Hickory Flats peat moss and northern bog club moss. The five-rowed peat moss (Sphagnum quinquefanum) can be recognized by its rather short and stiff branches which appear angular because of the arrangement of its closely set leaves widely angled in 5 ranks. Red peat moss (Sphagnum rubellum) is a small reddish-coloured peat moss with tongue-shaped stem leaves. And northern bog club moss ("Lycopodiella inundata") has branches up to 10 cm high with narrow, pointed leaves 4–8 mm long. Hickory Flats provides a secluded habitat for a population of black bear ("Ursus americanus"). Since bears are shy and secretive, they are rarely seen.
Sphagnum cuspidatum capitulum. "Sphagnum cuspidatum" is a dominant species in the bogs that it inhabits. In wetlands, they consume methane through symbiosis with partly endophytic methanotrophic bacteria, leading to highly effective in situ methane recycling preventing large-scale methane emission into the atmosphere. The bacteria are present in the hyaline cells of the plant. Sometimes, Sphagnum moss can be infected with another type of fungus that can cause sporotrichosis. The other fungus can enter the body through cuts or scrapes on the skin, and will then cause ulcerous skin lesions. It is therefore advised to wear gloves and long sleeves when handling sphagnum