The Great Mountain Forest, which today encompasses approximately 6,000 acres, is located in the northwestern hills of Connecticut in the towns of Norfolk and Canaan. For many years the largest portion of the forest was owned by the Hunts Lyman and the Barnum Richardson Iron Companies, and most of the forest was repeatedly cut for charcoal with which to smelt iron ore from the hills to the west. During the charcoaling days, forest fires burned frequently and extensively in the cut over hills. In addition to this, most of the hemlock stands were felled to provide tanbark for the local tanneries. Thus in 1909, when Senator Frederick C. Walcott and 
Starling W. Childs acquired the first parcels of land, much of the area was reduced to burned-over scrub and brush land. By this time, the original composition of the forest was greatly altered, dominated by shade intolerant species including pin cherry, aspen and gray birch. The disappearance soon after of the American chestnut, which was in abundance over much of the area, further reduced the forest's potential.
Edward C. “Ted” Childs (right), son of Starling W. Childs, took over his father’s half interest in the property and together with Senator Walcott, continued to add additional tracts of cut-over charcoal lands that were being sold off by the former Hunts Lyman and Barnum Richardson Iron Companies as well as abandoned farms. Ted Childs eventually bought-out the Walcott interest in much of the forest and with additional acquisitions increased the acreage of the forest to its present day size. Softwood plantations were established beginning in 1919 and more were added over the years as abandoned old fields were acquired on into the 1950’s. Over 325 acres were planted and managed for high quality White pine, Norway spruce, Doug fir and Red pine. Additionally, experimental out plantings of exotic conifers add scientific interest and diversity to the mix of softwood plantings. Over 100 different species of coniferous plantings are maintained as provenance studies and seed sources for potential future plantings.
History continued....
