Abstract: In southwestern Virginia, American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was the dominant canopy tree until the chestnut blight arrived in the 1920s. After the chestnut decline, several oak species, predominantly northern red oak (Quercus rubra), became dominant in this mixed hardwoods forest. Species turnover is presently occurring and is influenced in part by the presence of New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis). In the present study, we have determined the composition of the herbaceous, shrub and canopy layers in this forest in an effort to understand succession; northern red oak is the dominant species in this forest community. We concluded that a non-significant negative trend exists between New York fern density and canopy tree seedling density. We also determined that growth rates of northern red oak seedlings over the duration of the experiment are not impacted by the presence of New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis). In fact, New York fern has a positive impact upon northern red oak seedlings since herbivory by white-tailed deer(Odocoileus virginianus) occurs less often upon seedlings that remain below the fern canopy.