Welcome to the Network, Oklahoma!
Many people might not immediately think of forests when they think of Oklahoma, but surprisingly enough, forested areas account for 28% of the state’s entire landmass. Keystone Ancient Forest is no exception! The forest is 1,360 acres with some stellar examples of old-growth trees, including 500-year-old redcedars and 300-year-old post oak trees. Keystone falls within the Cross Timbers ecoregion, which is a large area of forested land reaching from southeastern Kansas, cutting through central Oklahoma, and ending in central Texas. This ecoregion forms a transition zone where the heavily forested eastern regions gradually fall away into the Great Plains of the west. Keystone Ancient Forest marks the first Oklahoma forest dedicated to the Old-Growth Forest Network, as well as the first forest in the Great Plains region. The forest was dedicated during a cheerful ceremony on July 15, 20021.
This forest is a part of the homelands of the Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷 𐒼𐓂𐓊𐒻 𐓆𐒻𐒿𐒷 𐓀𐒰^𐓓𐒰^(Osage), Muscogee (Oklahoma), Caddo, O-ga-xpa Ma-zhoⁿ (O-ga-xpa), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ peoples. For centuries, indigenous peoples have used the Cross Timbers region as a north-south pathway, the thick cover providing shelter from enemies, along with plenty of game and firewood along the way. Cross Timbers also served indigenous peoples and European settlers as a way-finder: the natural swath of forest marked the separation of the western region from the eastern.
Keystone Ancient Forest is only a 20-minute drive from Tulsa and has plenty of trails to choose from for all levels of experience and comfortability. The Childers Trail is an ADA accessible paved .5-mile path with gentle grade inclines. Admission is free and the parking lot is large, but it does tend to fill up on the weekends. The forest is a haven for migratory birds, so be sure to bring your guidebook and binoculars. Visitors come from all over the world to see Keystone Ancient Forest, so whether you live in the area or are visiting Tulsa, be sure to check out this haven for old-growth trees!
Additional Resources
https://www.sandspringsok.org/176/Cross-Timbers
https://forestry.ok.gov/oklahoma-forest
Oklahoma's forests: OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES. Oklahoma's Forests | Oklahoma Forestry Services. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://forestry.ok.gov/oklahoma-forests.
