your national forests winter/spring 2016
DESCRIPTION
The official magazine of the National Forest Forest, this issue features bison reintroduction in Illinois, National Recreation Areas, and more.TRANSCRIPT
The Magazine of the National Forest Foundation Winter – Spring 2016
Icons in Stone
GREAT BUILDINGS OF THE FOREST SERVICE
A Different Kind of Park
WHERE RECREATION REIGNS
Bison Return to Their Native Habitat
RESTORING THE TALL GRASSES OF MIDEWIN
Board of Directors Executive Committee
Craig Barrett, NFF Chair Retired CEO/Board Chairman, Intel Corporation (AZ)
John Hendricks, NFF Vice Chair Hendricks Investment Holdings, LLC (MD)
Max Chapman, NFF Vice Chair Chairman, Gardner Capital Management Corp. (TX)
Lee Fromson, NFF Treasurer Executive Vice President, Simms Fishing Products (MT)
Timothy P. Schieffelin, NFF Secretary Senior Wealth Director, BNY Mellon Wealth Management (CT)
Caroline Choi, Member Vice President, Integrated Planning & Environmental Affairs, Southern California Edison (CA)
Peter Foreman, Member Sirius LP (IL)
Board of Directors
David Bell, Chairman, Gyro, LLC (NY)
Mike Brown, Jr., General Partner, Bowery Capital (NY)
Coleman Burke, President, Waterfront Properties (NY)
Robert Cole, Partner, Collins Cockrel & Cole, P.C. (CO)
Bart Eberwein, Executive Vice President, Hoffman Construction Company (OR)
Robert Feitler, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Weyco Group, Inc. (IL)
Barry Fingerhut, CEO/Owner, Certification Partners, LLC (AZ)
Rick Frazier, Chief Product Supply & Service Officer, Coca-Cola Refreshments, North America Group (GA)
Beth Ganz, Vice President, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Vail Resorts Management Company, (CO)
Roje S. Gootee, Co-Owner& Manager, Rush Creek Ranch, LLC (OR)
James K. Hunt, Co-Owner & Manager, Tournament Capital Advisors, LLC (CA)
Andie MacDowell, Actress and Spokesperson (CA)
Jeff Paro, President & CEO, Outdoor Sportsman Group (NY)
Patricia Hayling Price, President, LiveWorkStrategize, LLC (NY)
Mary Smart, President, Smart Family Foundation (NY)
Thomas Tidwell, Ex-Officio, Chief, USDA Forest Service (DC)
Chad Weiss, Managing Director, JOG Capital Inc. (WY)
James Yardley, Senior Vice President, El Paso Corporation, Retired (TX)
SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS
Donate today to ensure these resources last for tomorrow.
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$100 will send 10 students to a Friends of the Forest® volunteer day.
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Visit www.nationalforests.org/give to contribute today.
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Amid Shifts and Transitions, an Enduring MissionBy Interim Presidents: Ray A. Foote, Mary Mitsos and Marcus Selig
We mark our calendars with
everything from birthdays to
holidays to special family moments,
each entry reminding us that
transitions and cycles mark our lives. This time of
year brims with transition and change as fall slips
into winter, one year unfolds into the next and the
procession of holidays invites us to reflect on the past
year and imagine the next.
This issue of Your National Forests follows this pattern.
On pages 20-24, Michelle Donahue’s article transports you
to our nation’s rich network of National Recreation Areas.
In our field reports on pages 5-6 and in our annual Ski
Conservation Fund write-up on pages 30-31, we share cut-
ting edge work creating important change by the National
Forest Foundation (NFF) and others.
As we wrap up 2015, exciting changes at the NFF
signal new growth and promise. With the first year of
our new five-year strategic plan under our belts, we are
investing more than ever before in the health of America’s
National Forests and the outdoor experiences they provide
to millions annually. Our new field office in Asheville,
North Carolina will serve Eastern forests and people
more fully, and our new staff in Portland, Oregon will
strengthen our Pacific Northwest program.
On pages 7-9, we explore the benefits of one of the most
exciting projects from 2015 that took place in the heartland:
the return of bison to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie,
a 19,000-acre unit of the National Forest System only one
hour southwest of Chicago. The NFF helped spearhead a
multi-year effort to bring majestic bison back to this part of
“The Prairie State,” back to a landscape where hundreds of
native tallgrasses, prairie forbs and shrubs are taking root
and flourishing in a diverse, rich ecosystem. Songbirds and
grassland birds are returning to this ancient land, natural
water flows are reappearing and thousands of Chicagoans
are learning something new about their “backyard.”
With each new shift
comes new opportu-
nity. At Midewin, now
we must maintain the
momentum to bring
back thousands more
acres to a natural state,
all while increasingly
engaging the commu-
nity. We look forward to
reporting to you on this in the future.
Just as we anticipate what is to come, we reflect on
what brought us to this point. To that end, we delve farther
back in history on pages 16-19 to explore two fascinating
landmarks the U.S. Forest Service owns and maintains.
We hope you enjoy this season of transition and this
issue of Your National Forests. Whether you live in a land-
scape now hushed by the snow’s arrival or near a southern
forest quiet after summer’s crowds are gone, it’s comforting
to know that these treasured places, and the NFF which
serves them, will remain next year and the year after that.
Thank you for being part of our work on behalf of
America’s National Forests. If we can ever be of assistance,
please be in touch.
Bill Possiel, NFF president, is on sabbatical. His regular welcome letter will return to this space in the Summer-Fall 2016 issue of Your National Forests.
Marcus Selig [email protected]
Mary Mitsos [email protected]
Ray A. Foote [email protected]
Winter – Spring 2016 1
welcome letter
on the coverTimberline Lodge sits under a winter blanket of snow
beneath Mt. Hood bathed in alpenglow.
