This is not a very productive woodland area. Controlling soil erosion and infestation of Johnsongrass on soils that are cultivated are major concerns of management. Some of the more prominent valley floors are less than 25 m, and a few ridgetops exceed 100 m. Valley floors, side slopes, and ridgetops are underlain by clay, marl, and chalk. Local relief is mainly a few meters. Average annual precipitation -1,225 to 1,425 mm.
Ponds provide water for livestock, and locally they are used for recreation.
A few large reservoirs are available for recreation and other uses. The dominant soils are Ochrepts and Udalfs. They are fine textured and have a thermic temperature regime, an udic moisture regime, and montmorillonitic or carbonatic mineralogy. They are mainly moderately deep to deep over soft limestone or chalk and typically shrink, swell, and crack. Red oak, white oak, sweetgum, and blackgum are the dominant overstory species.