MARITIME FORESTS ON BULL ISLAND, CAPE ROMAIN, SOUTH-CAROLINA

Bull Island is a barrier island within Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in Charleston county, South Carolina. Prior to Hurricane Hugo in September of 1989, the island's maritime forest contained healthy stands of old-growth, 70-160 year old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) that aaveraged 43.8 m2/ha live pine basal area. The Bull Island stands may have been the second oldest documented loblolly pine forest in the United States. Other predominant overstory tree species on Bull Island included live and laurel oak (Quercus virginiana Miller and Quercus laurifolia Michaux) with a combined live basal area of 31.2 m2/ha, cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto Lodd. ex Schultes) and Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum L. Roxb.), with live basal areas of 7.3 and 6.4 m2/ha, respectively.