and hemlock island and the other off of the golf course).

Q  Ornamental Conifer Plantings  (xx%)
		Picea abies, Picea pungens, Pinus strobus, Pinus rigida, and other conifers planted in ornamental stands.  This type occurs only in small patches around the clubhouse, golf course, and private cottages.	 

	Non-Forested Cover Types (xx%)

R.  Exposed rock (xx%)
		Bare rock exposed at the surface or extremely thin layer of soil.  Dominated by 
	grasses and crustiose lichens.  Less than 10% tree cover.  Characteristic of extremely exposed topographic positions and disturbed sites.

 S.  Hayscented fern-bracken fern (xx%)
	Coverage greater than 80% of Dennstaedtia punctilobula and Pteridium aqulinium and less than 20% tree cover (predominantly Acer rubrum, Crateagus spp., and Prunus spp.).  Associates include Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium angustifolium, Rubus spp., and grasses.  Typical of recent clear-cuts and open, disturbed areas.  

	T.  Open Field (xx%)
	Dominated by grasses and low herbaceous plants.  This is a type that is found exclusively at the peak of Mt. Ogden and is maintained by mowing. 

	U.  Grass (xx%)
	Predominantly planted Poa spp with less than 10% tree cover.  This is a type that is found exclusively on the golf course , the rifle range, and around the clubhouse.  Tree cover is mixed oaks and non-native ornamentals. Maintained by mowing.			

II. Wetland Cover Types (xx%)

	Non-Forested Wetland  (xx%)

V.  Leatherleaf-highbush blueberry-swamp azalea
Greater than 90% coverage of Chameadaphne calyculata, Vaccinium corybosum, Rhododendron viscosum, and lesser associates including Toxicodendron vernix, Carex spp, and spaghnum moss.  Less than 10% coverage of trees such as Acer rubrum, Picea mariana, and Larix laricina.  Characteristic of areas that are strongly acidic and wet throughout the growing season.  This type is found on peat deposits and is limited to bog mats on lake edges.

	W.  Sedge
Greater than 90% coverage of Carex spp and associates such as Vaccinium corymbosum, Poa spp., and Typha spp. Less than 10% coverage of trees such as Acer rubrum, Pinua strobus, Tsuga canadensis, and Betula allegheniensis that typically grow on mounds.  Characteristic of areas with slow moving to stagnant water that are wet throughout the growing season.  This type is found exclusively in depressions and marshes. 

              Forested Wetland

	X.  Red maple-black gum-highbush blueberry (xx%)
	Greater than 70% relative dominance of Acer rubrum with less frequent Nyssa sylvatica as a subdominant,  most often with dense understories of Vaccinium corymbosum.  Associates include mixed oaks (more predominantly Quercus rubra and Quercus alba), Betula alleghaniensis, Betula lenta, and Tsuga canadensis.  Characteristic of moist sites that remain wet throughout the growing season.  This type occurs on lake edges and along slow moving streams with ponded depressions.
			
	Y.  Eastern hemlock-yellow birch
	Greater than 70% combined relative dominance of Tsuga canadensis and Betula allegheniensis. Associates include Pinus strobus, mixed oaks, northern hardwoods, and Acer rubrum. Characteristic of both Hemlock swamps and along drainages. This type occurs in shaded, moist areas that have wet soils for at least a significant portion of the growing season. 
			
	Z.  Black spruce-tamarack
	Greater than 60% combined relative dominance of Picea mariana and Larix laricina. Less than 40% of the leatherleaf—highbush blueberry—swamp azalea type. Characteristic of highly acidic areas growing  on peat depositions that are wet throughout the growing season.  This type is found exclusively on bog mats on lake edges, on the islands in Forest lake, and in Oxbow swamp.