Robinson Forest is a teaching, research, and extension forest administered by the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources in cooperation with the Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability at the University of Kentucky. Its ~14,800 acres are located in the interior rugged section of the Cumberland Plateau. Robinson Forest is part of the mixed mesophytic forest, the most diverse forest region found in temperate North America. From the top of the fire tower, one can see that the main block of Robinson Forest has been isolated from most human activities such as surface mining of coal.

Today, Robinson Forest contains some of the least disturbed watersheds in eastern Kentucky. It is also a source of valuable information about forestry, forest hydrology, carbon sequestration, wildlife, and ecological relationships. More than that, it is a unique place where research and applied resource management come together through extension and teaching activities.