© Timberline Lodge
features
7 Roaming the Tall GrassesBison return to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
16 Icons in Stone and ReputationHistoric Forest Service sites: Timberline Lodge and Grey Towers
20 Where Recreation ReignsRecreation comes first in these natural areas
WelcomeAmid transitions, the NFF's mission endures
Where in the WoodsHow well can you identify your National Forests?
Forests by the NumbersThe NFF's Trees for US program
Field ReportsRestoring the Roan Highlands and building cairns to Kings Peak
Tree SpotlightThe symphony of the longleaf pine
Forest NewsSaving bats from white-nose syndrome
Kids and NatureNational Forests welcome volunteers of all ages
Unforgettable ExperiencesSnowmobile partnerships with states and clubs
Voices from the ForestContest winners celebrate the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
Ski Conservation FundSki Apache and the Lincoln National Forest
1
3
4
5
10
14
13
24
26
30
2 Your National Forests
Photos © U
SFS; Timberline Lodge; D
oug Wew
er | USFS
inside this edition
This National Forest is named for a beloved American author.
National Forest Foundation
Building 27, Suite 3 Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406.542.2805
Your National Forests magazine is printed on recycled paper with 30% post- consumer content. This magazine’s use of FSC certified paper ensures the highest environmental and social standards have been followed in the wood sourcing, paper manufacturing, and print production of this magazine. To learn more log on to www.fsc.org.
The National Forest Foundation is a proud member of EarthShare, the country’s leading federation of environmental and conservation organizations accepting Combined Federal Campaign workplace contributions from federal civilian, postal and military employees. Look for the National Forest Foundation— CFC #12053—on EarthShare’s website at earthshare.org.
Your National Forests
The magazine of the National Forest FoundationEditor-in-Chief Greg M. PetersContributors Michelle Z. Donahue, Hannah Ettema, Ray A. Foote, Natalie Kuehler, Mary Mitsos, Nancy Negrete, Greg M. Peters, Marcus Selig, Mark Shelley, Amy J. WongGraphic Artist David A. Downing, Old Town Creative+Interactive
National Forest Foundation
William J. Possiel—PresidentMary Mitsos—Executive Vice PresidentRay A. Foote—Executive Vice PresidentEdward Belden—Southern California Program AssociateSheree Bombard—Director, AdministrationKaren DiBari—Director, Conservation ConnectHannah Ettema—Communications and Development AssociateRobin Hill—ControllerAdam Liljeblad—Director, Conservation AwardsZia Maumenee—Conservation Awards AssociateLuba Mullen—Associate Director, DevelopmentEmily Olsen—Conservation Connect AssociateMarlee Ostheimer—Development AssociateGreg M. Peters—Director, CommunicationsLee Quick—AccountantPatrick Shannon—Director, Pacific Northwest ProgramEmily Struss—Conservation AssociateVance Russell—Director, California ProgramMarcus Selig—Director, Southern Rockies RegionMark Shelley—Director, Eastern RegionDeborah Snyder—Development Services ManagerWes Swaffar—Ecosystem Services Senior ManagerDayle Wallien—Pacific Northwest Field Representative
See page 32 for the answer.
Winter – Spring 2016 3
Photo © Brian C
ormack
where in the woods
1,000,000 acres
=10,000 acres
When severe fire, insects or
disease sweep across our
National Forests, the very
trees that make these forests
forests are threatened. So too are the services
and resources our forests provide, like clean
water, clean air, wildlife habitat and recreational
opportunities.
Fortunately, the NFF’s Trees for US program helps to heal the damage caused
by these disturbances. Since 2008, we have collected donations and matched
them to ecologically important reforestation projects around the country. The
program has become hugely popular with people looking to highlight their love
for forests and with businesses looking to give back to public lands. Thanks to
all of our supporters for helping restore our forests!
Learn more about the Trees for US program at: is.gd/ynf_010
105Reforestation projects the NFF
has funded through Trees for US
since 2008
20Reforestation projects funded
through Trees for US in 2015
21States where the NFF has
planted trees since 2008
45National Forests where the NFF
has planted trees since 2008
2,000Trees that can be planted by a single
professional tree planter per day
1-2 yearsAge of trees being planted on
reforestation projects
100+ yrsHow long it would take for many of
the forests where we plant trees to
naturally regenerate
1,641,599 trees
6,300,000 trees
4 Your National Forests
Illustration © D
avid A. D
owning | O
ld Town C
reative
forests by the numbers
Volunteers Help the Roan Highlands Stay Wild
The wind-battered Roan Highlands stretch 20 miles across
the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Crisscrossed by the
Appalachian Trail, this rolling high country boasts billion-year
old rocks scraped clean by ancient glaciers and hosts numerous
threatened and endangered species.
The Roan Highlands is recognized by numerous groups
and state agencies as one of the most critical biodiversity
hotspots in the Southern Appalachians. The Southern
Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) used their
NFF’s Matching Awards Program grant to ensure areas of
the Roan Highlands contained within the Pisgah National
Forest continue to provide exceptional wildlife habitat for
deer, bear, turkeys, migratory songbirds and other species
that live in this unforgiving region.
The grassy ridges and peaks of the Roan Highlands are
particularly important to the region’s wildlife. The slopes
that fall from these summits are draped in thick spruce-fir
forests, beautiful and fragrant, but limited in biodiversity,
making the open, grassy habitat on the ridges especially
critical nesting and foraging habitat for the region’s wildlife.
In 2015, SAHC brought more than 60 volunteers into
the Highlands to improve 21 acres of this important hab-
itat. The volunteers logged more than 1,000 hours pulling
invasive blackberry bushes, hand cutting beech tree suck-
ers impacted by beech bark disease and opening habitat
around green alder trees. Additionally, SAHC, working with
Audubon North Carolina and the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission, monitored Golden-winged warbler
populations and vegetation response on more than 100
acres of previously restored Highlands.
