[5] The original land purchases were guided by Paul Yost, who was appointed as the county forester.During this period, due to the efforts of Mitch McConnell, then the Jefferson County Judge/Executive (1977–1984) and currently U.S. Senate Minority Leader, the forest doubled in size.At the time, then-Louisville mayor Harvey I. Sloane contrasted the serenity of the forest with the bustle of the nearby city and continued: "This is a tremendous asset for the city and county ... and the cooperation here of federal government, the society and local government is unique.A wide variety of animals can be seen, including bobcats, coyotes, red foxes, white-tailed deer, great blue herons and horned owls.Like many other natural areas in the eastern United States, the forest has a significant problem with invasive exotics, including tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata), Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa).
Tom Wallace Lake
The forest is home to numerous wild plants and animals.