While most Rochester-area forests are of recent origin—having developed on abandoned farmland over the past fifty years—two nearby woodlands are much older.  Based on historical photographs and the stature of trees growing on site, we estimate these woodlands to be at least 150 years old.  The mature woodlands are located (1) west of the Whipple Park apartments, on property owned by the University of Rochester; and (2) ~1 km south of the Whipple Park apartments, on the far side of Crittenden Road, on property owned by Brighton (the “Lynch Woods”).  Each of the mature woodlands is approximately 15 acres in size, and imbedded in a matrix of younger second growth forest.  The young forest buffers the old woodlands from human disturbance and provides corridors for wildlife dispersal.  The vast majority of young forest on both sides of Crittenden Road is owned by the University of Rochester.

The biodiversity of the UR woodlands is remarkable.  In recent surveys, the Ramsey lab has documented the occurrence >40 tree and shrub species, including several taxa that are uncommon or rare in urban areas of New York (American chestnut, Freeman’s maple, black cherry).  The forest understory has a rich community of native herbs (mayapple, Jack-in-the-pulpit, trillium, baneberry, meadowrue, Indian pipe, Canada mayflower) and ferns (sensitive, cinnamon, royal).  The woodlands have numerous large trees, with some red oak and tuliptrees achieving diameters of >3 feet and heights of >100 feet.  Vernal pools form in shallow depressions through much of the woodlands, providing breeding sites for amphibians.  Among terrestrial vertebrates, we have observed white-tailed deer, red foxes, raccoons, tree squirrels, flying squirrels, muskrats, chipmunks, mice and voles.  More than 90 bird species have been observed in the woodlands, including eleven warbler species, five thrushes, seven woodpeckers and seven sparrows.

Despite their ecological diversity, the UR woodlands face numerous environmental threats related to anthropogenic disturbance and invasive organisms.  For example, the south campus is crisscrossed by small paths developed by hikers and bike-riders.  This impromtu network is difficult to navigate and causes unnecessary trampling of ecologically-sensitive wetlands and wildflower communities.  Several areas are heavily impacted by invasive plants, including oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus, Celastraceae), honeysuckle (Lonicera sp., Caprifoliaceae), buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica, Rhamnaceae), and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata, Brassicaceae).  Moreover, development of additional university buildings on parts of the south campus is inevitable.

The Ramsey lab is working with the University of Rochester, the Town of Brighton, and student conservation groups to characterize the ecology of the woodlands and preserve this natural resource for future generations.  If you are interested in participating in these efforts, please contact us.  You can learn more about the University of Rochester woodlands by clicking on the web links on the left margin of this page.

Aerial photography of UR woodlands near Whipple Park, distinguishing mature forest (~15 acres, circumscribed by blue lines) vs. second growth forest (~50 acres, circumscribed by green lines).  (a) 1930.  Most of the landscape was farmland but two areas were left forested. (b) 1961.  The original woodlands are intact and are spreading into surrounding fields.  A large pond has formed at the south end of the old woodland.  (c) 1988.  Old farmland has become secondary growth forest.  (d) 2005.  The current day Whipple Park forest is comprised of core regions of old woodland (~150 years old) surrounded by young secondary growth woodland (~50 years old).

Aerial photography of woodlands south of Crittenden Road, distinguishing mature forest (~15 acres, circumscribed by blue lines) vs. “new” forest (~60 acres, circumscribed by green lines).  (a) 1930.  Most land in the region was farmland but two areas were left forested.  (b) 1961.  The original woodlands are intact and spreading into surrounding fields.  (c) 1988.  The original woodlands are intact but some clearing of young second forest has occurred  (d) 2005.  The current day Crittenden forest is comprised of two core regions of old woodland (~150 years old, and owned by the Town of Brighton) surrounded by young secondary growth woodland (~25-75 years old, and owned principally by the University of Rochester).

Photographs of UR woodlands.  (a) Adam Green and Rob Laport pose next to an American Chestnut.  Once a dominant tree of eastern North America, the chestnut was largely extirpated by an introduced fungus.  (b) Adam and Rob pose next to a Red Oak.  Some trees in the woodlands are large, sometimes exceeding 3 feet in diameter and 100 feet in height.  (c) Undergraduates Margaret Ball and Alison Ossip-Klein measure the size of a Tuliptree, a popular lumber species that is now uncommon in urban forests.  (d) Undergraduates Stephanie Santell and Tom Brekke comparing tree diversity in old vs. new woodlands near Whipple Park.

Overview of the UR woodlands

Aerial photographs were obtained from the Geographic Information Systems department of Monroe Co.  Student photographs were taken by Justin and Tara Ramsey.