Information about old growth for selected forest type groups in the eastern United States.

A background narrative section for each forest type group includes information about species composition, geographical extent (physiographic provinces.ecological units), soils.disturbance, and relation to other forest type groups.Selected examples of old-growth stands are also listed.Maps for each forest type group show the location of study sites from which the attribute data were obtained.Within the tables for each forest type group, information is arranged alphabetically by reference for ease of reviewing data.Tables contain information on location, size, and elevation of study sites: criteria for stand selection; stand composition; sampling methods; tree density: tree basal area; average and maxfmurn tree age by species: maximum tree diameter by species; average canopy height: percentage of canopy in gaps; density, basal area, and volume of snags: and density and volume of logs.The information presented in this publication does not constitute minimum standards or operational deanitions for distinguishing mature forests from old growth.Rather.a range of values for each old-growth attribute for each forest type group is summarlzed regionally from published and unpublished sources.National forests can use this information in planning and managing for old growth. Blanks in tables (lack of available information) indicate opportunitieswhere additional research is needed to understand more fully the nature of old growth.' ' xeric pine and pine-oak forests and woodlands (Murphy and Nowacki 1997).Forest type groups occurring exclusively in the Southern Region are listed in Appendix A.Forest Service.Not all SAFforest cowr types listed for a group occur in the Eastern Region Forest type groups are arranged by categories: hardwoods, miwed forests lconiyers and hardwoods), and congers.Forest type groups are listed alphabetically within each category.Forest -type groups included in this publication a r e in b o l g a c e type.The Southern Region of the -Forest Service was responsible for the forest typegroups indicated by an asterisk.