If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind the fence that runs along the paved Old Forest trail, you’ll soon have the opportunity to see for yourself! Thanks to the Conservancy’s partnership with the Memphis Zoo, the boundary fence that’s kept over a dozen forested acres separate
This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week, so it’s a perfect time for Overton Park Conservancy to host a visiting AmeriCorps crew to tackle some of the aggressive invasive plant species in the Old Forest. For the past few weeks, an eight-person team from
A good rule of thumb: if something is green right now in the Old Forest, it’s probably an invasive species. Another good rule of thumb: it’s a good time of year to work on controlling those invasive species, because the native plants are dormant or
Congratulations to our Rhodes College Urban Forestry Fellows Helen Hope, Ethan Williford, and Mac Wilson, who won first place for their research poster about regeneration dynamics in the Old Forest. They received the honor at the International Society of Arboriculture – Southern Chapter conference in
The Old Forest is home to dozens of resident bird species, like the familiar Northern cardinal, American robin, and blue jay. But what about all the less-common birds that live here year-round, or the colorful warblers that pass through only during migration season? How do
As we wrap up fundraising for our latest ioby-assisted project (new crosswalks at Poplar and Tucker), we’re excited to announce the completion of last year’s work: new trail markers and interpretive content for the Old Forest State Natural Area. Markers for the main Old Forest
While hundreds of park visitors converged on the Greensward in search of Pokémon, last week the Conservancy staff had an opportunity to see creatures that most park visitors will never encounter: copperhead snakes. University of Memphis graduate researcher Malle Carrasco-Harris let us tag along as she checked in
For a long time, the Old Forest has felt like one of Memphis’ best-kept secrets: a place to immerse yourself in nature, teach your kids how to ride their bikes, or enter a race supporting your favorite cause. But as more and more people flock
It’s that time of year again. You’re strolling through the Old Forest, taking in the beautiful spring colors and sounds, and becoming enchanted by a different wildflower around every corner. You stop and look at a stunning golden flower, and think to yourself, “I wonder
In our previous blog post, we told you how students from Rhodes College are studying the Old Forest through examining what’s at the heart of its full-grown (or dead) trees. But there’s a lot to be learned from trees at a much younger life stage,
