 Forest
Type
SAF 71: Scrub oak-long leaf pine, 39.1 acres
SAF 72: Southern scrub oak, 7.8 acres
SAF 92: Sweetgum-nuttall oak-willow oak, 2.3
acres
marsh land, 2.4 acres
Total acres: 52
Description
Scrub Oak Natural Area represents a transition
from wet marshland to a dry sandy ridge top.
It is located on the highest sand ridge that
runs northwest to southeast across the north
end of the Savannah River Project of the Atomic
Energy Commission.
 Beginning
on the south side of Tinker Creek, the vegetative
transition changes from a march community near
the creek, to bottomland hardwoods at the base
of the slope. The bottomland hardwoods give
way to a variety of scrub oaks, hickories, and
loblolly pine as the soil regime increases in
dryness. The transition finally terminates at
a closed woods road with a dry site combination
of southern red oak, scrub oak, long leaf pine
and Sonderegger pine, with a sparse ground cover
that is nearly free of vegetation.
All available evidence shows that no cutting
of scrub oak has been done on the area although
a partial cutting for long leaf pine sawtimber
was done about 1950 and again in 1965. There
is no evidence of cultivation, but there is
a history of burning by wildfires confirmed
by fire scars on some of the older trees. No
wildfires have occurred since 1952.
Location
Barnwell County, South Carolina, on the Atomic
Energy Commission Reservation - Savannah River
Project.
Access
From U.S. 278, approximately 3 miles on Route
39, turning onto Wood Road for last mile.
For information contact
Forest Manager
Savannah River Project
U.S. Forest Service
Aiken, South Carolina 29802
Entry permit required. |