Finally, SAHC worked with local partners to imple-
ment a feral hog monitoring program that identified
locations of high feral hog populations. This extremely
disruptive invasive species wreaks havoc on the region’s
animal and plant communities. Feral hogs eat the eggs of
ground-nesting birds, affect stream and wetland health,
disburse invasive plants and spread diseases that can
impact area farmers and wildlife populations.
SAHC installed wildlife monitoring cameras to identify
areas of high feral hog populations and worked with state
agencies and private landowners to begin eradication and
trapping programs. This work builds a foundation of knowl-
edge that state agencies, private landowners and conserva-
tion organizations can use to target feral hog populations
before they further damage these fragile ecosystems.
Winter – Spring 2016 5
field reports
Photos © SA
HC
Giant Cairns Mark the Way to Kings Peak
As the highest mountain in Utah, Kings Peak on the border of
the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests, draws
more than 10,000 visitors annually. Peak baggers, alpine lake
anglers and backpackers flock to Painter Basin, the high alpine
basin flanking the western edge of Kings Peak.
Located within the High Uinta Wilderness Area,
Painter Basin sits at roughly 12,000 feet above sea level.
The area’s popularity and a confusing network of user-cre-
ated trails has resulted in costly helicopter-assisted search
and rescue operations that burden local tax payers and
detract from the Wilderness experience visitors seek when
travelling through the area.
Friends of Kings Peak used an NFF Matching Awards
Program grant to eliminate the confusing and resource
degrading user-created trails and install a prominent trail
sign guiding hikers to Kings Peak. While this may sound
straightforward, access and weather highlighted how
remote and rugged this area truly is. The crews back-
packed gear and supplies more than 11 miles and braved
an early season snow storm in the high-elevation basin.
The group followed Wilderness design standards and
built 27 large cairns to guide hikers across the talus slopes
that flank Kings Peak. They also installed a nine-foot tall
trail sign at a confusing trail juncture to reduce the number
of lost hikers. When the weather frustrated cairn-building
efforts, the crews kept busy maintaining three miles of
system trails by cutting back overgrown vegetation.
While new signage and prominent cairns can’t
completely eliminate the potential for lost hikers in
this remote and popular landscape, they will no
doubt reduce the number of helicopter-assisted rescues
conducted each year.
Painter Basin in the High Uinta Wilderness Area.
6 Your National Forests
Photo © C
asey Goodlett | flickr.com
field reports
Bison Return to Their Native HabitatBy Hannah Ettema
In 2007, archaeologists identified bison
bones at a prehistoric village on Midewin
National Tallgrass Prairie dating back to
around the year 1600. By the early 1800s,
settlers had eradicated bison from Illinois.
Thanks to an NFF-led effort, these majestic
creatures are back in their native habitat from a
time long gone.
An hour away from Chicago’s towering sky scrapers and Lake Shore Drive,
Midewin takes life at a slower pace. Quiet sunrises showcase fields of wildflow-
ers and chattering birds. Remnant bunkers from Midewin’s past as the Joliet
Arsenal dot the horizon.
In 2012, the National Forest Foundation designated Midewin as a signature
site in its Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences conservation campaign.
Working closely with a stakeholder group, the NFF is restoring 2,000 acres of
the tallgrass prairie. Complementing this restoration effort, we worked with
our partners to bring bison back to the prairie, providing a unique opportunity
to learn if and how bison can impact prairie restoration.
Tallgrass prairies, like any landscape, require many components for a
healthy ecosystem. Since its inception, Midewin has been working to add those
elements—native grasses, controlled fire and bison. With bison now content-
edly grazing the prairie’s swaying grasses, officials will be able to see how the
various elements interact and benefit each other.
Roaming the Tall Grasses of Midewin
CORPORATE PARTNERCaudalie is a proud partner of the NFF. Our pledge to plant one million trees over the next several years highlights our commitment to the environment and underscores our company’s ethics.
Winter – Spring 2016 7
Photo © U
SFS
conservation
Changes on the LandscapeAt 19,000 acres, Midewin is the largest single parcel of
protected open space in northeastern Illinois; it provides
critical habitat for birds such as bobolinks, Henslow’s
sparrows and grasshopper sparrows. The bison experi-
ment has several focus areas, one of which is exploring
whether different grazing patterns between bison and
cattle will benefit the grassland habitat Midewin offers
these and others birds.
While cattle have grazed at Midewin for decades, they,
like any animal, have a particular diet. Cattle prefer to eat
grasses and forbs (pretty much anything that is not grass,
tree or shrub). Bison on the other
hand, prefer to eat only grass.
“We’re hoping to get more hetero-
geneity,” explained prairie ecologist
William Glass.
“The cattle provide habitat
for grassland birds who like short
grasses. We’re hoping with the bison
there will be taller and shorter areas,
kind of a mix. So then you’ll get a
mix of birds.”
As with any experiment, data
collection is key.
Staff have years of data about
bird populations. At established
points throughout Midewin, they reg-
ularly count the birds they see and
hear. They also collect information about grass height,
depth of the litter (amount of dead matter on the ground)
and the number of cattle grazing in that area.
“With the bison there, we’ll monitor the birds like we
have been. We’ll be able to monitor the grass height, the
litter depth and we’ll know how many bison are out there.
So we’ll have the same information and we’ll compare it,”
explained Glass.
As the bison settle into their new home, their presence
may impact more than just the grassland birds. Glass
expects the increasingly rare Franklin’s ground squirrels
to like the bison’s pastures with tall vegetation.
“[Franklin’s ground squirrels] like really tall, rank
vegetation that they can burrow in. If we get that hetero-
geneity in the taller grasses, maybe we can get Franklin's
in there. Who knows?” said Glass.
Coyotes might also prove an interesting factor. Mide-
win is not a zoo, but a natural ecosystem with predators
and prey.
“The coyotes can’t take on an adult bison but they
could probably bother a young one. It’ll be interesting to
see how that all plays out,” said Glass.
