The New River Gorge National Park & Preserve in West Virginia recently celebrated the addition of 12 acres into the old growth forest classification. This comes after an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in 2022 called for the inventory of old growth forests to protect ecosystems. The initial inventory stated that there were no acres of old growth forest in the eastern states.
West Virginia was once covered in old growth forests but most of it was destroyed by commercial logging in the 1900s. Currently, less than 1% of the state’s forest is considered old growth. However, there are still a few pockets where old growth forests have survived. These forests have never been cleared or harvested by humans and are characterized by large, mature trees.
Cathedral State Park, located in Preston County, is considered the largest old growth forest in West Virginia. It is a glimpse into what the state would have looked like without logging. The park has a hemlock forest with trees as tall as 90 feet and 21 feet in circumference.
Another old growth forest in West Virginia is the Gaudineer Scenic Area, located in the Monongahela National Forest. This 50-acre forest features both old growth and second growth red spruce, as well as other tree species such as yellow birch, beech, red maple, and sugar maple. Some of the trees in this area are estimated to be 300 years old.
Twin Falls Resort State Park, located in Wyoming County, provides a stark contrast between old-growth and second-growth forests. The park has three trails that give visitors access to the old growth forest.
In addition to these locations, there are several other old growth forests in West Virginia, including the Stone Cliff Old Growth, Bethany College Parkinson Forest, Pierson Hollow at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, Giant Tree Trail/Hollow at North Bend State Park, Wilderness Trail in Holly River State Park, Wilderness Area in Watoga State Park, Eastern Watershed Tracts of Kanawha State Forest, and the 1812 Lost Trail Hollow Forest at Beech Fork State Park.
While not officially listed as old-growth forests, there are also notable trees in West Virginia. For example, the oldest table mountain pine, over 280 years old, can be found on Pike Knob in Pendleton County, and there are white oaks in the Murphy Tract in Ritchie County that are over 400 years old. The Virgin Hemlock Trail near Coopers Rock State Forest has a grove of hemlocks estimated to be over 300 years old.
Despite the destruction of much of West Virginia’s old growth forests, these remaining pockets serve as valuable reminders of the state’s natural history and provide important habitats for wildlife.