▁lead ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 ▁acres ▁from ▁Universal ▁O il . ▁Three ▁subsequent ▁ac quis itions , ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁have ▁expanded ▁the ▁san ctu ary ▁to ▁ 5 1 0 ▁acres . ▁The ▁area ▁protect s ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁old - g row th ▁white ▁p ine ▁( P inus ▁stro bus ) ▁stands ▁in ▁Michigan . ▁Two ▁connected ▁loop ▁tra ils ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁san ctu ary , ▁the ▁one - mile ▁C athedral ▁Gro ve ▁loop ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 . 2 ▁mile ▁Ber tha ▁Da ub end iek ▁trail ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁San ctu ary ▁includes ▁some ▁white ▁p ines ▁growing ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 2 5 ▁feet ▁tall ▁and ▁d ating ▁back ▁over ▁ 3 0 0 ▁years , ▁having ▁established ▁after ▁a ▁fire ▁in ▁about ▁ 1 6 9 5 ▁. ▁The ▁forest ▁pre domin antly ▁consists ▁of ▁sugar ▁map le ▁( A cer ▁sac char um ) ▁and ▁b als am ▁fir ▁( Ab ies ▁b als ame a ), ▁with ▁the ▁white ▁p ines ▁appearing ▁as ▁emer gent ▁st ems ▁above ▁the ▁map le / fir ▁can opy . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁few ▁under story ▁white ▁p ine ▁sap lings , ▁but ▁these ▁face ▁competition ▁with ▁many ▁other ▁tree ▁species ▁before ▁they ▁can ▁enter ▁the ▁can opy ; ▁it ▁remains ▁to ▁be ▁seen ▁whether ▁gap ▁dynamics ▁will ▁allow ▁this ▁to ▁occur ▁. ▁ ▁More