Dysart Woods
Encyclopedia
Dysart Woods is the largest remaining tract of old growth forest
in southeastern Ohio
. It is located in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
in Belmont County
almost five miles (8 km) from the village of Belmont
on Ohio State Route 147
.
eventually acquired the land and a formal dedication was held 1968-05-25
. White Oak
, Red Oak and Tulip Poplar trees are a few of the seventeen species recorded in the woods. Several of the trees are 300-400 years old and several range over 4 feet (1.2 m) in diameter.
The woods contain two foot trails (marked red and blue) which wind through the woods. The trails are lightly marked and are the only sign of human interference, although nothing is deeply disturbed so as to allow nature to take its course.
The farmhouse located at the entrance of the woods was once the homestead of the Dysarts. When Ohio University took over the woods, the farmhouse was converted into a stopping point for visitors and students alike.
There has been controversy over plans for underground coal mining
by Ohio Valley Coal Company for several years . On March 5, 2007 the Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals
ruled in favor of the OVCC to allow mining under and adjacent to Dysart Woods .
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
in southeastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. It is located in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
The Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau is located in an arc around southeastern Ohio into western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. This area is a dissected plateau, characterized by sandstone, shale, and many coal seams...
in Belmont County
Belmont County, Ohio
Belmont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 70,400. Its county seat is St. Clairsville...
almost five miles (8 km) from the village of Belmont
Belmont, Ohio
Belmont is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 532 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Belmont is located at ....
on Ohio State Route 147
Ohio State Route 147
State Route 147 is an east-west state highway in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its eastern terminus is at State Route 7 near Bellaire, with its western terminus at SR 78 in Noble County, Ohio. The highway passes through Senecaville Lake before ending at its interchange with SR 78....
.
History
The tract currently known as Dysart Woods was once part of a 455 acres (1.8 km²) plot owned by Orin B. Dysart. Upon his death the property passed to his nieces, Gladys Dysart McGaughy and Margaret Dysart. The nieces held the land for years, rejecting attractive offers from lumber companies and coal companies to eventually sell the land to the Nature Conservancy for a much smaller sum. Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
eventually acquired the land and a formal dedication was held 1968-05-25
The Woods
The area is currently an outdoor laboratory run by Ohio University. The property is also listed as a National Natural LandmarkNational Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
. White Oak
White Oak
White Oak may refer to:* Quercus alba, a species commonly known as the White Oak* any of various trees from the botanical section Quercus within the list of Quercus species* a 1921 silent western written/produced by and starring William S...
, Red Oak and Tulip Poplar trees are a few of the seventeen species recorded in the woods. Several of the trees are 300-400 years old and several range over 4 feet (1.2 m) in diameter.
The woods contain two foot trails (marked red and blue) which wind through the woods. The trails are lightly marked and are the only sign of human interference, although nothing is deeply disturbed so as to allow nature to take its course.
The farmhouse located at the entrance of the woods was once the homestead of the Dysarts. When Ohio University took over the woods, the farmhouse was converted into a stopping point for visitors and students alike.
There has been controversy over plans for underground coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
by Ohio Valley Coal Company for several years . On March 5, 2007 the Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals
Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals
The Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals is one of the 12 Ohio District Courts of Appeal, the state intermediate appellate courts of Ohio. It has jurisdiction over eight counties: Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson, Mahoning, Monroe, and Noble.When a lower court in one of those...
ruled in favor of the OVCC to allow mining under and adjacent to Dysart Woods .