| Jakey Hollow Natural Area | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Trees in Jakey Hollow Natural Area | |
  Location within Pennsylvania | |
| Location | Columbia County,Pennsylvania |
| Nearest city | Bloomsburg |
| Coordinates | 41°03′53″N76°29′21″W / 41.0646°N 76.4893°W /41.0646; -76.4893 |
| Area | 59 acres (24 ha) |
| Established | 1990 |
Jakey Hollow Natural Area is aprotected area in Jakey Hollow inColumbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.[1] The natural area has an area of 59 acres. A hiking trail known as the Ward Crawford Trail is in the area and hunting is also permitted there. Part of the natural area isold-growth forest and recognized by theOld-Growth Forest Network. Some logging was historically done in portions of Jakey Hollow. The area was purchased by Ward Crawford and his brother in the 1950s. They sold it to thePennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in 1990.
.jpg)
Jakey Hollow Natural Area is located inHemlock Township,Madison Township, andMount Pleasant Township, inColumbia County, Pennsylvania. A small portion of Jakey Hollow is in the northeastern corner of Hemlock Township and the southeastern corner of Madison Township. The vast majority of the hollow is in Mount Pleasant Township, which is also where the entirety of the natural area is located.[1] With an area of 59 acres (24 ha), the natural area is one of the smallest natural areas inPennsylvania.[2]
Jakey Hollow Natural Area is located on a small tributary ofLittle Fishing Creek.[2] It is near the community of Mordansville and 5 miles (8.0 km) north ofBloomsburg.[2][3] Aglen is also located in the natural area. The area is accessed via Crawford Road.[2]
Two cornfields lie next to Jakey Hollow Natural Area and the area in the vicinity of it is being developed.[1][3] Some of the woods surrounding the natural area is privately owned. Some timber is cut in these woods, but no logging has been done in the upper half of Jakey Hollow.[3][4] Additionally, astone quarry is found near the natural area.[3] It is possible that in the future, it could become fully surrounded by developed land, specificallyhousing developments.Runoff from nearbyagricultural lands is also found in the natural area.[1]
Jakey Hollow Natural Area is considered to be a Northern Conifer Forest Natural Community.[1] Approximately half of the natural area isold-growth forest.[4] The main tree species in the natural area aresecond-growtheastern hemlock, a small amount ofvirgin hemlock, andhardwood trees. Additionally, numerous other tree species inhabit the area. There are threeoak species:chestnut oak,red oak, andwhite oak. Other tree species includeAmerican beech,black birch,black cherry,white pine, andwhite ash.[1] The white pine population in the natural area consists of dozens of individuals, some of which more than 100 feet (30 m) high.[4]
There is also a layer ofherbs andshrubs in Jakey Hollow Natural Area. Three species offerns inhabit the area, as do plants such asVirginia creeper,goldenrod,Indian cucumber,foamflower,skunk cabbage, and others.[1]Clubmosses also inhabit the area in the summer.[2] A number ofbird species inhabit Jakey Hollow Natural Area. These include thecedar waxwing, theovenbird, thebarred owl, several species ofthrushes andwarblers, and others.[1] A large population ofbluejays also lives in Jakey Hollow.[3] A number ofinvasive species inhabit Jakey Hollow Natural Area, includinggarlic mustard. Large populations ofdeer also over-browse in the area. Apest known as thehemlock wooly adelgid is found there as well.[1]
Jakey Hollow Natural Area was originally part of a larger forest that covered the region.[2] Thehardwood trees in the natural area are 200 years old.[5] Historically,timbering was done in the hollow and former logging grades are still present.[2]
In the 1950s, Ward Crawford and his brother purchased the land that Jakey Hollow Natural Area is on and protected it.[2] ThePennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources purchased the land from Ward Crawford in 1990.[1][2] It remains a protected area.[1] In the 1990s, the natural area was part of theWyoming State Forest.[4]
Hunting is permitted in Jakey Hollow Natural Area.[1] The trail system of the natural area is not formal or well-established.[2][6] However, there is anunblazed trail known as the Ward Crawford Trail. This trail starts at theparking lot for the natural area and climbs down into Jakey Hollow, where it crosses the stream at the bottom of the hollow and climbs up the other side, reaching a field. There are alsofootpaths that run parallel to the stream.[2] The paths in the natural area were created by previous visitors.[6]
The Ward Crawford Trail is 1 mile (1.6 km) long and takes one hour to complete. The elevation change is 100 feet (30 m). Jeff Mitchell describes the trail as easy in his bookHiking the Endless Mountains: Exploring the Wilderness of Northeastern Pennsylvania.[2]
