What does it mean that there is an Old Growth Forest?
A commonly accepted definition for ‘Old Growth’ is a tree that is older than 150 years. While the trees in this forest are nowhere near the size of the gigantic trees on the west coast, they are considered Old Growth. Several years ago, Old Growth Forest expert Bruce Kershner did some field work on the HCBP site. Before Bruce passed away in 2007 from cancer, he had authored twelve books, and was widely recognized as a leading expert on Old Growth Forests of northeastern North America. One of Bruce’s first discoveries on the HCBP lands was a Hop Hornbeam tree that he estimated to be between 500-600 years old, which would mean this tree predates the colonization of the Western hemisphere. This tree is surrounded by a grove of Sugar Maples who are between 150-230 years old. In early 2006 a member of LIMITS and Bruce later explored the central forest, and found more than 100 trees older than 150 years of age, and many other qualities to the forest that indicate it is an Old Growth Forest.
