Conservation
We stay true to nature’s ways.
We’re home to over 3,500 acres, approximately 3,100 of which are classified as natural areas.
Holden’s natural areas offer an opportunity to better understand how humans and ecosystems can benefit each other. Across the Arboretum’s natural areas, we evaluate ecological conditions and apply adaptive management methods to improve ecosystem integrity including native biodiversity, wildlife habitat, water quality, and resilience.
Our Goals
Conserve – conserve biodiversity and ecosystem integrity
Understand – understand how humans and ecosystems benefit each other
Inspire – inspire regional change in tree conservation and ecosystem stewardship
Our Ecosystems
Woodland
Meadow
Wetlands, streams, rivers, ponds and lakes
2,703 acres, or 77% of arboretum land is forested, ranging from old growth to regenerating agricultural sites.
Monitoring: Regular forest health monitoring helps with management and preservation of our forests.
Management: Forest management, including invasive removal, thinning, and edge feathering of forests improves their wildlife habitat, health, and resilience to pests, disease, and climate change. Holden scientists, along with researchers from Cleveland State University, research how these management practices promote forest biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Pests: Over 250 acres of hemlock stands are protected from pests through our treatment program and work with neighbors.
Disease: Beech leaf disease has been monitored and researched at Holden since its discovery in Lake County in 2012. Our work helps understand the progression of the disease, future work will help manage ecosystems with beech loss.
Demonstration: In the 67-acre Working Woods, we research and showcase forest management practices for natural resource professionals, landowners, and the public to encourage the adoption and replication of best practices.
Non-Timber Forest Products: Maple syrup, mushroom logs, and edible and medicinal plants are all potential forest
products. We demonstrate how managing forests for these products can benefit forests and provide for human needs.
Meadows
Management: Our 512 acres of meadow are managed for multiple uses, including grassland bird habitat, hiking, plant conservation, and collection tree specimens.
Nest Boxes: We monitor and maintain 240 nest boxes in our meadows. Between 1965 and 2022, 28,812 fledglings from 6 native bird species have made home to these boxes.
Forest Expansion: 21 acres of old field meadow are selected for reversion to forest in 2024.
Wetlands
Ecosystem Services: 120 acres of small wetlands are dotted across the property, providing important ecosystem services including improving water quality and providing habitat for wetland-dependent plants and animals.
Fen: The most unique wetland in Holden is a 5.7-acre fen with four documented rare plant species present. We are managing the fen to preserve these species.
Wildlife Conservation: Wildlife monitoring helps us with our goal of maintaining healthy population densities. We also base our land management actions on improving wildlife habitat.
Breeding Birds: Point counts and route-based surveys for breeding birds help us understand habitat use, population trends, and responses of birds to ecosystem management.
Dark-Eyed Juncos: Monitoring and genetic studies indicate that the locally breeding dark-eyed junco population is a non-migratory distinct subpopulation. Ongoing work will investigate winter movements, plumage color, and wing shape of this subpopulation.
Bats: Holden supports eight of Ohio’s ten native bat species. Annual acoustic surveys help us monitor bat activity and diversity and their response to management.
Rare Plants: Over 20 rare plant species are found on Holden lands. Surveys help us protect and manage populations as needed. We also collect and propagate seeds, creating backup populations.
Garlic Mustard Aphid: Garlic mustard is a non-native invasive plant spreading aggressively through our forests. In 2021, at Holden, we found a European aphid species host-specific to the non-native garlic mustard. Ongoing research will help us determine the aphids potential use as a biocontrol agent.
Conservation Easements: Over 1,600 acres of conservation easements are held & monitored by Holden. Together with our natural areas, ~3,500 acres of nearly contiguous forest are protected.
Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative: This U.S. Forest Service collaboration focuses on finding and breeding ash, beech, and hemlock trees resistant to the invasive pests and disease threatening them. Breeding and replanting these resistant trees will help ensure the diversity and sustainability of our forests for the future.
Explore the Natural Areas at Holden
Holden Meadows | Managed to maintain and present important horticultural collections, scenic vistas, and biologically diverse meadows. We manage 512 acres of meadows for a variety of uses, including grassland bird habitat, hiking, tree specimen collection and plant conservation. We mow our meadows annually to ensure |
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Managed to maintain and present important horticultural collections, scenic vistas, and biologically diverse meadows. We manage 512 acres of meadows for a variety of uses, including grassland bird habitat, hiking, tree specimen collection and plant conservation. We mow our meadows annually to ensure they remain grasslands. We monitor and maintain 240 bird nest boxes, which have been home to 28,812 fledglings from 6 native species since 1965. We share our fledgling results with the Ohio Bluebird Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Bole Woods | A National Natural Landmark that offers a unique discovery opportunity at the intersection of horticultural collections and natural areas. Access it via the Bole Woods Trail.
