Paulson Preserve Old-Growth Forest

Within the Schoharie Land Trust's 342-acre Paulson Preserve, lies the Paulson Preserve Old-Growth Forest, an 80+-acre forest of mixed hardwoods and conifers including stands of large hemlock trees.  The forest is reverting from former farm fields and contains stone walls and an abandoned road that provides public access to the property. There are also active beaver ponds on the property in addition to beaver meadows that contribute to the variety of wildlife and flora present on the land.  The relatively undisturbed and remote quality of the preserve allows good opportunities for wildlife observation. Designation of this forest as “old-growth” means it will never be logged or otherwise altered except to allow public access. It will take generations before the forest reaches its climax as truly old-growth, but the Schoharie Land Trust has started the process with vision and commitment for those who will come after us. The entire Paulson Preserve is open to the public, with access from Rum Hill Road in Jefferson, and from Baldwin Road in Summit.

The Baldwin Road access provides an easy walk along an abandoned town road through second growth woods to a series of beaver ponds. 

The  Rum Hill Road trailhead, marked “Beaver Trail,” is a more winding downhill trail to the same beaver ponds, but does not connect to the Baldwin Road trail.  Woods here are more mature--a mix of maple, beech, pine and various undergrowth shrubs.  A stand of large hemlocks can be found at the lower end of the series of beaver ponds.