<p>Hemlock seedling, Franklin County, within the Beartown Woods Natural Area of Michaux State Forest.
</p><p>The natural area, along PA Route 16 just north of the Maryland line, protects a 27-acre hemlock–white pine–northern hardwood forest in a small stream valley. In south-central Pennsylvania, this forest type flourishes only in cool, moist, shady microhabitats.
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Some of the hemlocks at the site have succumbed to the hemlock woolly adelgid, an exotic insect pest. Nevertheless, a handful of hemlocks seemed untouched by the pest, and many seedlings were pushing up from the moss and leaf litter.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/14922165@N00">Nicholas A. Tonelli</a> from Northeast Pennsylvania, USA
CC BY 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/8132826188/">Beartown Woods Natural Area (7)</a>