The forested ecosystems of the southern Appalachians are some of the most diverse in North America due to the variability in climate, soils, and geologic parent material coupled with the complex topography found throughout the region. These same characteristics cause upland hardwood stands to be extremely variable with regard to site quality and silvicultural productivity. Site index has been the tool most commonly used to measure existing site quality and productivity, but this approach may not accurately quantify potential site quality and productivity, largely due to ubiquitous disturbance and variable land-use history. Research has shown that water availability, nutrient availability, and soil depth are important indicator variables and are the drivers of site quality in the region. A pilot study is being conducted in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province in Giles County, Virginia, as a first step in developing a predictive tool for site quality in the southern Appalachians. The concept is to use a layered GIS to depict the topography, geology, climate, soils, and landform of a site and use these variables to predict site quality and potential productivity. Since climate is homogenous throughout the pilot study area, the first approximation will be based on aspect, slope percent, and landform as they affect available water. A refinement to the site quality estimates will come from analyzing the surficial geology of the area to discern the effect it has on soil depth and available water. The analyses of bedrock geology and soil characteristics as they affect water and nutrient availability are planned as we refine and expand the models of site quality. In the future we intend to include the Blue Ridge, the Cumberland Plateau, and the Allegheny Plateau in the study.