About 19,500 years ago, as the last glacier, the Wisconsinan, began to melt and withdraw, grasses first covered the exposed ground, followed later by coniferous trees of spruce, fir, and pine. As the Earth warmed and summers became longer, wind and animals brought in seeds of deciduous trees. These rapidly growing leafy trees shaded forest floors and prevented conifer seedlings from developing, and over time the predominant trees became oak, hickory, beech, and maple. A little more than 200 years ago, early settlers turned forests into productive farmland. Buffalo, wolves, beaver, and black bears lost their natural habitat and disappeared. Today, the City of Wyoming encourages reforestation to conserve water, improve air quality, and enhance the beauty of the community. Henry and Katie Bond, both lifelong Wyoming residents and ardent preservationists, were among the first to donate part of their Wyoming land as perpetual forest.