Keystone Ancient Forest To Be Inducted Into Old-Growth Forest Network

The Keystone Ancient Forest in Sand Springs is gaining national recognition that is the first of its kind in Oklahoma.

The forest is being formally inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network Thursday.

The Keystone Ancient Forest, which is Sand Springs' slice of Osage County, showcases the Cross Timbers forest community. It's a beautiful space and for the most part, it’s untouched, with 500-year-old cedars, 300-year-old post oak trees and hiking trails.

The forest has a conservation easement, which means it is protected from development.

“It’s very special to Sand Springs because it’s unlike any other property in the state of Oklahoma where you have a municipally-operated piece of property in the parks system with a conservation value,” said Sands Springs Parks & Rec Director Jeff Edwards.

It caught the attention of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which aims to ensure forests are protected from logging. OGFN also works to connect people with nature by creating a network of protected, mature, publicly accessible, native forests. Its is goal is to preserve at least one forest in every county in the U.S. that can sustain a forest.

The Keystone Ancient Forest is the first to be recognized in Oklahoma.

"We are so excited to have Oklahoma now included in our Network with the dedication of the Keystone Ancient Forest featuring the ancient Cross Timbers at the heart of the country,” said OGFN manager Dr. Sarah Horsley. “We look forward to finding more ancient forests throughout Oklahoma to celebrate and protect. We depend on a volunteer in each county to help us identify candidate forests.”

Edwards said people from all over the world come to Sand Springs to visit the forest. He believes the national recognition from OGFN will foster even more interest.

"It's telling a story about the history of Oklahoma, the landscape here and some of the documentation in some of the storybooks that's been written. It's a special place," said Edwards.

The dedication ceremony is set for 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning at the Keystone Ancient Forest where the OGFN will present the City of Sand Springs with a plaque. The ceremony will be followed by a hike to check out some of the old-growth areas.

The Keystone Ancient Forest is open to the public Thursday through Sunday. Its operating hours are posted online.