Ridley Creek State Park Added To National Old-Growth Forest Network

MEDIA, PA — Delaware County’s Ridley Creek State Park last week was inducted into a national network of old-growth forests.

On Friday, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources State Parks Director John Hallas celebrated the induction of Delaware County’s Ridley Creek State Park into the national Old-Growth Forest Network.

The network is an organization that connects people with nature by creating a national network of protected, mature, and publicly accessible native forests.

Ridley Creek’s woodlands are the 32nd forest in Pennsylvania to join the network, as it works to preserve at least one forest in every county in the U.S. that can sustain a forest.

The network’s mission is to identify forests, ensure their protection from logging, and inform people of the forest locations.

"Ridley Creek’s induction into the Old-Growth Forest Network underscores the importance of protecting areas of scenic, historic and ecological significance, whether or not these areas are in a traditional forest setting," Hallas said. "Designations like these, especially in a park with this much natural history, show the importance of maintaining public spaces that provide educational and recreational access. I am hopeful that visitors from all over, especially those in nearby Philadelphia looking for a quick getaway, are able to visit this old-growth forest and experience all that Ridley Creek has to offer."

Ridley Creek State Park occupies more than 2,600 acres in Delaware County. The park contains some of the largest trees in this part of Pennsylvania, including American beech and black gum that are likely to be the largest of their species in the northeastern United States. Other species present include black walnut, and many hickory species, including mockernut, pignut, and shagbark. Several of the hickories are the largest recorded to date in Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania leads the nation in the quantity of protected old-growth forests inducted into the Network," Brian Kane, Mid-Atlantic Manager of the Old-Growth Forest Network, said. "With 32 Pennsylvania forests, the Commonwealth shows a continued commitment to the preservation of old-growth forests and belief in their values. Many people will be able to come and visit this remarkable forest, and appreciate its maturity and its role in a healthy regional ecology. We could not grow the old-growth network without our volunteers who assist us in our work, and help us to document the forest's qualities. Environmental Education Specialist Gary Stolz did the groundwork for this nomination, and for his ongoing efforts and institutional knowledge, we are very grateful."

The gently rolling terrain of the park is bisected by Ridley Creek and is only 16 miles from center city Philadelphia, making it a destination for visitors looking to experience its peaceful pastures. Prior to European settlement, the state park lands were the homelands of the Lenni-Lenape peoples.

The park is home to Sycamore Mills, and includes a miller's house, office, library, and several small mill workers’ dwellings. The park office is in the Hunting Hill Mansion, built in 1915. The mansion was built around a 1789 Pennsylvania stone farmhouse that forms the core of the building and serves as the reception center.

All forests are important to a healthy ecosystem, however, old-growth forests are especially important because of their unique structure. Old-growth forests retain more carbon and nitrogen than in forests of other age classes, and are superior for improving water and air quality.