Todd Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Todd Nature Reserve is a 334 acres (135.2 ha) nature reserve owned and operated by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
. It is located in Buffalo Township
, Butler County
, Pennsylvania
; approximately thirty miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and five miles (8 km) north of Freeport
. The original portion of the reserve was donated by noted ornithologist W.E. Clyde Todd, who made his first significant birding discoveries on the land while visiting his grandfather at the end of the nineteenth century. Todd went on to become the Curator of Birds at the Carnegie Museum, where he remained for most of his adult life.
The nature reserve began in 1942 with Todd's donation and has since been expanded. The most recent expansion included purchase of 42 acres (17 ha) which is planned to contain a trail named after the previous landowners. Todd Nature Reserve is the oldest in Western Pennsylvania
, and one of the oldest reserves in the state.
Over 180 species of birds have been found on the site, which provides important habitat for the Pileated Woodpecker
, Scarlet Tanager
, and Kentucky Warbler
. It has been featured in American Birds magazine (now North American Birds) as the location of several breeding bird censuses in the 1970s, and was the subject of peer-reviewed research on the effect of trails on bird breeding habits in 2000–01.
Today, there are 5 miles (8 km) of trails, three streams (Watson's, Nixon's, and Hesselgesser Runs), and a man-made pond. The 1 miles (1.6 km) Loop Trail runs around the circumference of the reserve with shorter trails bisecting it. The Ravine Trail is the most difficult trail on the reserve, and includes several small stream crossings.
The nature reserve is open year-round, dawn to dusk, except during the Pennsylvania Deer Hunting Season. The nature reserve has been left in a fairly natural state; while trails are not steep or particularly rocky, they are not suitable for those with strollers or special needs. No dogs are permitted.
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania incorporated in 1942, with a history dating back to 1916, is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve...
. It is located in Buffalo Township
Buffalo Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Buffalo Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,827 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
, Butler County
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
; approximately thirty miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and five miles (8 km) north of Freeport
Freeport, Pennsylvania
Freeport is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States; it is situated along the Allegheny River in the southwest corner of the county. The population was 1,962 at the 2000 Census. Freeport received its name from David Todd, who declared it to be a free-port where no man would be...
. The original portion of the reserve was donated by noted ornithologist W.E. Clyde Todd, who made his first significant birding discoveries on the land while visiting his grandfather at the end of the nineteenth century. Todd went on to become the Curator of Birds at the Carnegie Museum, where he remained for most of his adult life.
The nature reserve began in 1942 with Todd's donation and has since been expanded. The most recent expansion included purchase of 42 acres (17 ha) which is planned to contain a trail named after the previous landowners. Todd Nature Reserve is the oldest in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, and one of the oldest reserves in the state.
Over 180 species of birds have been found on the site, which provides important habitat for the Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
, Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family . The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.-Description:Adults have pale...
, and Kentucky Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
The Kentucky Warbler, Oporornis formosus, is a small species of New World warbler. The Kentucky Warbler, like all members of the genus Oporornis, is a sluggish and heavy warbler with a short tail, preferring to spend most of its time on or near the ground, except when singing.Adult Kentucky...
. It has been featured in American Birds magazine (now North American Birds) as the location of several breeding bird censuses in the 1970s, and was the subject of peer-reviewed research on the effect of trails on bird breeding habits in 2000–01.
Today, there are 5 miles (8 km) of trails, three streams (Watson's, Nixon's, and Hesselgesser Runs), and a man-made pond. The 1 miles (1.6 km) Loop Trail runs around the circumference of the reserve with shorter trails bisecting it. The Ravine Trail is the most difficult trail on the reserve, and includes several small stream crossings.
The nature reserve is open year-round, dawn to dusk, except during the Pennsylvania Deer Hunting Season. The nature reserve has been left in a fairly natural state; while trails are not steep or particularly rocky, they are not suitable for those with strollers or special needs. No dogs are permitted.