At the heart of The New York Botanical Garden lies the 50-acre Thain Family Forest, the largest remnant of the mixed hardwood forest that once covered much of New York City. With its stands of centuries-old trees, the rapids of the Bronx River gorge, and great diversity of woodland plants, the Forest was the primary reason the Botanical Garden was established on this site in 1895. The Garden continues to restore and maintain this invaluable natural resource, which you can explore on a visit during any season. Listen and learn about the different features of the Forest’s landscape, the many tree and shrub species found within it, and how you can help preserve biodiversity and the intricacies of the complex Forest environment and ecosystem.