Still an ExperimentGlass says they’re not sure what exactly will happen to
the landscape after the bison arrive. “We have some ideas
but are ready to be surprised.”
At The Nature Conservancy’s nearby Nachusa Grass-
lands, staff are monitoring bison introduced last year for
impacts on tallgrass prairie health. While it is too soon for
results on that front, the staff have noticed subtle changes.
“Researchers have noticed that a lot of the nests of
small mammals like mice, voles and shrews are being
made out of bison hair,” explained Cody Considine, a res-
toration ecologist for Nachusa.
Public interest has proven to be
a big and unforeseen aspect of the
bison’s presence at Nachusa.
“Probably the biggest challenge
that we didn’t expect is the amount of
interest that media and people have
with the animals. That’s created a lot
of extra work that we didn’t necessarily
anticipate,” explained Considine.
Roaming the PrairieMidewin is no stranger to managing
herds. Throughout the rolling hills and
windblown grasses of Midewin, cattle
graze with gusto. Like many other
units of the Forest Service, Midewin
maintains a grazing permit system.
Currently, there are approximately 950 head of cattle
grazing on about 3,700 acres of Midewin. Fortunately
for the land and staff, the permitees very much support
Midewin’s mission.
“It’s really refreshing to work with people who under-
stand and are in line with the overall purpose of Midewin.
They are here to graze their cattle, but they are also here
as stewards of the land,” said range management special-
ist Kelly Gutknecht.
Unlike the privately-owned cattle grazing there, Mide-
win’s bison herd is owned and therefore managed by the
Forest Service.
“It will be myself working hand-in-hand with prairie
ecologist William Glass,” explained Gutknecht. “We will be
vigilant and care for the bison appropriately as needed.”
Gutknecht knows bison are wild animals.
“We want them to be free-ranging bison and to
interact with them as minimally as possible. They won’t
depend on us for things. We want them to graze. And
bison grazing will help us meet the goals at Midewin.
That’s part of the reason that they’re here.”
Midewin is the largest single parcel of protected open space in northeastern Illinois
8 Your National Forests
conservation
In preparation for the herd, Midewin set aside 1,200 acres for the bison
habitat. Their enclosure is surrounded by seven miles of six-foot tall fencing
and includes a corral area with hydraulic gates and chutes used to handle the
animals once a year. The corral area is surrounded by three smaller “trap pas-
tures,” each allowing access into the corral area.
Gutknecht explained: “The corral area will always remain open for the
bison; we want them to have a positive association with it. It’s an area that will
be used for water and/or supplements as well as annual checkups.”
Officials hope that the bison's comfort level with the corral area will allow
for a smooth round-up each fall, causing minimal discomfort to the animals.
Expecting the UnexpectedIn everything it does, the Forest Service adapts to change. New challenges
inspire new solutions and ways to manage National Forests and Grasslands
for the greatest good. Given the nature of the bison experiment, Midewin is
prepared for the unexpected.
As Glass explained: “There’s all these cool little things that could happen,
some of which we don’t even know or haven’t even thought about. I think
there’s going to be a lot of things we’re going to learn.”
Want to learn more about the NFF’s efforts to bring bison back to Midewin? Visit is.gd/ynf_011
Three of Midewin's bull bison.
Hannah is the NFF’s devel-
opment and communications
associate. She manages all
aspects of the NFF’s digital
communications and spends
her free time exploring
Montana’s national forests and
stage managing local theater
productions. Reach her at
Winter – Spring 2016 9
Photo © U
SFS
conservation
A Longleaf Symphony Heard Once AgainBy Mark Shelley
“This plain is mostly a forest of the great long-leaved pine, the earth
covered with grass, interspersed with an infinite variety of herbaceous
plants, and embellished with extensive savannas, always green, sparkling
with ponds of water, and ornamented with clumps of evergreens, and
other trees and shrubs…”
~ William Bartram, Travels (1791)
The sound moving through a longleaf pine forest
seems to emanate from on high and down low—a cre-
scendo that starts in the tree canopy and builds through
the ground level grasses—all orchestrated by the breeze.
Some have likened this windy symphony to waves crash-
ing in a far off sea; the great eighteenth century explorer
William Bartram described it as: “the solemn symphony of
the steady Western breezes, playing incessantly, rising and
falling through the thick and wavy foliage.”
Bartram initially explored the Southeast in 1776, but
returned seven years later, at the bequest of London phy-
sician Dr. John Fothergill to collect botanical specimens
and sketch his travels. Beginning in Pennsylvania, Bartram
sailed to Charleston, South Carolina and explored south to
Savannah, Georgia. He canoed the St. Johns River in Flor-
ida, travelled west across the state with Native American
traders, looped back into Georgia, and eventually north to
the Carolina highlands before concluding his trip at the
Mississippi River. Throughout his five-year adventure, he
was rarely out of sight of longleaf pine. A traveler follow-
ing Bartram’s footsteps today would hear only the faintest
whispers of Bartram’s “solemn symphony.”
10 Your National Forests
tree spotlight
Photo © M
artjan Lamm
ertink | pbase.com/picidpics
Historic Range Current Range
Ninety-two million acres of longleaf pine forests once dominated the Southeast, but today less than two percent remain.
A Muted MelodyNinety-two million acres of
stately longleaf pine forests once dominated
the Southeast, but today less than two percent
remain. Of that two percent, very few acres still reflect
the diversity and age of the longleaf forests that covered
the South for more than 40,000 years. Logging, fire sup-
pression and conversion to other, more easily-managed
species have greatly reduced and fragmented its range,
impairing its ecological function.
The longleaf pine is the longest
lived of the southern pine species.
Throughout most of their range,
longleaf pines can reach 250 years
in age, although trees older than 450
years have been documented. The
longleaf is a beautiful tree, with roll-
ing, graceful lower branches laden
with large cones. Its long needles
give it its common name.
Longleaf pine’s scientific name,
Pinus palustris, means "of the marsh."
