The Cave Cabin Preserve
In the fall of 1998, the Forked River Mountain Coalition received its first donation of land. The property, containing some 25 acres, comprises our Cave Cabin Preserve. The preserve is named for and is located on the Cave Cabin Branch, a tributary to the North Branch of the Forked River. The tract, which is completely forested, is in the upper reaches of the Forked River watershed. The property is mostly wetlands and is accessible only by foot. Although no plant or wildlife inventories have been conducted, suitable habitat exists for a variety of threatened and endangered species. An Atlantic White Cedar swamp is present along the stream corridor.
The parcel was a gift from Mr. Joseph A. DeStephan of Miami Shores, Florida. After learning about our grass-roots initiative to preserve the Forked River Mountain area, Mr. DeStephan offered to donate the land to the Coalition for conservation and open space purposes. The Coalition will maintain the land in its natural state and manage it for any threatened or endangered species that may be present.