Strouds Ridge Preserve System
| Strouds Ridge Preserve System at a Glance | |
| Date established: | Purchases made in 2003, 2004, 2011, and 2013 using Clean Ohio Conservation Fund |
| Acreage (total): | 412 acres (169 hectares) |
| Miles of trails: | About 18, including portions of adjacent Strouds Run State Park, open to hikers and bicyclists |
| Hunting: | Gun hunting allowed east of the powerlines by Townsend Drive, except for the Hope Drive tract |
| Adjacent Natural Areas: |
Strouds Run State Park Blair Preserve Tucker Run Preserve Baker Preserve Wayne National Forest East State Street Park |
The Strouds Ridge Preserve System comprises a series of preserve properties that are located between East State Street and Strouds Run Road, east of US-33 and west of Dow Lake, including Sells Park. The purpose of this preserve system is to protect high-quality older forest in Strouds Run State Park and in Hawk Woods; to provide for trail corridor in order to connect Sells Park with the state park and to provide for expanded outdoor recreation, to expand the protected wildland area, and to preserve the scenic backdrop (viewshed) for the City of Athens.
This preserve was begun in 2002 by a collaboration between the City of Athens and the Athens Conservancy. The preserve includes Hawk Woods, known as one of the most significant old-growth forests in Ohio. This tract of lands is believed not to have been materially disturbed in 150 years, and suffered minimal disturbance before that time. The trees are generally not immense in diameter, but are very impressive in height, particularly in the clear trunk length, which often translates into four sawlogs (which equals 64 feet of clear trunk before the first branch).
The preserve system also includes several other components. A complete list is below.
- Sells Park
- 22 acres, donated by Edward & Laura Sells to the US Government in 1939, ceded to City of Athens in 1979
- Riddle State Nature Preserve
- 106 acres, owned by City of Athens
- Children's Home Tract
- 20 acres, unofficially part of the system, owned by Athens County
- Strouds Ridge Preserve, COAD Tract
- 78.45 acres, owned by City of Athens
- Strouds Ridge Preserve, Hope Drive Tract
- 88 acres, owned by City of Athens
- Strouds Ridge Preserve, Bean Tract
- 22.7 acres, owned by Athens County
- Blair Preserve
- 75 acres, owned by Athens Conservancy