Locals refer to it as longstraw, yellow,
southern yellow, swamp, hard or
heart, pitch, and Georgia pine. In
pre-settlement times, this premier
timber tree grew in extensive, pure
stands throughout the Atlantic and
Gulf Coastal Plains from southeastern
Virginia to eastern Texas and south
through the northern two-thirds of peninsular Florida. The
species also grows in the Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, and
Mountain Provinces of Alabama and northwest Georgia.
Longleaf pine is native to a wide variety of sites rang-
ing from wet, poorly drained flatwoods just above sea level
to dry, rocky mountain ridges 1,900 feet high. Most of the
current longleaf pine forests are found
on the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains
at elevations below 660 feet.
Longleaf pine is a high quality
timber tree, well suited to a whole
range of products—poles, piling,
posts, saw logs, plywood, pulpwood
and ship supplies. Even its needles
or "pine straw" are used as mulch. Its
usefulness fostered centuries of intense
exploitation, which combined with
a lack of planned regeneration, con-
tribute to the decline of longleaf pine
forests that continues today.
Longleaf pine stands require fire.
In the past, frequent fires resulted in
open, parklike stands of longleaf with
few other woody plants and ground
cover dominated by grasses and forbs—
excellent habitat for game, especially
quail, and quail hunting has long been
associated with this timber type. Many species of birds,
mice and squirrels feed on longleaf pine seeds, adding to
the long list of animals that depend on longleaf forests.
Winter – Spring 2016 11
tree spotlight
How to Help the Endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
Because of its narrow
requirement for old-growth
living pine trees in which it
makes its nesting and roost-
ing cavities, the red-cock-
aded woodpecker was the
first longleaf forest inhab-
iting animal to achieve
endangered status under
the Endangered Species
Preservation Act of 1966.
Want to help the NFF
improve red-cockaded
woodpecker habitat?
Support our conservation
effort on the Ocala National
Forest where we’re restor-
ing the longleaf pine forests
on which these endangered
birds depend. Working with
local partners and contrac-
tors, including Florida’s
Boyscouts, we’re restoring
and improving longleaf
forests for woodpeckers
and other forest-dependent
species. Learn more at
is.gd/ynf_012.
But with a reduction in fire occurrence, hardwoods and other pines
encroach on the longleaf forest. This ecosystem conversion reduces habitat for
a variety of threatened and endangered wildlife, from amphibians and snakes
to birds and small mammals.
Woodpecker HarmoniesMature longleaf stands also provide the most desirable habitat for the
red-cockaded woodpecker. These finicky birds build nesting cavities in pines
at least 60 years old. Rare, old-growth longleaf trees are ideally suited to the
red-cockaded woodpecker, but across the region most longleaf stands are sec-
ond-growth and therefore too young for this indicator species.
Critically needed restoration is underway, including: planting new long-
leaf pine trees, removing invasive exotic plant species, restoring native plants
and reducing competition from oak trees (and other species) that shade out
longleaf seedlings. Preventing further oak and pine encroachment through
controlled fire is the final step.
The NFF is supporting a comprehensive longleaf restoration program on
the Ocala National Forest. These efforts are focused on expanding red-cock-
aded woodpecker habitat and on ensuring that these habitats remain suitable
through prescribed fire and other management techniques.
Through these restoration efforts, we can bring back the high pitched notes,
rattling and quiet drumming of the red-cockaded woodpecker, perhaps just
as Bartram heard in his day—returning an essential melody in harmony with
nature’s soothing longleaf symphony.
Mark is the NFF’s Eastern Field Program Director. Based
in Asheville, NC, Mark explores the National Forests in the
East (and sometimes in the West) by trail trudging, biking,
paddling and otherwise getting out of doors. Reach him at
12 Your National Forests
Photos © U
SFS; Martjan Lam
mertink | pbase.com
/picidpics
tree spotlight
Forest Service Researchers Battle White-nose Syndrome
Imagine there is a magic flying machine that appears every night and
snatches insects and pests from the air. Imagine this machine operates
without any assistance from humans and that it benefits America’s
agricultural industry to the tune of $26 billion a year. Now imagine
that the machines are breaking down and no longer able to perform their
pest-reducing magic. You’d want to find out how to fix them right?
That’s exactly what researchers at the Forest Service’s
Northern Research Station, Southern Research Station
and Center for Mycology Research are doing with a recent
grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
These “magic machines” are bats, honed by millions of
years of evolution and experts at catching and consuming
millions and millions of harmful insects. The “breakdown”
is white-nose syndrome, a fungus that’s killing millions of
bats across the country.
First identified in eastern New York in 2007, white-nose
syndrome has been steadily moving throughout the coun-
try, affecting hibernating bats in 26 states and 5 Canadian
provinces. White-nose syndrome is a fungus that pene-
trates bats’ nose, mouth and wing tissue causing dehydra-
tion and inability to maintain body temperature during
hibernation. Researchers estimate that the disease has
killed between 5 and 6 million bats, close to 80 percent of
northeastern bat populations since 2007.
Because bats are crucial to both agricultural and
natural systems, researchers are scrambling to find a cure
for the disease and prevent further spread. To that end,
the USFWS recently awarded $2.5 million in grants to
scientists studying white-nose syndrome. Forest Service
scientists received four grants totaling $410,690 from the
USFWS in September 2015. The grants will help research-
ers tackle this disease in four crucial areas: ➤ Using a native soil bacteria that limits the growth of the
fungus that causes white-nose syndrome; ➤ Analyzing the impact of ultra-violet light on the fungus that
causes white-nose syndrome; ➤ Understanding the vulnerability of tri-colored bats in the
southern United States to white-nose syndrome; ➤ Developing decontamination protocols that mitigate
human-based transmission of the fungus that causes
white-nose syndrome.
