Old-Growth Forest Network Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager Brian Kane announced the inclusion of the mature forest and conveyed a commemoration to Andy Zadnik, senior director of land stewardship at the Conservancy, during a brief ceremony attended by Conservancy volunteers and staff.
During the event, attendees enjoyed a two-mile hike to view some of the property’s most mature trees on the Red Loop Trail that is part of the older-growth forest acres, now referred to as the Bear Run Legacy Forest, which consists of almost 600 acres across two areas of the preserve in Stewart Township and Springfield Township.
The Bear Run Legacy Forest is characterized as a mixed hardwood forest, with stands of eastern hemlock.
The landscape in the preserve had been used for agriculture, mining, logging and other activities through much of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The forest was logged at varying intensities, with the stream valleys being less impacted due to inaccessibility and the lower economic value of tree cover in those areas.
These valleys currently contain older-growth hemlock-tuliptree-birch forest surrounded by mature red oak-mixed oak forest, dry oak-mixed oak hardwood forest, and successional tuliptree forest.
The larger hemlock trees exceed 24 inches in diameter, with some greater than 34 inches.
In addition to large trees, the older sections of forest feature other characteristics that develop only after many decades of ecological processes, including large standing dead trees (snags); abundant downed deadwood, some of which have become “nurse logs” for other trees that regenerate well on decomposing wood; and openings in the canopy caused by storms and other natural disturbances.
The current delineated older-growth forest, referred to as the Bear Run Legacy Forest, consists of almost 600 acres across two areas.
The larger area (about 515 acres) follows the Bear Run valley into its headwaters and can be accessed from the Red and Orange trails.
The smaller area (about 76 acres) is within the lower Bear Run valley downstream of Fallingwater.
A portion of that smaller area can be viewed from the Black Trail, but another portion is accessible only from the Fallingwater grounds and requires an entrance fee.
Zadnik said, “Bear Run Nature Reserve is integral to biodiversity conservation in the Laurel Highlands and mid-Appalachian region. Inducting Bear Run as part of the Old-Growth Forest Network is an important affirmation of our intent to manage the forest to develop old-growth characteristics.”
The Old-Growth Forest Network connects people with nature by creating a national network of protected, mature, publicly accessible, native forests. OGFN intends to preserve at least one forest in every county in the U.S. that can sustain a forest.
OGFN works to identify forests for the OGFN, ensure their protection from logging, and inform people of the forest locations.
Founded in 2012, the OGFN contains over 345 forests in 40 states today.
Pennsylvania leads the Network in the quantity of forests in the OGFN, with Ohio following in close second. OGFN also educates the extraordinary ecological benefits of old-growth forests and speaks out regarding immediate threats to specific ancient forests.
Kane said, “The importance of the preservation of these rare forests cannot be overemphasized. As seen at Bear Run Nature Reserve, forests perform critical environmental services that benefit communities, such as carbon storage, wildlife habitat provision and stormwater retention. OGFN is grateful for the foresight and stewardship by the Conservancy of this extensive and diverse forest in order that residents and visitors will marvel at its old trees far into the future as they grow more mature and majestic."
The Bear Run Legacy Forest is the 44th forest in Pennsylvania to be inducted into the OGFN, which has over 345 forests in its continuously expanding network of protected, publicly accessible old-growth forests.
It is the second forest in Fayette County to be inducted into the OGFN, and the third owned and managed by the Conservancy.
Forests at Tryon-Weber Woods in Crawford County and Wolf Creek Narrows Natural Area in Butler County are part of the OGFN.
Bear Run Nature Reserve consists of more than 5,100 acres in the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania.
At Bear Run, more than 20 miles of trails allow visitors to explore the many forest types and natural communities across the preserve.
Visitors are encouraged to see portions of the Bear Run Legacy Forest by hiking two miles along the Red and Orange trails.
Visit the WPC’s Bear Run Nature Reserve webpage for more information.
Click here for the WPC announcement.
Visit the Old-Growth Forest Network - Pennsylvania Forests webpage for profiles of forests in the Network.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places.
A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped establish 11 state parks, conserved more than 290,000 acres of natural lands, protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, and assessed thousands of wildlife species and their habitats.
The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and symbolizes people living in harmony with nature.
In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 125 community gardens and other green spaces and thousands of trees that are planted with the help of more than 7,000 volunteers.
The work of the Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 10,000 members.
Related Articles This Week:
-- 600 Acres In Bear Run Nature Reserve In Fayette County Is Now Part Of The Old-Growth Forest Network [PaEN]
-- Central Pennsylvania Conservancy To Hold Special Fundraising Event Aug. 29 At The Cameron-Masland Mansion At Kings Gap State Park In Cumberland County [PaEN]
-- 2027 Penn State Extension Landowners Conference Sponsor, Exhibitor Opportunities - March 4-6, State College
NewsClips:
-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill Headwaters Assn. Receives $6.6 Million Federal Grant To Restore Coal Waste In North Manheim Twp
-- PennLive: Game Commission Expands State Lands Through Property Deals And Energy Agreements
-- TribLive: Westmoreland Land Trust Buys 23 Acres Along Heritage Trail, Expands Protected Habitat
[Posted: July 17, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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