Due to conservation efforts years ago, new forests are being established in W. B. Umstead today. The exhausted and eroded farmlands and forests, once stripped of timber, are slowly being restored to their former grandeur. The varied landscape is now home to beavers, ducks, raccoons and deer. A variety of trees, shrubs, ferns and wildflowers offer beauty in every season. Rhododendron and laurel, plants typically found in the mountains, are abundant along the park's streams.
The Piedmont Beech Natural Area, a 50-acre tract of towering beech trees deep in the heart of the park, is included in the National Registry of Natural Landmarks. Due to the sensitive nature of the area, access is allowed only by special permit. Crabtree Shrub Slopes Natural Area may be accessed by hiking from Company Mill Trail.