"Fungi and bats are among the most elusive species
on the planet, which makes white-nose syndrome a
particularly challenging disease to manage," said Michael
T. Rains, Director of the Forest Service's Northern Research
Station and the Forest Products Laboratory. "Forest Service
scientists have expertise on both and are working on a
variety of approaches to reduce the mortality of bats in
the face of this devastating disease. We are honored and
grateful for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's support of
this research."
A little brown bat with white muzzle typical of white-nose syndrome.
Winter – Spring 2016 13
forest news
Photo © G
reg Turner | USG
S.gov
Feeling “Taller” through VolunteeringBy Natalie Kuehler
Volunteering on a National Forest can be a great way to spend
the day outside with your children and foster their interest
in nature. With a little planning and forethought, volunteer
opportunities for your entire family abound: from building
trails and restoring campgrounds to helping care for wildlife.
You may worry that bringing your child, especially a
young one, will be disruptive, unproductive or simply not
fun. But after hosting several volunteer days on the NFF’s
Treasured Landscapes Majestic Methow campaign site on
the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, I have found
the opposite to be true: kids do a great job, and watching
a youngster bond with nature while volunteering lifts the
spirit of the entire group.
To get a child's perspective I spoke to eight-year-old
Sophia Baraibar, who participated in a trail restoration
party I organized.
Sophia’s most important piece of advice is to: “find
an activity that your child likes to do anyway.” She enjoys
hiking and pounding things into the ground, so marching
more than two miles to Blue Lake and hammering stakes
into the ground to rope off restoration areas proved a per-
fect fit. Sophia also advises: “it would not be good if you
just told your kids to come” to a volunteer event. Instead,
she says, “you have to give them enough details so that
the kids know why they are doing the work and that their
help is important.” Sophia really wanted to volunteer after
her mother explained that she would be: “protecting really
delicate plants up at Blue Lake that otherwise would have
died from people walking on them.”
Sophia pounding stakes to mark restoration areas.
14 Your National Forests
kids and nature
Tips to make sure your kids have fun and stay safe during restoration events
Safety FirstMake sure the event’s location and
activities are safe for children. This
includes safety during breaks or
playtime as children go exploring
throughout the day. Avoid activities
along big cliffs, near busy roads or
in areas known to be frequented by
animals like rattlesnakes.
SnacksPack plenty of snacks (Sophia recom-
mends: “enough protein—otherwise
you will be really hungry on the way
back,” while one parent I spoke to
simply said: “sugar!”).
ClothingPack warm clothes (especially layers)
and a spare set of clothes if there’s a
chance your child could get wet.
Make the hike in funIf you are hiking up to the event
location, think of fun activities to
do along the way: search for a frog
to kiss, count the switch-backs,
pretend to be a mountain goat or
simply identify different plants along
the way.
Be a good role modelThe most important thing you
may be doing while volunteering
with your family is not the actual
work itself, but planting a seed in
your child’s mind that this is their
forest too.
She also cautions against underestimating children and encourages adults
to find meaningful jobs for their kids. In addition to placing stakes, Sophia
enjoyed signing up all the volunteers at the beginning of the event. As the only
child there she had initially felt “really small.” Knowing that she was helping
meant she “didn’t have to be shy” and began to feel “taller.”
Sophia had such a good time at the event that she was “even thinking
about going on a hike on [her] birthday” the following week. As for volunteering
again—Sophia didn’t even have to think about that. “I will definitely go to the
next volunteer event,” she said, and immediately asked me to sign her up.
Working hard and safe.
Natalie spent the season as the NFF’s Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator on the
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest where she was sure to bring enough snacks to share with the many
volunteers who made this year's Majestic Methow projects such a success—and so much fun.
Winter – Spring 2016 15
Photos © N
atalie Kuehler
kids and nature
Icons in Stone and ReputationBy Ray A. Foote
Firefighting, timber, camping with friends and Smokey Bear are
often associated with the U.S. Forest Service. Favorite trails and
fishing spots or a passing glimpse of the classic ‘shield’ logo also
bring the century-old agency to mind.
Less well known are the historic sites the Forest
Service owns and cares for. Two such places stand out,
although they could not be more different from each
other: one, a grand château high above the Delaware River
in northeastern Pennsylvania, designed by an esteemed
Gilded Age architect and displaying fine European crafts-
manship. The other, 2,800 miles due west, a rustic but
grand lodge in Oregon’s Cascade Range built by federal
work crews during the depression and adorned by Native
American art and exquisite carving.
Respectively, Grey Towers and Timberline Lodge are
beloved American icons, each distinguished by their
designation as National Historic Landmarks, the top tier
of official recognition for historic significance. They also
share a deep and lasting tie to the Forest Service.
From Wallpaper to Well Managed ForestsBuilt to reflect its owners’ French roots, Grey Towers
was the imposing summer home of James Pinchot, a
wealthy wallpaper manufacturer and lumberman, and
his wife Mary Eno Pinchot. They hired renowned architect
Richard Morris Hunt to design a château-style mansion
set on extensive grounds, an estate that quickly became
the dominant feature of Milford, Pennsylvania, a small
town along the Delaware River. With 43 rooms and three
tremendous turreted towers, the landmark was built from
indigenous fieldstone and immediately became a gather-
ing place of the wealthy and important.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the opening of Timberline Lodge in 1937.
16 Your National Forests
Photo © Tim
berline Lodge
In 1875, when James Pinchot selected the site for his
estate, it was essentially a denuded hillside; only decades
later would it resemble today’s verdant appearance. That
would be true of much of the eastern United States. In
the late nineteenth century, these lands were utterly cut
over and simply left bare save hundreds of thousands of
stumps. Pinchot came to recognize the unsustainability of
such practices, even though they had personally enriched
his family, and he saw in his son Gifford an opportunity to
begin righting the extremes of his own generation.
