Photograph by Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Forestry
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center Forestry Image Collection

In the absence of soil surveys and scientific knowledge of soil chemistry, trees were the primary means by which settlers gauged the quality of land. Tall trees in general and hardwood trees in particular, such as oak, chestnut, walnut, and hickory, were considered good indicators of soils suitable for agriculture. Higher and sloping ground was considered desirable because it did not require draining and was often less densely forested. It became apparent only over time that the practice of clear-cutting forests has many detrimental environmental effects that lead to widespread soil erosion and permanent soil degradation.