the sphagnum bog depicted here is called spruce flats and is located on laurel hill in the forbes state forest in southwestern pennsylvania. the official name is a misnomer as there haven't been any native spruce trees in this part of the state for at least several thousand years but there was an old-growth hemlock forest that was simply referred to as spruce by the loggers who destroyed it. as this area is on top of the ridge in a slight depression once the trees were removed the water table rose sufficiently to encourage formation of this bog.