The Old-Growth Forest Network welcomed two Ohio forests to its ranks this October: just south of Columbus and the near Athens.
The network now recognizes 30 largely undisturbed forests in Ohio, more than any other state. (We're neck and neck with Pennsylvania, which has 28.)
As part of , these forests are protected from commercial logging and development, and they鈥檙e made open and available to the public.
鈥淸Old-growth forests] have enormous benefits to communities,鈥� said Brian Kane, the network鈥檚 Mid-Atlantic regional manager. 鈥淥ur work is looking at the whole forest ecosystem and ensuring that it will be there in perpetuity.鈥�
The network is trying to preserve one forest in every county of the country 鈥� and that鈥檚 no easy task. It estimates more than have already been removed or radically altered.
What is an old growth forest?
Defining an old-growth forest isn鈥檛 easy, Kane said. The majority of trees in the forest should be fully mature and close to reaching their life expectancy.
But some trees can take about 80 years to fully mature and others need a lot longer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a number cut-off,鈥� Kane said. 鈥淲e have plenty of forests in the network where the trees are 90 or 100 years old and they're not truly old growth.鈥�
Instead, he said the network looks at whether forests have a series of characteristics that create an 鈥渆cological community.鈥�
鈥淲e look for things such as what's on the forest floor, the decomposing logs,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e look at the soil profile, we look at pits and mounds, the areas where large trees have fallen and created deep depressions [with] vernal pools where salamanders thrive.鈥�
Altogether, these characteristics allow the forests to support a rich array of life, and that鈥檚 one of the reasons why Kane believes they鈥檙e so important to protect.
Why protect these forests?
Unlike younger, developing forests, old-growth forests offer unique habitats. The shade of the canopy can allow heat-sensitive plants on the forest floor to thrive, and decaying trees make homes for bugs, birds and mammals.
鈥淲e look at them as enormously important for the continuation of all of the species that thrive in those ancient environments,鈥� Kane said.
Beyond their role in sustaining wildlife, old-growth forests are also
鈥淏oth the fallen trees and the existing trees and the soil contain enormous quantities of carbon,鈥� Kane said.
And there鈥檚 a growing body of research that suggests spending time in forests 鈥� boosting immune systems, lowering blood sugar and helping with depression.
鈥淭here's a lot more health and wellness benefits to these forests,鈥� Kane said, 鈥渂y people who are allowed to hike and walk through them, getting away from their computer screens, getting away from the roads and the sidewalks to really be in the woods and enjoy the sounds and the quiet and stillness there.鈥�
Ohio鈥檚 old-growth forests
Ohio鈥檚 network of old-growth forests spans the state: there are now near every major city, from Cincinnati to Cleveland, Toledo to Athens, and everywhere in between.
That鈥檚 not the case in many states, Kane said.
Maine, for example, has lots of forested land, but much of it is privately owned, so the Old-Growth Forest Network hasn鈥檛 yet been able to protect forests there.
Ohio, on the other hand, already has lots of publicly accessible forests through its metro parks systems. Some of those parks are now included in the Old-Growth Forest Network.
near Columbus, for example, has an extensive trail network that weaves around ancient Indigenous earthworks, and it鈥檚 home to really old trees. Kane said some are between 300 and 400 years old.
鈥淚t was really great to see all of those things come together, both the cultural history, the natural history and the recreational enjoyment of the land,鈥� he said.
In Darke County, located on Ohio鈥檚 border with Indiana, farmers set aside of trees roughly 100 years ago.
鈥淸It鈥檚] a largely agricultural county,鈥� Kane said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not a lot of forest there, but today, Darke County Parks has these nice walking paths through [the stands] for the public.鈥�
Now, two more forests are part of this network.
The Lindy Roosenburg Preserve of Athens Conservancy protects 71 acres of forest and includes some trees that are more than 120 years old.
Stage鈥檚 Pond Nature Preserve is a younger forest, but Kane says it鈥檚 maturing, and therefore just as important to protect.
Eventually it will age, and future generations will have one more old-growth forest to enjoy.