John O. Whitaker Woods Nature Preserve
The grand opening of John O. Whitaker Woods Nature Preserve in Clay County. Photo by Stephanie Jones.
Having purchased this property in 1975, Dr. John O. Whitaker, Jr. donated this 40-acre woodland to OLC in late 2021. Whitaker is a retired Indiana State University professor who extensively researched plants and animals on this property. 2,252 trees of 34 different species have been studied and measured in 1977-78, 1993-94, and 2009-10. The most abundant species in order are: Tulip Tree, Red Hickory, Red Oak, Shagbark Hickory, White Oak, Red Maple, and American Sycamore. In addition, the property is teeming with wildflowers and many bird species. The preserve is open to the public, and we are actively working to make improvements to the property such as adding trail markers. The John O. Whitaker Woods Nature Preserve is located in Clay County.
Read more about tree research at John O. Whitaker Woods Nature Preserve.