"How would you like to be a forester?" James asked
Gifford, invoking a profession that didn’t even exist in
America at the time. Gifford later noted: "I had no more
conception of what it meant to be a forester than the man
in the moon....But at least a forester worked in the woods
and with the woods—and I loved the woods and every-
thing about them.” With no school of forestry in the U.S.,
Gifford enrolled in the French National School of Forestry
before returning home to attend the new Yale School of
Forestry, conveniently funded by his parents.
It was propitious that the tremendous château in Mil-
ford opened on the young Pinchot’s 21st birthday, an event
marked by the father presenting the son a copy of George Per-
kins Marsh’s Man and Nature: Earth as Modified by Human Action. Considered the
foundational text of a nascent conservation ethos, Marsh’s book made the case
that stewardship was essential to progress. This idea defined Pinchot’s vision
and career. In 1905, he was appointed by his friend Teddy Roosevelt as the first
Chief Forester of the brand new U.S. Forest Service. The Forest History Society
has noted that: “[Pinchot] had a strong hand in guiding the fledgling organi-
zation toward the utilitarian philosophy of the ‘greatest good for the greatest
number.’ Pinchot added the phrase ‘in the long run’ to emphasize that forest
management consists of long-term decisions.”
Grey Towers became the intellectual center of forest thought in the early
twentieth century. From 1901 to 1926 it was the primary summer fieldwork
location for the Yale School of Forestry. In 1903, the elder Pinchot started the
Milford Experimental Forest as a lab and learning site. Leading thinkers and
practitioners gathered to share ideas and questions about the rapidly growing
field of professional forestry, including coming to terms with the abusive and
unsustainable logging practices of the day.
Blacksmiths, Stonemasons and a “Magic Mile”Standing at 5,690 feet elevation, the literal timberline, the majestic lodge
of the same name was built by Works Progress Administration crews between
1936 and 1938 as part of the massive federal effort to jolt a depressed nation
back into economic health.
Gracing Mt. Hood National Forest an hour east of Portland, Oregon, Timberline
boasts a lobby with six stone fireplaces joined by a huge chimney rising 80
feet through the hexagonal room. Awed visitors enter through an 1,800-pound
Ponderosa pine front door and encounter carpentry, metalworking, masonry and
carving throughout. Some have referred to the lodge as a veritable museum of
uniquely American rustic decorative arts—table legs and Newell posts are carved
with beavers, rams and owls, wildlife all found in the surrounding forests.
Gifford Pinchot at his desk c. 1900.
Grey Tower's namesake turrets.
Winter – Spring 2016 17
Photos © D
aniel Case | com
mons.w
ikimedia.org; G
rey Towers H
istoric Association
unforgettable experiences
In 1935, lacking funds to hire a private architectural
firm, the Forest Service gave the task to a team of four
in-house architects led by Tim Turner. Each had grown up
in the Pacific Northwest and brought a strong sense of the
region’s innate character to their plans. By all accounts,
this team produced a world-class design suited to its
demanding climate, reflective of the ‘everyman’ ethos that
built it and respectful of the native heritage and ecological
history of the region.
The lodge and its leisure time offerings were some-
thing of an experiment in the Forest Service’s ability to
promote outdoor recreation. Franklin D. Roosevelt noted
that this “venture” project would “test the workability” of
the government’s ability to own and operate such places.
This flirtation didn’t last long as Timberline’s operations
were almost immediately contracted out to a private
concessionaire under a special use permit granted by the
Forest Service and have been thus ever since. Neverthe-
less, the ties with Mt. Hood National Forest were then and
remain integral to the resort.
While America’s downhill ski industry was in its
infancy in the 1930s, it was about to take off, in part
thanks to Timberline’s innovations. The year it opened,
the resort installed the “Magic Mile,” a mile-long chairlift
that ascended to 7,000 feet. Operational by 1939, the lift
opened up tremendous new recreational possibilities. It
was only the second passenger chairlift in the world; a
few years later, the resort opened an aerial tram to serve
growing crowds, though it closed in the 1950s.
A mere 17 years after opening, the entire celebrated
Timberline enterprise was on the rocks and ultimately
ceased operating. Within months of its closure, Oregon
businessman Richard L. Kohnstamm took over as the area
operator and dedicated the rest of his life to the landmark
resort, returning it to profitability and earning the sobri-
quet “the man who saved Timberline Lodge.” His son, Jeff
Kohnstamm, succeeds him as the area operator to this day.
Encounters with PresidentsEach of these sites bears a special relationship with a
U.S. President. Timberline owes its very existence to the
works program FDR put in place as one of many mech-
anisms to pull America out of the Great Depression. On
September 28, 1937, FDR’s 40-car motorcade ascended
Mt. Hood for the president to dedicate the new building.
That day, he reiterated the twin themes that define and
often stress the Forest Service even today: timber produc-
tion and recreation. First, he noted how future visitors
to Timberline could “visualize the relationship” between
National Forest lands and economic recovery. They would
“understand the part which National Forest timber will
play in the support of this important element of north-
western prosperity.”
Roosevelt also correctly presaged an era of growing
recreation on forest lands. “Those who will follow us to
Timberline Lodge on their holidays and vacations will
represent the enjoyment of new opportunities for play
in every season of the year.…Summer is not the only
time for play….[People] are going to come here for ski-
ing and tobogganing and various other forms of winter
sports.” Today, things have come full circle from Roos-
evelt’s time as U.S. ski resorts are rapidly retooling to offer
summertime activities (such as ziplines and mountain
biking) to balance their wintertime high season long dom-
inated by skiing. With more than 60 percent of western ski
areas on Forest Service lands, these changes also reflect
the ever evolving role of these public lands and their
multiple uses.
Twenty-six years, almost to the day, after FDR dedi-
cated Timberline, President John F. Kennedy visited Grey
Towers. With tiny Milford abuzz, the president heli-
coptered in for a brief ceremony to accept the Pinchot
family’s estate as a gift to the entire nation. On that early
fall day, Kennedy’s visit coalesced three notable events.
