Five areas of forested land at Winterthur were recently inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network.
Tree species in the five areas include white oak, red oak, American beech, tulip poplar, black gum, redbud, and flowering dogwood. The trees date between 100 and 300 years of age and are in Browns Woods (17 acres), Chandler Farm Woods (53 acres), Old Quarry Woods (44 acres), Duck Pond Woods (46 acres), and Negendank Farm Woods (12 acres). A tulip poplar in Chandler Farm Woods has been designated as a Penn Tree. Found in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, these trees were living when William Penn first visited Pennsylvania in 1682.
The forests at Winterthur are the homelands of the Lenape peoples who inhabited the region centuries before European settlers arrived. The du Pont family moved to Winterthur in 1839, and over four generations they left the woodlands largely untouched.
Winterthur is the fourth old-growth designation in Delaware and the second in New Castle County, joining more than 240 other forests in the national network of protected old-growth areas open to the public.
The Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN) connects people with nature by creating a national network of protected, mature, publicly accessible, native forests. Founded in 2012, OGFN recognizes exceptional forest advocates, educates about the ecological benefits of old-growth forests, and speaks out regarding immediate threats to specific ancient forests.
There are 10 miles of roads and 25 miles of paths and walking trails on the estate, many of which pass through woodlands, so try to find time to visit Winterthur and its trees this summer.