An unusual 400-acre parcel tucked away in Ripley County was brought into public ownership in 2009, thanks in part to $182,875 in funding from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, made possible through the Stream Stewardship Trust Fund.
The new area, which will be an addition to Little Black Conservation Area, supports high quality dry sandstone woodland, mesic bottomland forest, and fen natural communities. In addition, a portion of the North Prong of the Little Black River flows through the area. Stretches of the river are hemmed by giant cane stands with abundant evidence of swamp rabbits. A survey of the caves on the property resulted in discovery of a grey bat maternity and/or transient colony.
As local Missouri Department of Conservation staff members, led by forester Steve Paes, have inventoried the property, they have called in specialists to evaluate particularly unique resources. Dr. Jim Price, archeologist with the National Park Service, was contacted by Paes to investigate timbers that Steve located in the creek on the property. Dr. Price identified the timbers as belonging to a pre-Civil war sawmill—he indicated that this site is very significant historically as there are so few identified in the Ozarks.
Initial inventory of the property for acquisition and ongoing work by staff indicated a 15-acre stand with numbers of very large, old trees. Experts Dr. Michael Stambaugh, Dr. Richard Guyette, and Dr. Rose-Marie Muzika were contacted to help evaluate this unusual stand. The researchers visited the property and collected cores from various tree species to assess stand age and growth characteristics. There were about 60 to 100 dominant white oaks in the 200+ year age class. The oldest individuals noted were white oaks, with the oldest individual being at least 375 years old—representing the oldest white oaks known in Missouri. Staff has no doubt that unique features and species will continue to be discovered on this addition to the Little Black CA well into the future.