Strong Acres | An attractive destination for exploration of meadow and forest diversity, and a site for future grassland restoration.
Fisherman’s Ponds | A serene and secluded landscape that provides opportunities to study wetland habitats and the convergence of land and water at the headwaters of Pierson Creek.
Pierson Creek Valley | A woodland with a creek in the heart of Holden that offers leisurely or challenging hikes, deep scenery, and quiet birding. Pierson Creek provides both warm-water and cold-water habitat for multiple species. The creek is most easily viewed from the Old Valley Trail and the Woodland Trail.
Working Woods | Once complete, this 30-acre site will include demonstration plots that allow landowners with wooded parcels to see how their property can be managed to attract wildlife, host an increased diversity of trees, grow woodland crops, or include recreational walking trails.
Carver’s Pond | This wetland complex is an extraordinary conservation destination, featuring opportunities for research, stewardship, and rigorous guided hikes. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes.
Baldwin Natural Area | This area provides an opportunity for remote hiking with connection to the scenic river corridor, Baldwin’s diverse forest, and Carver’s Pond. Shadybrook provides cold water habitat and views of stream restoration. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes.
Little Mountain | One of the best remaining examples of old growth white pine-hemlock-northern hardwood forest remaining in Ohio. Explore the convergence of geology and natural history, or conduct research on this locally rare ecosystem. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga |
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One of the best remaining examples of old growth white pine-hemlock-northern hardwood forest remaining in Ohio. Explore the convergence of geology and natural history, or conduct research on this locally rare ecosystem. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), an important forest tree throughout the eastern United States, is threatened by the invasive insects hemlock woolly adelgid and elongate hemlock scale. Between 2019–2022, Holden’s conservation team assessed and treated 2,780 hemlocks on Little Mountain. We will continue to monitor these hemlocks to protect them. This program is expanding to neighboring lands, together protecting over 370 acres of hemlock stands.
North Stebbins Gulch | This National Natural Landmark is an excellent example of a Northeast Ohio bedrock ravine system. Guided hikes provide a rigorous and rare natural and geologic history experience in a cold water stream ravine. Along the bluffs of Stebbins Gulch is one of the best remaining old growth |
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This National Natural Landmark is an excellent example of a Northeast Ohio bedrock ravine system. Guided hikes provide a rigorous and rare natural and geologic history experience in a cold water stream ravine. Along the bluffs of Stebbins Gulch is one of the best remaining old growth hemlock-northern hardwood forest remnants in Ohio. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes.
South Stebbins Gulch | This 800-acre natural area is Holden’s largest unbroken mature forest, and protects the associated diversity of flora and fauna of an old-growth forest. Access is limited to stewardship, research, or guided hikes. Regular forest health monitoring ensures preservation of these stands of |
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This 800-acre natural area is Holden’s largest unbroken mature forest, and protects the associated diversity of flora and fauna of an old-growth forest. Access is limited to stewardship, research, or guided hikes. Regular forest health monitoring ensures preservation of these stands of high-quality forest where trees are estimated to be over 250 years old!
Brainard Fen | This very unique wetland is a high-quality example of a rare ecosystem. Very limited access for stewardship and research. The is a 5.7-acre fen, rated category 3 — the highest quality — by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. It’s home to rare plant species like Showy Lady’s Slippers, |
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This very unique wetland is a high-quality example of a rare ecosystem. Very limited access for stewardship and research. The is a 5.7-acre fen, rated category 3 — the highest quality — by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. It’s home to rare plant species like Showy Lady’s Slippers, Bunch Berry, Autumn Willow, and Water Avens. Historically, we only owned a portion of the fen, but in 2021 acquired it in full. Now, plans to remove invasive species that threaten this rare ecosystem and its plants are underway.Many small wetlands dot our property, summing to 120 acres. Vernal pools in the forests host amphibians including Jefferson and spotted salamanders and eastern newts. Wetlands in our meadows and along river edges improve water quality and provide habitat for wetland-dependent plants and animals.
East Branch Chagrin River Corridor | More than 5.5 miles of this state-designated scenic river flows through The Holden Arboretum, and provides more than 18,000 ft. of cold-water habitat for multiple species. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes.
Corning Woods | A 17-acre remnant of a mature mixed oak forest that clearly demonstrates the effect of land use upon forest succession. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes. Much of this land was cleared for agriculture and has reverted to forest only in the last 50–80 years. Due to their young age and |
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A 17-acre remnant of a mature mixed oak forest that clearly demonstrates the effect of land use upon forest succession. Open on a limited basis through guided hikes. Much of this land was cleared for agriculture and has reverted to forest only in the last 50–80 years. Due to their young age and disturbance history, we manage these forests to improve their health. Regular monitoring and research on our mature and young forests helps us mitigate the impact of threats and create resilient forests that can be used as a model to improve forests in the region.
