Engelmann Woods Natural Area consists of in northeastern
Franklin County,
Missouri. It is located southwest of the town of
St. Albans
St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman ro ...
on a bluff overlooking the
Missouri River.
Engelmann Woods preserves one of the last
old growth forests
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...
in Missouri. Some of the trees in the area are approximately in diameter, tall, and 200 years old. In 1942, private landowners, primarily Mrs. Oscar Johnson, donated the land to the
Missouri Botanical Garden. The
Missouri Department of Conservation acquired the area in the 1980s, and it was designated a natural area in 1983.
There is a hiking trail in the area, and hunting and fishing are not permitted in the area.
References
{{Protected Areas of Missouri
Conservation Areas of Missouri
Protected areas established in 1942
Protected areas of Franklin County, Missouri