New 3,000-Acre Nature Preserve Coming to Appalachian Ohio

In northern Athens County and southern Morgan County, sandstone ridges rise above wooded land, and streams slip through shaded valleys. This stretch of Appalachian woodland feels endless and untouched, and now, nearly 3,000 acres of it will become officially protected land.

In one of the largest private land protection efforts by nonprofit organizations in Ohio’s history, the Athens Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy have announced the creation of Joy Valley Nature Preserve, a parcel of land that will remain permanently protected from human interference and alteration.

The project began with landowner Betty Lowe, who wanted to preserve the property that had been in her family for nearly a century.

“The land has been good to her and her family, and she wanted to give back,” says Brian Blair, a member of the Athens Conservancy board. “She wanted to allow that to continue for the local community … to enjoy the property and also [recognize] that it is an important, large area worthy of protection in its own right.”

The 2,973-acre preserve nearly doubles the acreage the Athens Conservancy oversees, and Blair says its sheer size makes it an exceptionally special achievement in Ohio.

“There’s not that many properties in Ohio that are of this size and that provide the opportunity to protect a large tract of forest,” he says. “There are a lot of species that need properties like this that aren’t broken up or divided up or have a lot of fragmentation in them.”

Joy Valley also sits within the Appalachian Corridor, one of the most biologically diverse and climate-resilient regions on the planet. More than 88% of the land is hardwood forest, including species like white oak, American beech, tulip poplar and hickory. The Lowe family themselves planted more than 300 acres of trees, including black walnut and both Virginia and white pines. Blair says there are more species of trees in the preserve than in all of Europe.

“The Appalachian hardwood forest region is globally important because of its incredible biodiversity, and it’s also climate resilient,” Blair says. “It’s a region that will be able to retain its character even in the face of climate change.”

The preserve provides a habitat for 26 warbler species, several bat populations and plants on Ohio’s watch list. It also protects sandstone ridges, headwater streams and vernal pools that fuel the ecosystem.

Federal Creek, which runs through the property, supports darters that depend on clean water. Salamanders and other amphibians thrive here too, thanks to the wetlands dotting the property.

“There’s a lot of water features out there that provide breeding pools for salamanders and reptiles, a lot of those have a fairly small home range, so when that gets disturbed, they lose their home, and they can’t come back,” Blair says.

The land won’t be fully open to the public right away. The Athens Conservancy has not set an opening date but plans to host a community celebration for Joy Valley in the future. Blair says to stay tuned for updates on the coming trails and interpretive features. Visitors are advised to hold off on visiting the preserve until those amenities are in place.

The plan is to offer hiking trails, interpretive signs and sustainable deer hunting, continuing a local tradition that residents have long enjoyed. The Athens Conservancy will manage day-to-day operations, while The Nature Conservancy will hold a permanent conservation easement, a legal guarantee that Joy Valley will never be developed.

Parts of the property were once mined for coal, leaving behind scars and ponds. Some are recovering on their own thanks to limestone-rich soil that neutralizes acid drainage. Others will need more help, and Blair sees opportunities for partnerships with Ohio University and Hocking College students to study restoration. Invasive species removal is going to be a top priority during these efforts, and the long-term goal is to allow Joy Valley to become an old growth forest.

Protecting nearly 3,000 acres of forestland at once is rare in Ohio, and the preserve sets a precedent for what conservation can look like in Appalachia. The gift of Joy Valley means the Athens Conservancy now carries the weight of stewarding land that will help shape the region’s future.

“We’re just really thrilled about the gift from Mrs. Lowe,” Blair says, “for the chance to protect this large area and also for the people of Ohio.”

For more information about the Athens Conservancy, visit athensconservancy.org. For more information about The Nature Conservancy in Ohio, visit nature.org/ohio.

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