Maritime Forest

Maritime forest are the 'climax community' for barrier islands such as Bald Head Island.  This habitat with its mix of old growth trees, shrubs and more developed soils, binds sand providing the greatest stability and erosion control of any barrier island habitat.  Live oaks (Quercus virginiana) are the largest of trees on Bald Head Island and therefore habitat providers for a multitude of species.  It is for these reasons that the Conservancy monitors the maritime forest in an effort to better understand its natural cycles and identify threats to long term stability and health.

Deer impacts on maritime forest vegetation of the Bald Head Woods Coastal Reserve are being investigated by Drs. John Taggart and Zachary Long of UNCW.  Twenty 10m x 10m plots, each consisting of an unfenced control and fenced exclosure, were established and sampled in 2006 by Dr. Stephen Brewer and his students.  When he left in 2008, the study was continued by the aforementioned team.  All plots were resampled during the summer of 2011 to see if significant changes have occurred in tree, shrub, or herb layers as a result of deer browsing; data analysis has begun.  The results will be interpreted relative to other information such as past land uses, tree ages, storm events, etc.  Particular attention will be paid to canopy trees, primarily live oak and sand laurel oak, to see if long-term changes are likely to occur.  Related research will be pursued such as light levels and seedling consumption within the forest.

Click here for John Taggart's June 2011 forest report