| Ginn
Woods General Information
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Ginn
Woods is a 65 hectare (165 acre) complex of three contiguous parcels of
land that supports the second largest stand of old-growth forest
remaining in Indiana. The
property is located in north-central Delaware County, Indiana (Figure 1) in the
Gaston quadrangle of Union Township. The natural value of the area was
noted in the 1969 Indiana Academy of Science book, Natural Areas of
Indiana and their Preservation, edited by Alton Lindsey. The area is
a high priority as an educational area because of its proximity and
usefulness to Ball State University and the scarcity of forested areas
in this part of Indiana. This
is a last remaining remnant of a natural community that once covered
most of this region. Ginn
Woods is an exceptional natural area within the east-central Indiana
region, due primarily to the lack of significant historical human
disturbance. This history
of limited human disturbance has left the legacy of an intact old-growth
forest community. Ginn Woods is the second largest tract of protected
old-growth forest in Indiana. Ginn
Woods supports a diversity of plants and animals that is uncommon in the
fragmented landscape of east-central Indiana. Unregulated access to this area by the public is not available. At present, Ginn Woods has no formal trail system, nor is there a marked parking area. Small groups may use this area by permission only, as a site for student and faculty research projects, and for field trips. Plans are in progress to dedicate Ginn Woods as a state nature preserve.
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