Happy #WorldConservationDay from the Old Forest State Natural Area in the Heart of Memphis 🌳 Today, we’re bringing you a ~conservation~ fun fact about how trees serve the natural environment of a forest whether fallen or standing! Listen as Melissa McMasters explains the importance of downed trees in creating rich soil. 💡 Overton Park Conservancy works year in and year out to preserve the 126-acre natural paradise in the center of the city of Memphis. The Old Forest is a part of the homelands of the Quapaw and Chickasaw peoples. Though much of the original forest was cleared by the late 1800s, the Park was purchased in 1901 and has been preserved ever since. It is the only old-growth forest in the Southeast to be located in an urban environment. The natural area canopy is largely dominated by tulip poplar, eleven oak species, and five hickory species among many others. You can explore the Old Forest by walking, running, and/or biking the popular Old Forest Loop. Via overtonpark