Walker Cove
Location
County: Buncombe
Forest: Pisgah National Forest, National Forests in North Carolina
District: Toecane
View a searchable map for the Walker Cove RNA.
Related Reports and Publications
- Hepting, George H. Sapstreak, a new killing disease of sugar maple. Phytopathology 34:1069–1076. 1944.
- Dickison, G. J. 1980. Composition and stand dynamics of an old–growth upper cove hardwood forest in Walker Cove Research Natural Area, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina.
- Held, M. E. 1983. Pattern of Beech Regeneration in the East–Central United States. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 110(1): 55-62.
- Olano, J. M. and M. W. Palmer. 2003. Stand dynamics of an Appalachian old–growth forest during a severe drought episode. Forest ecology and management 174(1-3): 139–148.
- Runkle, J. R. 1981. Gap Regeneration in Some Old–growth Forests of the Eastern United States. Ecology 62(4): 1041–1051.
- Runkle, J. R. 1998. Changes in southern Appalachian canopy tree gaps sampled thrice. Ecology 79(5): 1768–1780.
- Runkle, J. R. 2000. Canopy Tree Turnover in Old-Growth Mesic Forests of Eastern North America. Ecology 81(2): 554–567.
- Runkle, J. R. and T. C. Yetter 1987. Treefalls Revisited: Gap Dynamics in the Southern Appalachians. Ecology 68(2): 417–424.
Ecological and Physical Description
Walker Cove is an old growth stand of southern Appalachian hadwoods consisting of a mixture of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and associated species. It is located in the Big Ivy section of the Pisgah NF near Barnardsville, NC on the northeast slope of Walker Ridge.
Average annual rainfall is estimated at 50–60 inches. Average numbers of frost free days for Asheville and Mt. Mitchell are 195 and 128 respectively, with Walker Cove probably more similar to Mt. Mitchell in this respect. Due to the altitude and aspect of the area, snow drifts may remain on the ground for extended periods during the winter.
The rocks are Carolina gneisses, metamorphic rocks of unknown origin. They consist chiefly of mica gneiss and mica-schist; including other gneisses, schists, granite, diorite, and small lenses of marble.
No water use potential.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | Plant Communities | |||
| Hemlock | Plant Communities | |||
| Red oak | Plant Communities | |||
| White ash | Plant Communities | |||
| Black cherry | Plant Communities | |||
| Black birch | Plant Communities | |||
| Ohio buckeye | Plant Communities | |||
| Cucumber magnolia | Plant Communities | |||
| Yellow-poplar | Plant Communities |
Publications
- C.V. Cogbill, C.V. Cogbill. 2005. Historical Biogeography of American Beech