About Blue Ridge/Piedmont Woodlands

A Woodland, as discerned from the Savanna, is a plant community with a reduced numbers of trees, frequent rock outcrops, and occasional breaks in the canopy. Plenty of light gets in. A basic woodland (as opposed to an acidic woodland) occurs on mafic bedrock like gabbro, amphibolite, metabasalt, and base- rich granite and gneiss. An acidic woodland plant community type is restricted to nutrient-poor bedrock. Soils tend to be very acidic and exhibit a reduction in base cations. Indicator species for each variant are unique. These habitats are typically on slopes that face west, southwest, south, southeast, or east and the soil is extremely shallow and rocky despite being very fertile. Coupled with Savannas and Prairies, this habitat type helped form a mosaic of open woodland and grassland settings in the Piedmont for long periods during the past. It offers unique and resilient species that are perfect for the landscape setting if appropriate site conditions are present.

 Thanks to Devin Floyd of Center for Urban Habitats for assistance with words.