Charles H. Wharton Conservation Center

Northern hardwoods and hemlocks dominate the cool, moist ravines of the Charles H. Wharton Conservation Center. Whereas most northern hardwoods typically grow at elevations greater than 3,960 feet, here you can find the following species in ravines at elevations less than 2,970 feet.

• Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

• Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)

• Black Birch (Betula lenta)

• Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava)

• Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

• Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

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Introduction of pests (especially the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae) and disturbances like drought and forest fires are having profound effects on the forest communities of the Upper Tallulah River watershed.