Old Growth Forests

This small stand of old-growth forest on the shore of Harvard Pond survived the regional history of land-use and natural disturbance due to its sheltered position at the base of a rocky slope that was unsuited for agriculture.

In their size, variety, and unmistakable antiquity, the overstory trees contrast strikingly with the young and moderate-aged forests now so common on abandoned farms and cut-over lands in the region. The pond and adjoining wetlands in the background support a diversity of aquatic and open-land plant and animal life.