The Ohio forests are among the most diverse ecosystems in the country. The forests includes a mix of species that have migrated into the region as the continental glaciers retreated starting about 14,000 years ago. After the ice age, the region went through multiple stages of climate change, resulting in a complex succession of plant and animal species over time. These climate changes not only impacted the wildlife, but the life styles of ancestral peoples that moved into the region. It is important to add that humans were among the first species to utilize the ice-free region.
