Athens Conservancy keeps growing, and adding to the beautiful, natural spaces protected in and around Athens county. Our two newest preserves, the neighborhood Peach Preserve and the forested Deep Hollow – Dark Skies Preserve, add about 114 acres to our public lands.
Nestled in Athens’ Northpoint neighborhood, Peach Preserve consists of a wooded 3.7 acres, just off Peach Ridge Road. The land was generously donated to Athens Conservancy by Diversified Properties of Athens, and is being nurtured as a small, neighborhood conservation preserve. Read about this sweet preserve here.
Deep Hollow – Dark Skies Preserve encompasses 110.6 acres in Athens County’s Carthage Township, about 13 miles east-southeast of Athens and 16 miles west of Belpre. Established in late December 2020, this important addition to the adjacent Morris Preserve consolidates a large area of closed-canopy forest in a township with very little public land. Due to its size, the quality of the forest, and its location, the preserve expands and protects a significant tract of Ohio forest. Read more here
Today, the lands in Athens Conservancy’s preserves and conservation easements encompass nearly 2,900 acres, with more than 1,700 acres open to the public to explore.