Kyle Woods, OH   Thomas Diggins
  Mar 18, 2004 12:15 PST 

ENTS,

Finally getting some time to browse a few of our nice OG remnants in NE OH.
Trying to get some tree heights with leaves off AND the right equipment.
Looks like the best forest in the region might be Kyle Woods, a spectacular
but all too small stand of mesophytic hardwoods in Mahoning County. Only
about 10 acrres of really solid old growth. It's a state nature preserve,
part of a large historic farmstead, described as follows:

"Although primarily a beech-sugar maple community, Kyle Woods has a striking
diversity of woody species and is more complex than similar woodlots in
northeastern Ohio. Tree species include cucumber magnolia, wild black
cherry, black gum and several species of oaks and ashes including several
white oaks more than 300 years old."

I wouldn't have called it beech-maple, but otherwise the description is
right on. Looks like those 10 acres hold at least 15 canopy species in very
fine old-growth condition, with several others in the understory only. Very
heterogeneous soil and moisture conditions, including a marvelous pin oak
dominated swamp. The pin oaks are near the edge of the really good stuff, so
I question if they're old growth, but some are very large. They likely date
from pre-1900.

Some highlights (I've numbered the trees contributing to the Rucker Index):

2. Sugar maple                        117.2' x 9' 11"
5. Red maple                           115.6' x 8' 4"
1. Tulip                                   123.1' x 9' 0"
Tulip                                      121.1' x 8' 3"
Tulip                                      122.0'
6. Bitternut                              115.2' x 6' 6"
7. Shagbark                             114.8' x 5' 2"
9. Basswood (Am.)                 109.9' x 11' 4"
4. White ash                            116.0' x 4' 10"
Beech                                     106.6' x 5' 4"
Black cherry                            106.8' x 7' 6"
10. Cucumber                          107.8' x 9' 3"
Sassafras                                102.8' x 4' 2"
Sassafras                                102.5' x 5' 11"
Sassafras                                97.2'
White oak                              105.9' x 11' 4"
White oak                              101.2' x 13'3" x 75' crown
White oak                              101.8'
8. NR oak                              111.2'
3. Pin oak                               117.0' x 7' 2''
Pin oak                                  113.5' x 6' 0"
Pin oak                                  110.7' x 10' 7"
Black oak                              100.2' x 9' 5'

Rucker Index = 114.78'

This is an upland site, with no obvious protection from wind. Hence, the
rather low maximum height of 123' for tulip tree. Very rich, though, in
terms of species over 100', and over 10' CBH (sugar and red maple, and NRO
also exceed 10'). Also, a VERY urbanized site, totally surrounded by
development. It would be a subdivision if not for its designation as a
nature preserve.

Looking forward to Forest Summit next fall, too bad about the weather this
spring...

Tom Diggins
Re: Kyle Woods, OH   dbhg-@comcast.net
  Mar 18, 2004 19:33 PST 

Tom:

Good to hear from you. I very nice site. At 114.78, Kyle Woods is quite respectible. I'm sure you can get another point out of it in a few more trips. It is good to have some Ohio sites.

Dennis and Marie Hayman and I went to Mohawk today. The snow was deep and I did flounder around in it, but also confirmed another 150-footer in the Pocumtuck grove. That's #45 for Mohawk. The new 150-footer is close to two others, so it isn't that surprising. Are there more? Well, maybe one or two, but if there are, we'll have to confirm them between now and May. Thereafter, measuring within the tightly packed Pocumtuck Grove is extremely difficult.

   I'm very interested in getting more black cherries, black birches, bigtooth aspens, and red maples to allow a few more iterations of the Rucker index and raising the last 5 or 6 of the current 20.

Bob