Marie Hall Jones Ancient Forest Preserve

The 172-acre preserve is an excellent example of Appalachian hardwood forest composed of oak-hickory on the southern aspects and ridges, and mixed-mesophytic forest dominated by yellow poplar, sugar maple, and oak elsewhere. 

Fifteen acres are virgin timber, and American beech are likely the oldests in the preserve, but sugar maple, red and white oak, several species of hickory, and other species reach old age across 15 to 20 acres. Many of the largest trees have fallen in the past decades  and much coarse woody debris exists. Large windthrown mounds are found across the forest, as are snags, gaps, and a complex structure. The area where the springs join is a lovely spot, but well below the virgin timber in the upper central part of the cove. Spring ephemerals are rich and abundant throughout the cove, and vary tremendously with elevation and topography.