There are old growth forests east of the Mississippi, at least 26 of them! Plant scientist, ecologist, and professor of biology and environmental studies at Salisbury University in Maryland Dr. Joan Maloof visited one old growth forest in each of the 26 states east of the Mississippi River and writes about her journey to each forest and her observations of the forest in her second book titled Among the Ancients: Adventures in the Eastern Old-Growth Forests which was published in April 2011 by Ruka Press . Image: Among the Ancients book cover ( source ) In the preface to the book, Dr. Maloof offers the following definition of old-growth forests (she tells us someone found 98 definitions of the term): "Old-growth forest are places that have been left alone for a very long time. This usually results in large, old trees, but in some marginal environments, such as mountaintops, even the ancient trees are small." She expands the definition of old-growth forests in th