Description
This program has sold out. To be placed on the wait list for Saturday’s program, please email adam@learnyourland.com
Join Adam Haritan for an Old-Growth Forest Ecology Outing at Cook Forest State Park in Pennsylvania.
This outing offers a unique in-person opportunity to learn the rich ecology and distinctive features of older forests. We’ll begin the day by walking through a mature upland hardwood forest and discussing forest ecology. In the afternoon, we will explore a magnificent old-growth conifer forest and discuss old-growth forest dynamics.
In addition to learning key characteristics of mature and old-growth forests, participants will learn tree identification techniques; mushroom ecology and identification; the influence of geology on forest development; ways to interpret forest history; the role of fire as an ecological agent; old-growth forest misconceptions; and much more.
This event will take place in Cook Forest State Park. Located in northwestern Pennsylvania, Cook Forest is home to one of the last remaining old-growth forests in the entire region, currently hosting 11 old-growth areas totaling over 2,300 acres. One of the areas within the park, the Forest Cathedral, contains arguably the finest concentration of old-growth trees in the northeastern United States. This remarkable area is home to dozens of old-growth eastern white pine and hemlock trees, many over 300 years old and towering above 140 feet in height.
This outing is the perfect opportunity to learn, explore, and connect with nature in a truly spectacular setting.
Interested? Here are the details:
When: Saturday, May 31, 2025 (This is the same program that will be offered on June 1; choose one date.)
Where: Cook Forest State Park, Pennsylvania (exact meeting location will be emailed to participants)
Time: 10:00 am — 4:00 pm, with break for lunch (not provided)
Investment: $85
The program is geared toward adults and will entail moderate hiking (2-3 miles throughout the day). To maximize your learning experience, space is limited and registration with payment in advance is required to secure your spot.
This event is rain or shine.
Refund policy: Full refund is available (minus 3% processing fees) for cancellations received no later than 7 days before the program’s scheduled start. If a participant withdraws from this program within 7 days of the program start date, course payment will not be refunded, but instead can be applied to a future in-person Learn Your Land program within 6 months of the original program date. If Learn Your Land must cancel this program due to instructor illness or injury, or a death or sickness in the instructor’s immediate family, all payments will be refunded in full.
Lodging options: If you plan to spend the night, several options are available. Camping is permitted in Cook Forest State Park at the Ridge Campground. Cabins can be booked through Cook Forest State Park or through several private entities. For hotel options, the nearest towns are Clarion (15.5 miles away) and Brookville (18.3 miles away).
