Scioto Trail

Scioto Trail. . , The woods you are about to enter reflects the natural history of Ohio as well as its grandeur. Yet its present state is a mere shadow of the primeval forest which was once part of the largest decidu- ous woodland on earth., The assemblage of plants which comprises the present forests has changed and evolved through time. Approximately 12,000 years ago, glacial ice still lay in the northern reaches of the state. The climate was cooler and wetter and spruce forests thrived at the glacier's margins. As the ice withdrew and the climate warmed, these boreal forests were not able to compete with the faster growing hardwood trees. The northern species retreated to Canada with only isolated pockets remaining in damp cool gorges., The climate continued a gradual warming trend until about 7,000 years ago when temperatures averaged several degrees warmer than present. The grasslands of the Great Plains spread eastward and patches of prairie appeared in the state. Islands of giant bur oak trees swam in thousands of acres of open land., As the climate moderated, the deciduous forest encroached upon the prairies. Only small remnants were left as the first frontiersman pushed west into Ohio., Those who saw the magnificient virgin forest reported that a squirrel could climb into a tree in Pennsylvania and travel all the way to Indiana without ever coming down to the ground. The boles of the ancient trees stood as sentinels across the forest floor darkened by a spreading canopy that blotted out the sun. So little grew in the understory the wary deer could spot a hunting Shawnee a good distance away. Broad streams provided for but a single silver streak of sky, yet they alone allowed a bit of sunshine to touch the rich earth. Giants not rivaled by today's record trees crowded every hillside and reached for the clouds on the flat western plains., The early settlers regarded this forest as a somewhat dismal place. They were accustomed to and sought the bright sunny fields of their homelands and they needed fields for crops and logs for cabins. The trees, therefore, began to fall beneath the axe. By 1900, the once expansive forest was reduced to less woodland than we see today., Areas such as this included in the park have regained mature forest status. The trees are not nearly as large and the understory more crowded, but it again echoes the voice of the woodthrush and renews life each spring with a flourish of wildflowers., If left to its own devices, mature does not always create a forest as an end product to years of succession. What plant species thrive, replace others, die out, or grow to maturity are determined by a number of factors. Climate, terrain and soil types all play a role in the development of a pattern which will eventually lead to a stable, little changing community, whether it be jee woodland, bog or prairie. Different conditions even lead to various forest types such as oak-hickory or beech-maple., Remember the heritage of our woodlands as you follow these trails.