Ault in Fall: Ode to the Trees

By Robin Gee

We appreciate trees all year long, but it’s fall when we really notice them — that riot of color, the reds, yellows, oranges and greens of autumn. And even when the leaves fall and colors fade, late fall and winter in the forest has its own beauty.

In Hyde Park, Ault Park offers many excellent opportunities to see fall unfold in the forest. The trail system offers something for everyone – from easy-to-walk gravel trails like the Valley Trail to challenging paths like the Shattuc and Ridge Back trails. You can see one of the largest (and oldest) trees on the Bur Oak trail or just take in the vast variety of trees on the aptly named Tree Trail. The Kids Tree Trail offers an educational look at some of Ault’s most populous trees.

Unlike some forests that boast one or two species, the forest in Ault Park is diverse, and this diversity provides better protection in keeping the forest as a whole healthy and thriving. Invasive species like the emerald ash borer and imported diseases like Dutch Elm disease have mostly, if not entirely, wiped out some species. Some forests only have one or two species, and if something goes wrong with that species, the entire ecosystem could collapse.

“But the good thing about Ault Park and Cincinnati in general is there are so many different species. So even though we lose one or another species the entire forest doesn’t fall apart ecologically. It’s a mixed forest, which is to say there’s a mixture of about a dozen to 15 different species that share the dominance in the forest, and that simply means when you take a walk in the woods, when you see one tree there’s a good chance, the next one you see will be something different,” said Stan Hedeen, a member of the Ault Park Advisory Council (APAC).

“Because of the mixture of trees, the loss of the American Elm really was quickly taken over by the others, and lately, the loss of the white ash is undergoing the same situation where the other species and the seedlings from them specifically, are infilling, which keeps and the structure in place overall. So the organisms that live in our forest, be they box turtles or cardinals or possums, or even coyotes and certainly, deer and racoon really are allowed to continue their lifestyle because the forest that they live within continues as well,” he said.

Hyde Park Living columnist and gardening expert Peter Wimberg is also an APAC member. He works on removing invasive species and other projects on the park’s trails. When asked about peak season to see fall foliage he said people can expect to see colorful leaves at least into the first half of November. He checked his own photos from last year and noted beautiful foliage through the second week of the month. Check out the Ault Park Advisory Council’s Facebook page for photos this year that follow the progress of the season’s colors.

Where and how to experience fall in Ault Park

There’s a one-word answer to how and where to enjoy fall in Ault Park and that word is “trails.” Here are some of the almost 5-miles of trails in the park:

Tree Trail: This trail features the widest variety of trees in the park with 23 different species. Labels are posted on the tree trunks to help people identify the trees. A species info sheet is available (go to aultparkac.org and click on trails). The sheet shows all the different trees by their bark, so that you can identify the trees all year long.

Kids Tree Trail: This trail, located near the park’s playground, is a great way to introduce kids to nature and the beauty of trees. The Ault Park Advisory Council website features a tree identification guide for nine tree species on this trail. Trees are numbered and then listed on the guide. Also on the site is a slide show with more information on each of the species at aultparkac.org/kids-tree-species.

The Bur Oak Trail: This trail is home to the oldest tree in the forest. The park boasts several very old trees, some dating back to the time of the settlement of Cincinnati in the 1790s. 

The Shattuc Trail: Named for an abandoned section of Shattuc Avenue. It is the park’s most challenging trail and a favorite of runners and other looking for a challenge. A wall made of limestone blocks holds the history of the area — look for marine fossils in the blocks.

Valley Trail: The Valley Trail follows the path of an early roadway and features an abandoned railroad bridge. The most accessible trail in the system, this trail is gravel lined and follows the eastern run of the Ault Park Brook.

For more on trails, including maps and the tree identification guides go to aultparkac.org. Keeping the ecosystem of the park is one of the goals of the organization.