Destination Thursday: Want to see Pennsylvania's original forest cover? Take a walk at Ander's Run
Old-growth white pine and hemlock are the most notable features of Ander's Run Natural Area. This 96-acre tract of land, which occupies the hollow of an Allegheny River tributary in Warren County, is located 6.0 miles west of Warren, Pa. Some trees on the property tower 120 feet above the forest floor and have trunk diameters exceeding 40 inches. Scientists and foresters estimate that the trees are about 170 years old and represent the best young stand of this forest type in western Pennsylvania.The only context in which a group of 17-decade-old trees can be called young is in reference to the slow but predictable order by which one group of tree species replaces another. Although familiarity with forest succession patterns will certainly add to a visitor's understanding of the natural area's uniqueness, such background knowledge is not a prerequisite for appreciating the beauty of Ander's Run. By following the 350-yard path that winds through the hollow, visitors can walk beneath the evergreen giants and sample the grandeur of Pennsylvania's original forest cover.
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