Black Rock Forest

Black Rock Forest is in the western Hudson Highlands in Orange County, New York. It is a privately owned 3,830 nature preserve. A large part of the forest is in Cornwall. It is being managed by the Black Rock Forest Consortium for scientific, educational and recreational purposes.

Black Rock Forest was first established in 1928 by one of the local residents. Until 1989, it was under

the ownership of Harvard University. When the Consortium took over, a lot of developments were made in the area. Sustainable, environment-friendly buildings were constructed in the forest, and they housed classrooms, laboratories and guest facilities. These improvements have been very helpful in advancing research in Black Rock Forest.

The land is rich with biological resources. Botanists have found many distinct communities of plants

in Black Rock Forest including 60 species of trees including red oaks, maple, chestnut, beech, alder, sweetgum, basswood, black birch and hickory. The forest is also home to swollen bladderoot and the Virginia snakeroot, which are very rare and endangered species of vascular plants.

Animal life also abounds in the Forest. Like most woodlands in the Eastern United States, the most abundant mammal in Black Forest Rock is the white-tailed deer. Other animals include foxes, skunks, raccoons, chipmunks, voles and squirrels.

New York Pictures 2009