Man On Bluff Looking Down at River  Pioneer Forest
   
 
 

Pioneer Forest is a large, privately-owned forest located in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks.

We have used single-tree selection harvests in managing the forest for more than half a century to restore high quality oak-hickory forests, establish truly sustainable harvests, and protect significant natural communities.

We offer free initial consultations and contracting for forest management on your land if you are located in the Ozark region of Missouri.

In addition to our own research efforts we invite others to consider our large forested setting for your own research project.

We have natural areas and forest reserves throughout the forest which are exemplary plant and animal communities, represent the intrinsic character of these Ozark landscapes, and which protect rare species.

Pioneer Forest offers outstanding recreational opportunities for day-hikes, forest drives, overnight backpacking, and long-distance hiking.

More About Pioneer Forest...
Pioneer Forest is part of the oak, hickory, and pine forests of the Missouri Ozarks.  This region is part of the most extensive elevated landscape between the Appalachian Mountains to the east and the Rocky Mountains to the west.  The topography here is largely erosional with the greatest relief (generally 700 feet) occurring along the major rivers.  Bedrock here is dominated by the more soluble dolomites, limestones, and sandstones and as a result includes many classic karst features.  Situated in an area of spectacular springs, towering bluffs, losing streams, and numerous caves. these lands include significant portions of the spring-fed watersheds of the Jacks Fork and Current rivers.

Beginning in 1951, St. Louis businessman Leo Drey began to acquire lands in the Ozarks in an effort to demonstrate that taking better care of forests would produce lasting and economically beneficial results.  When National Distillers, a private company with lands located in the Ozarks, decided to liquidate its holdings in 1954, it sold approximately 90,000 acres of land to Leo Drey, who continued to purchase other forestland in the Ozarks for Pioneer Forest.
 
For more than half a century, Pioneer Forest has restored these Ozark woodlands through conservative, natural forest management, and has preserved ecologically important areas and notable landscape features.  Altogether there are nearly 160,000 acres in this unique, privately-owned land base.