From October 5–8, 2026, the Old-Growth Forest Network joined hundreds of conservation professionals at the 2026 Natural Areas Conference, hosted by the Natural Areas Association in Asheville, North Carolina. With the theme, Where Science Meets Stewardship, the conference brought together hundreds of natural areas practitioners, conservation partners, and researchers. NAA is an “association of practitioners and scientists focused on the management of ecologically significant landscapes with the intent to protect biodiversity for current and future generations”.
Six members of the OGFN team attended this year's conference, allowing for the opportunity to meet with colleagues, connect with new forest advocates, and share the mission and vision of the Old-Growth Forest Network. One of the highlights for OGFN was the conference's dedicated symposium, "Old-Growth Forests: Identification, Stewardship, and Recovery." Held on October 8, the symposium brought old-growth forest conservation into focus as part of a broader conversation about the science and practice of natural areas stewardship.
OGFN Executive Director Sarah Adloo and Forest Conservation Manager Nick Sanchez both presented talks during the symposium, sharing their expertise on the importance of protecting existing old-growth forests and supporting the land managers who steward these lands with tools that can help to retain and recruit old-growth forests.
The Old-Growth Symposium also hosted several other speakers, including Ephraim Zimmerman of the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program and Josh Kelly of MountainTrue, who shared field-tested techniques for finding and assessing older forests in the Blue Ridge and Central Appalachian regions.
Beyond the Old-Growth Symposium, the conference offered a diverse program of presentations, panel discussions, and field trips, covering topics ranging from mountain bog conservation and wildlife corridors to invasive species management and ecological restoration. The Southern Appalachian setting made these discussions particularly meaningful. The region is home to extraordinary biodiversity, important forest ecosystems, and some of the most ecologically significant natural areas in the eastern United States.
For the Old-Growth Forest Network, this exchange of ideas is directly connected to our mission. Protecting old-growth forests requires more than identifying special places. It takes relationships with landowners and land managers, partnerships with conservation organizations, sound ecological knowledge, and a shared commitment to thinking in terms of generations and not just the next few years. The 2026 Natural Areas Conference was an excellent opportunity for us to not only strengthen our preexisting Network of forest advocates, but also widen it with new connections across the entire country.
We hope to see you at the 2028 Natural Areas Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan!
