The Cedars Preserve

UPDATE MAY 2021: This preserve is now closed to public access to allow the land time to rest and recover.

Sycamore Land Trust is closing The Cedars Preserve to public access beginning May 2021. This nature preserve has experienced a significant increase in visitation over the past year. Sensitive natural areas at this preserve have been adversely impacted by the increased number of hikers. Sycamore has decided to close the preserve to allow the land time to recover.

Over the past year we learned just how important Sycamore’s public nature preserves are to our community. They are sanctuaries not only for plants and wildlife we strive to protect, but also for us during difficult times. The staff at Sycamore was motivated by the deep gratitude many expressed to us for maintaining our public nature preserves. Now it is time to extend this gratitude to the plants and animals and landscapes that inspire us by giving the biotic community of plants and animals at the Cedars preserve time to rest.

The Cedars Preserve takes its name from the 20-acre stand of eastern red cedars dominating the hill at the center of the property. The large blocks of limestone visible from the trail on the neighboring private property and a small wooden shed are the last remnants of a limestone quarry that closed in the 1960s. Legend has it that an earlier quarry was active until the owner perished aboard the Titanic in 1912.

The limestone outcrops and soils here make the preserve a particularly good spot to enjoy early spring wildflowers, and walking fern can be found on the rocks. There are several sinkholes visible along the trail, due to the limestne bedrock that forms a karst topography.

Sycamore works to protect and improve the health of the forest at this nature preserve by controlling invasive plant species. Invasive bushes such as autumn olive, Asian bush honeysuckle, and Japanese barberry have mostly been found in the cedar stand. Garlic mustard and Japanese stiltgrass are being controlled along the trail to prevent their spread.

Directions

• This preserve is closed to public access. Please do not visit to allow the land time to rest.