Knob Noster State Park protects a large tract of forest in west-central Missouri. Dissected by a network of small streams, the Park also harbors several scenic lakes.
A fine trail system provides access to the refuge (though some stream crossings need work) and, on this cool autumn morning, we enjoyed all the expected sights and sounds of a Midwest Forest. White-tailed deer, squirrels, turtles (aquatic and terrestrial) and a variety of woodpeckers dominated the wildlife population.
In my youth, our local forest offered an exciting escape from the sterile atmosphere of our suburban neighborhood. Now, after a lifetime of forest exploration, the woods still provide both the wildness and the tranquility that I sought in my early years. In addition, the forests offer hope; not only are they carbon sinks (so vital at this point in Earth's history) but they are refuges from the relentless "development" and cultivation that threaten the natural diversity of our planet. We desperately need more forest.
