HIKE – Ancient Forest Day

***REGISTRATION FOR THIS ANCIENT FOREST DAY HIKE ON 7/12 IS FULL. ALL OF THE LIMITED SPOTS WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER UNDER THE EVENT PERMIT ARE FILLED. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT ONE OF THE OTHER HIKES THIS SUMMER!***

We are pleased to welcome Joan Maloof, forest ecologist, author, professor, and Founder of the Old Growth Forest Network, a national network of 300 protected old growth forests across 39 states and growing. Professor Maloof will lead us on a hike through Wickham Woods (currently under threat of logging) and the adjoining old growth forest Unique Area. Join us on this special opportunity to hear Ms. Maloof’s insights into the forest and this ecosystem the public is rallying to save. This hike continues the Summer-long celebration of Zoar Valley as part of the Art of Zoar Valley III exhibit at the Springville Center for the Arts. A selection of books Ms. Maloof has authored will be available at the Arts Center in the morning prior to the outing.

Pre-registration required. Please register below. 

Registered hikers meet at noon at the Hipcamp picnic area at 9654 Wickham Road in Otto where we’ll have a chat about the forest, have our sack lunches, and then begin the hike.

HIKE LEVEL: Moderate with a few strenuous slopes and ravines.

Sturdy footwear for an off-trail hike and long pants recommended. Hiking poles if desired. Please bring a sack lunch, water, and snacks, and anything that makes you comfortable in the woods – hat, insect repellent, etc.

Dr. Joan Maloof. Joan Maloof is a writer, an ecologist and a conservationist with a unique voice in today’s times. She has studied and worked with plants her entire life; her formal education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Plant Science, a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, and a Doctorate in Ecology. She is a Professor Emeritus at Salisbury University, where she taught Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies. Maloof has published numerous research articles in publications such as Ecology, American Journal of Botany, and the International Journal of Environmental Studies. Maloof’s books include Teaching the Trees (2005), Among the Ancients (2011), Nature’s Temples: the Complex World of Old-Growth Forests (2016), The Living Forest: A Visual Journey into the Heart of the Woods (2017), and Treepedia: A Brief Compendium of Arboreal Lore (2021).

 In addition to her research and writing, Maloof founded an organization with the goal of creating a network of protected forests across the U.S. That organization, the Old-Growth Forest Network, now has thousands of supporters. Maloof travels widely to educate others regarding the extent and condition of our forests and encourage their preservation.