Old Forest Arboretum of Overton Park
Encyclopedia
The Old Forest Arboretum of Overton Park (172 acres) is a forest tract and natural
arboretum
located in Overton Park
, Memphis, Tennessee
. It is open to the public daily without charge. The forest was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979 as part of the Overton Park Historic District. Tree identification began in 1997, with some 70 tree species identified by 2002 when it was certified as an arboretum.
Today the arboretum contains walking trails with 49 tree markers identifying 32 species. Approximately three-fourths of the Arboretum was designated as the Old Forest State Natural Area in 2011.
. 172 acre (0.69605992 km²) of its original climax
oak
-hickory
cover was preserved as the Old Forest.
In 1912, the area was described as follows:
Plant taxonomist Dr. Tom Heineke was hired by Memphis to inventory the Old Forest during 2008 and 2009.
Large trees measured for possible inclusion as Tennessee Champion Trees included a 27 inches (685.8 mm) (DBH
) black cherry
, a 46-inch southern red oak
, a 62-inch shumard oak
, and 9-inch pawpaw
. A total of 332 flowering plant species were recorded in 85 families; three-quarters of the species were native. Heineke's management recommendation was removal of evergreen
exotic species, such as Chinese privet
and pin cherry, which are severely competing with native vegetation.
signed the Old Forest State Natural Area bill into law, designating 126 of the Arboretum's 172 acres as Tennessee’s 82nd State Natural Area. The Natural Areas Program is run by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
, while the natural areas themselves are often not TDEC property and are generally managed through cooperative agreements with other agencies and organizations. The bill creating the State Natural Area originally designated 142 acres for protection. To ease opposition from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton
and Memphis Zoo
officials, 14 acres of forest adjacent to the zoo were removed from the protective area.
from the rest of Overton Park. A grassroots organization, the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park
, rallied to protect the forest. In Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
the United States Supreme Court
finally saved the Old Forest from highway construction plans in 1971. In 1987, the Tennessee Department of Transportation deeded the 26-acre corridor back to the City of Memphis.
In 2008, the Memphis Zoo clearcut 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) to make way for a new exhibit, Teton Trek. The destruction sparked the revival of CPOP to prevent further expansion of the zoo into the Old Forest.
Natural
Natural is an adjective that refers to Nature.Natural may refer too:In science and mathematics:* Natural transformation, category theory in mathematics* Natural foods...
arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
located in Overton Park
Overton Park
Overton Park is a large, public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Zoo, a 9-hole golf course, Memphis College of Art, Rainbow Lake, Veterans Plaza, Greensward, and other features...
, Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. It is open to the public daily without charge. The forest was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979 as part of the Overton Park Historic District. Tree identification began in 1997, with some 70 tree species identified by 2002 when it was certified as an arboretum.
Today the arboretum contains walking trails with 49 tree markers identifying 32 species. Approximately three-fourths of the Arboretum was designated as the Old Forest State Natural Area in 2011.
History
Conservation of the Old Forest began in 1901, when Overton Park was created when the 342 acres (1.4 km²) Lea Woods was purchased by the city of MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. 172 acre (0.69605992 km²) of its original climax
Climax vegetation
Climax vegetation is the vegetation which establishes itself on a given site for given climatic conditions in the absence of anthropic action after a long time ....
oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
-hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
cover was preserved as the Old Forest.
In 1912, the area was described as follows:
Plant taxonomist Dr. Tom Heineke was hired by Memphis to inventory the Old Forest during 2008 and 2009.
Large trees measured for possible inclusion as Tennessee Champion Trees included a 27 inches (685.8 mm) (DBH
Diameter at breast height
Diameter at breast height, or DBH, is a standard method of expressing the diameter of the trunk or bole of a standing tree. DBH is one of the most common dendrometric measurements....
) black cherry
Black Cherry
Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a woody plant species belonging to the genus Prunus...
, a 46-inch southern red oak
Southern Red Oak
Quercus falcata, commonly known as the Southern Red Oak or Spanish Oak, is a tree in the red oak section of the genus Quercus native to the southeastern United States.-Range:...
, a 62-inch shumard oak
Shumard Oak
Quercus shumardii, the Shumard Oak, Spotted Oak, Schneck Oak, Shumard Red Oak, or Swamp Red Oak, is one of the largest of the oak species in the red oak group...
, and 9-inch pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Asimina triloba, the pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw, or common pawpaw, is a species of Asimina in the same plant family as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop...
. A total of 332 flowering plant species were recorded in 85 families; three-quarters of the species were native. Heineke's management recommendation was removal of evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
exotic species, such as Chinese privet
Chinese Privet
Ligustrum sinense , in Mandarin; 杻 is a species of privet, native to China, Taiwan and Vietnam....
and pin cherry, which are severely competing with native vegetation.
Tennessee State Natural Area status
On June 8, 2011, Governor Bill HaslamBill Haslam
William Edward "Bill" Haslam is the 49th and current Governor of Tennessee. A member of the Republican Party, Haslam was elected to office in 2010...
signed the Old Forest State Natural Area bill into law, designating 126 of the Arboretum's 172 acres as Tennessee’s 82nd State Natural Area. The Natural Areas Program is run by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is a Cabinet-level agency within the government of the U.S. state of Tennessee, headed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Environment and Conservation....
, while the natural areas themselves are often not TDEC property and are generally managed through cooperative agreements with other agencies and organizations. The bill creating the State Natural Area originally designated 142 acres for protection. To ease opposition from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton
A C Wharton
A C Wharton, Jr. is a Tennessee Democratic politician who is the mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. Previously, he served as mayor of Shelby County, the first African-American to serve in that office.-Early life, education, and early career :...
and Memphis Zoo
Memphis Zoo
The Memphis Zoo, located in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee, is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. Created in April 1906, the zoo has been a major tenant of Overton Park for more than 100 years. The land currently designated to the Memphis Zoo was defined by the...
officials, 14 acres of forest adjacent to the zoo were removed from the protective area.
Environmental threats
During the development of US Interstate 40 through Memphis in the 1960s, 26 acres of the Old Forest were slated to be destroyed to make way for the new highway, which would have also severed the Memphis ZooMemphis Zoo
The Memphis Zoo, located in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee, is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. Created in April 1906, the zoo has been a major tenant of Overton Park for more than 100 years. The land currently designated to the Memphis Zoo was defined by the...
from the rest of Overton Park. A grassroots organization, the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park
Citizens to Preserve Overton Park
Citizens to Preserve Overton Park is a nonprofit advocacy group founded in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1957. CPOP is best known for its success at preventing the extension of Interstate 40 through Overton Park adjacent to the Memphis Zoo, through the landmark 1971 Supreme Court case Citizens to...
, rallied to protect the forest. In Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe, 401 U.S. 402 , is a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that established the basic legal framework for judicial review of the actions of administrative agencies...
the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
finally saved the Old Forest from highway construction plans in 1971. In 1987, the Tennessee Department of Transportation deeded the 26-acre corridor back to the City of Memphis.
In 2008, the Memphis Zoo clearcut 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) to make way for a new exhibit, Teton Trek. The destruction sparked the revival of CPOP to prevent further expansion of the zoo into the Old Forest.