State Forests & Arboretums

We manage five state forests and two arboretums that serve as educational resources for visitors.

Drive path along small pond and pine trees

State Forest Closures

The Fairchild, Kirby, Masterson, and Siecke State Forests will be temporarily closed to the public Oct. 25-26, 2025, for youth deer hunts. All state forests will reopen to the public on Monday, Oct. 27.

State forests

Our state forests are working forests cared for with sound, scientific, forest management that protects the native flora and fauna.

The healthy and productive state forests that exist today are results of forest stewardship following heavy logging, devastating wildfires, and insect epidemics common in the early 1900s.

Remnant population of the red-cockaded woodpecker inhabit around 1,000 acres on two of the state forests.  We manage this acreage that benefits both the working demonstration of forests and the threatened species.

  • The E.O. Siecke State Forest is a 1,722-acre forest located in Newton County.

    Young pine trees stand above tall green grass

  • The I.D. Fairchild State Forest is a 2,788-acre forest located in Cherokee County.

    An aboveground view of ID Fairchild State Forest showcasing a thick stand of trees

  • The Kirby State Forest is a 600-acre forest located in Hardin County.

    Tall pine trees and brown grass

  • The Masterson State Forest is a 558-acre forest in Jasper County.

    Large pond relfecting white clouds with pine trees standing tall behind it

  • The W.G. Jones State Forest is a 1,722-acre forest in Montgomery County.

    A grouping of trees surrounding a body of water at Jones state forest

Arboretums

Our arboretums grow a variety of trees for research, education, memorial, and ornamental purposes.

  • The Olive Scott Petty Arboretum is 20 acres located in Hardin County.

    A wooded and marshy area of the olive Scott arboretum

  • The Ruth Bowling Nichols Arboretum is seven acres located in Cherokee County.

    A trail along trees

Story map

Learn more about each forest and arboretum through our interactive story map.

Explore story map (external link)
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