Dolly Sods Flora - Canaan Valley Institute
Dolly Sods Flora - Canaan Valley Institute
Dolly Sods Flora - Canaan Valley Institute
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
West Virginia’s Sub-artic Tundra:<br />
<strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong><br />
by<br />
Joseph Henry<br />
<strong>Canaan</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Celebration<br />
October 16, 2002<br />
Presentation and all photographs © Joseph Henry
<strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> <strong>Flora</strong><br />
• <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> is a sub-artic tundra & heath barren<br />
flora area in Tucker Country, West Virginia<br />
• Striking similarities to tundra areas in Denali, NP,<br />
Cape Breton Island & Maine<br />
– <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong>, Denali, Cape Breton & Maine images are presented on<br />
adjacent slides to illustrate similarity of flora and land forms.<br />
– The transition from typical Appalachian forest to sub-arctic tundra<br />
& heath barren flora occurs abruptly in the <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> Wilderness
Thornwaite, (1948), “<strong>Canaan</strong> <strong>Valley</strong><br />
along with small part of New York,<br />
New Hampshire and Maine are classified<br />
as cold humid, just two steps warmer<br />
than his tundra classification.”<br />
Source, Ronald H. Fortney, chapter on <strong>Canaan</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> in Upland Forests<br />
of West Virginia, S.L. Stephenson, ed, 1993, p.49
<strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> <strong>Flora</strong> with comparisons<br />
to Denali, Cape Breton and Maine<br />
• Forest – tundra & heath barren transition<br />
• Heath barrens in fall<br />
• <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> in peak laurel bloom<br />
• <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> – rapidly changing weather<br />
• Tundra <strong>Flora</strong> and Bogs<br />
• Mt. McKinley in Denali, NP – differences<br />
____________________________<br />
• Selected Tucker County Images
<strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> is Place Edges & Boundaries<br />
• Edges of ecosystems<br />
• Boundaries between wetlands, heath<br />
barrens and bogs<br />
• Rapidly changing weather<br />
• Seasonal Boundaries<br />
_________________________<br />
• Much of nature’s most exquisite beauty<br />
can be experienced at such edges or<br />
boundaries
Forest – Tundra Transition
Denali, NP, AK – near Wonder Lake
Mt. McKinley, Denali, NP, Alaska
Cape Breton, Heath Barren
Heath Barrens in Fall
Wind Farm Visibility West of <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong><br />
<strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> stake holders successfully influenced<br />
relocation of wind farm to Mt. Storm area.
Denali, NP, Alaska near Wonder Lake
Heath Barren, Cape Breton Island, NS
Heath Barren,<br />
Blue Hill, Maine
Mountain Ash in Prime Condition, September 22, 2002
Peak Laurel Bloom & Other Flowers
“Never was any poor creature in such<br />
a condition as we were in, nor ever was<br />
a criminal more glad by having made<br />
his escape out of prison as we were<br />
to get rid of those accursed laurels.”<br />
Quote from Thomas Lewis who crossed <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> and explored the area.<br />
He may have been the first European to cross the <strong>Sods</strong>.
Rapidly Changing Weather<br />
Two Hour Period<br />
Images in time sequence
Begin Music
Tundra <strong>Flora</strong> and Bogs
Denali, Tundra flora & Sphagnum Moss
Cape Breton, Bog
Cape Breton Island, NS, Bog
Denali, Tundra<br />
<strong>Flora</strong>
Denali, NP, Tundra <strong>Flora</strong>
Denali, Tundra <strong>Flora</strong>
Denali, Tundra <strong>Flora</strong>
Denali, Tundra <strong>Flora</strong>
Heath Barren, Cape Breton Island, NS
Cape Breton, Heath Barren
Mt. McKinley, Denali, NP<br />
• Previous images focused on similarities<br />
between flora and land forms in <strong>Dolly</strong><br />
<strong>Sods</strong> and Denali, NP<br />
• The images which follow will emphasis<br />
differences in these two wilderness areas
<strong>Valley</strong> Ridge Theater/Studio, Thomas, WV
Selected Tucker Country Images<br />
• Route 72 & Dry Fork Rail Road Grade<br />
• <strong>Canaan</strong> <strong>Valley</strong><br />
• Blackwater Falls
Photo Impressionism, no digital editing
Carl & Lorraine Hedrick, Hendricks, WV
A Favorite Tree in <strong>Canaan</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>, Photo Impressionism
Low water flow<br />
September, 2002
Local Knowledge and Passion<br />
• Rarely do nature enthusiasts, naturalists or artists<br />
deeply observe during their first visit to an area.<br />
• Passion for place and visualizing what you expect<br />
to see is the key to revealing beauty.<br />
• Revisit favorite areas.<br />
• Most folks have a landscape they prefer<br />
– For me it is Tucker Country – especially <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> and<br />
similar tundra flora and land forms<br />
– <strong>Dolly</strong> <strong>Sods</strong> has sub-artic flora similar to areas much<br />
farther north.<br />
• Incredible diversity of flora and land forms occur<br />
within a 30 mile drive of <strong>Canaan</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>.
Fine Art<br />
Print Sales<br />
•7”x11”<br />
•10”x16”<br />
•12”x19”<br />
•custom<br />
Un-mounted<br />
Nature<br />
Photography<br />
Workshops<br />
or<br />
Archival<br />
Mounting<br />
Board
Change language