Appalachian Ohio Alliance (AOA) acquired a 1,200-acre tract of hardwood forest in Northern Athens County from the Sunday Creek Coal Company in 2007. The property known as “Taylor Ridge” was officially named the Trimble Township Community Forest in recognition of Trimble Township and its residents. Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife, contributed the required 25% matching funds; AOA successfully obtained a grant through the Ohio Department of Public Works’ Clean Ohio Fund. This grant provided the remaining 75% of the seller’s price, allowing completing the purchase. Local residents helped make this project a success by voicing their desire to conserve wildlife habitat and provide for public lands. This large parcel of habitat will help to connect the Wayne National Forest with the Trimble Wildlife area.

AOA has established a local citizens’ land management committee for the Community Forest that meets monthly at the Sunday Creek Watershed office, in Glouster. This land will then be managed with the assistance of ODNR’s Division of Wildlife as a Wildlife Area. The preserve is open to the public for hiking and hunting, and will remain as such in perpetuity.

In addition the Sunday Creek Watershed Group worked with Trimble High School to adopt the Community Forest as their Land Lab. The Trimble High School Principal and the Science Teachers have shown their interest in the Land Lab by allowing a group of approximately 30 interested students to meet with SCWG twice a month, during there activity period, to work on the land lab as service based learning.