Potts Creek Shale Barren

Visitation is restricted at Potts Creek Shale Barren due to the presence of sensitive species and difficult terrain. A shale barren is a steep, south-facing, eroding slope of thinly bedded, weathered shale, having sparse tree cover and little soil. Ranging from precipitous shale cliffs to open woods, this spectacular barren is situated above Potts Creek. Shale barrens support a unique plant community, found in the Ridge and Valley province, from southern Pennsylvania to southern Virginia.

Location
Alleghany County

Size
9 acres

Plants
At least three rare species native to shale barrens occur at Potts Creek: chestnut lipfern, Kate's mountain clover and Virginia nailwort. Numerous other species not restricted to, but regarded as characteristic of shale barrens, are found here. These include Allegheny rockcress, Allegheny stonecrop, mosspink, and white-haired leatherflower.

Trees that manage to grow on the barrens, such as red cedar, chestnut oak and Virginia pine, are small for their age, reaching about 20 feet in height and 15 inches in diameter. Like many desert trees, the trees at Potts Creek are dwarfed, twisted and gnarled by the elements. Thick, hairy leaves protect some shale barren plants against desiccation, and their deep root systems tap what little water exists.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site  
Ownership of Potts Creek Shale Barren was transferred to The Nature Conservancy in December 1986 by Creative Investments of Covington, Virginia.

The uniqueness of the shale barren's flora remained unnoticed until the late 1800s, when botanists collected plants on the shale slopes of Kate's Mountain, West Virginia. To their surprise, many of these plants were new to science, and Kate's Mountain become the type locality for a number of shale barren endemic species, including Kate's mountain clover and white-haired leatherflower.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Conservancy is monitoring the sensitive species at the preserve and keeping an eye out for invasive species.