A community is a group of plants and/or animals
that interact within a particular area. The area described (the community)
can be any size. Communities can be thought of as organized in many different
ways. One way they are organized is by their dominant trees. The US Forest
Service has classified the forest communities in Virginia into seven types.
Each type is named for it’s most abundant tree species or group of species.
White pine-hemlock
Forests in which white pine is the most abundant tree species. Other
common tree species are hemlock, birch and maple.
Loblolly-shortleaf pine
Forests in which loblolly, shortleaf and/or Virginia pine
(the yellow pines of Virginia) are the most abundant tree species. Other common
tree species are oak, hickory and gum.
Oak-pine
Forests in which the hardwoods (usually upland oaks) are the
most abundant tree species. Pine species make up 25 to 50 %. Common species
are white oak, red oak, black oak, scarlet oak, chestnut oak, loblolly pine,
shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, black gum, sweet gum, hickories and tulip tree.
Oak-hickory
Forests in which the upland oaks and/or hickories are the
most abundant species, and pines make up less than 25%. Common species are
white oak, red oak, black oak, scarlet oak, chestnut oak, mockernut hickory,
pignut hickory, tulip tree, elm, maple and black walnut.
Oak-gum-cypress
Bottom-land forests in which gums, oaks and/or bald cypress
are most abundant. Pines are less than 25%. Common species include willow
oak, water oak, black gum, sweet gum, cottonwood, willow, ash, elm, hackberry
and redmaple.
Elm-ash-cottonwood
Forests in which elm, ash and/or cottonwood are the most abundant
species. Common species are American elm, white ash, green ash, cottonwood,
willow, sycamore, beech and maple.
Maple-beech-birch
Forests in which maple, beech and/or yellow birch are the
most abundant tree species. Common trees are sugar maple, beech, yellow birch,
hemlock, elm, basswood, and white pine.