May is the perfect time of year to dedicate new forests! We welcomed two new forests into the Network during the month of May and they are both striking in their own ways. The James River Face Wilderness is an extensive wilderness area with over 8,000 acres of protected forest, riparian habitats, rolling hills, and more. Since it was the first wilderness area in the state, it’s considered the “Grandfather of Virginia’s Wilderness” and it certainly lives up to that title. The Belfast Trail, located on the western slope of the wilderness area, contains excellent examples of mature and old-growth trees, with some specimens over 130 years old.

Next up we dedicated Ice Glen in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Located near Stockbridge, this forest is relatively small but still contains some beautiful trees. Some old-growth experts have aged many of the trees to be between 250-350 years old. The Ice Glen trail can be tricky to navigate at times with several steep sections, but it’s well worth the trek to be in the presence of these mighty trees.