First, the official transfer of the mansion and 101 acres
18 Your National Forests
Photos © Library of C
ongress
unforgettable experiences
Ray is the NFF’s Executive Vice President. He lives in Fairfax, VA
and spends his free time playing jazz and blues piano and pursuing
outdoor photography. Reach him at [email protected].
of surrounding land to the Forest Service; second, the launch of a new Pinchot
Institute for Conservation Studies at Grey Towers, a nonprofit organization still
active today in forest policy and research; and finally, the kickoff of Kennedy’s
national “conservation tour.”
Over the next five days the president visited 11 states and made 15
speeches about the need to protect America’s natural resources. Kennedy’s
stumping for the environment was surprising; he had shown little interest to
date in the outdoors. Yet, Rachel Carson had published Silent Spring the prior
year, and national cognizance of early environmental issues was rising quickly.
The tour was Kennedy’s last major opportunity to summon the nation’s atten-
tion for conservation as he was assassinated two months later.
Pressing Forward with a Conservation MissionBoth Grey Towers and Timberline draw their character and reputation from
strong historical associations. Yet, each is also a vital agent in continuing to edu-
cate and inspire Americans to enjoy and protect their National Forests. Timber-
line welcomes two million people annually, actively informing guests about its
symbiotic relationship with the National Forest that rings it. Its birth as a public
works project and showcase of the richness of nearby flora and fauna give the
resort an intimate tie with the ongoing mission of the Forest Service.
Grey Towers’ tours, seminars and events focused on forest history, theory
and practice continually rekindle the questions Gifford Pinchot doggedly
pursued as America’s first chief forester. The place itself, a grand nineteenth
century gesture, bears witness to a legacy of seeking the most enlightened
approach to managing our forests. At the same time, Grey Towers represents
and embraces a remarkable sweep of changes in our understanding of forest
stewardship, changes that will certainly continue to unspool throughout the
twenty-first century.
Friends, Associations and Further Reading
Visitor information, additional
history and further resources are
easily available about both of these
historic sites, including from their
associated nonprofit partners.
Friends of Timberline
(friendsoftimberline.org), founded in
1975, is a nonprofit organization that
conserves Timberline Lodge, protects
its historical integrity and celebrates
its builders by raising funds and
coordinating community efforts.
The Grey Towers Heritage Asso-
ciation (greytowers.org) is a nonprofit
organization that provides tours,
programs, history, publications
and more. It works closely with
The Pinchot Institute (pinchot.org),
which provides nonpartisan
research, education and technical
assistance on the future of con-
servation and sustainable natural
resource management.
Char Miller’s Seeking the Greatest
Good: The Conservation Legacy of Gifford
Pinchot (Pittsburgh: University of
Pittsburgh Press, 2013) is the most
thorough history and examination
of Grey Towers’ coming into
public ownership and how its
mission today echoes Gifford Pin-
chot’s conservation ethos.
Both sites are open to the public.
Timberline Lodge (timberlinelodge.com)
is a full-service year-round resort.
Grey Towers is available for tours and
occasional educational programs.
CORPORATE PARTNERBoxed Water is planting one million trees on National Forests in the next five years. This year’s #ReTree campaign was overwhelming, and we’re excited to keep the momentum going and reach our goal by 2020.
Winter – Spring 2016 19
unforgettable experiences
WHERE RECREATION
REIGNS
Morning light hits Goat Falls in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
20 Your National Forests
A Different Kind of ParkBy Michelle Z. Donahue
Traversing the green and rolling terrain
of the ancient Allegheny Mountains
is reminiscent of riding giant ocean
swells. Cresting up and over each
successive ridgeline rewards the traveler with a
sweeping view of a lush, river-worn valley below
and the vista of the next sloping flank to come.
More valleys lay beyond, highlands rising and
falling in an even, steady flow, marching on into
the misty distance.
Until, suddenly, breaking that gentle rhythm, the pale and broken parapet
of the “Rocks” juts up through the tree line like the bleached bones of a dragon.
With my family, I’ve been through many a Mid-Atlantic dale and hollow,
but the journey to Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area on the Monongahela
National Forest took us into an area of West Virginia we hadn’t yet explored.
Despite being only three hours west of Washington, D.C., the verdant landscape
felt much more remote.
The area felt little different than any other federal land: the ubiquitous
brown sign with carved, yellow-painted lettering faithfully greets arriving vis-
itors. The region has an appropriately tousled quality, with little development
nearby. But subtle clues hint at your presence in a different kind of “park.”
Instead of the arrowhead emblem of the National Park Service, signs are
emblazoned with the tree-adorned shield of the Forest Service. A small cross-
roads hosts a motel, country store and outfitter that enjoy brisk business. Our
campground, well-appointed with leveled tent pads and tidy fire pits, is man-
aged by a contractor—though so seamlessly, it’s hard to tell.
When we arrived at our campsite in the middle of an impossibly bright Sep-
tember afternoon, the glowing full-face panorama of the Seneca Rocks crags
commanded our rapt attention. A group of campers from the D.C. area had
brought a telescope for nighttime stargazing, but in the meantime, pointed it at
the precipice, watching helmeted climbers rappel and ascend the rocks.
Congress Responds to Recreational DemandIn the late 1950s and early 1960s, Congress heatedly debated the merits of
establishing Wilderness Areas on public lands. As part of the process leading
up to 1964’s Wilderness Act, the federal Outdoor Recreation Resource Review
Commission identified a rapidly increasing urban demand for outdoor recre-
ational opportunities.
Subtle clues hint at your presence in a different kind of “park.”
Winter – Spring 2016 21
featured forest
Photo © Jay Krajic
increased local tourism and recreation opportunities.
And, of course, the geography should be picturesque,
a regionally significant landmark.
“The Forest Service is incredibly proud to manage
some of the world’s most treasured public landscapes,”
said Joe Meade, director of the Forest Service’s recreation,
heritage and volunteer resources. “Each of these iconic
NRAs have been recognized by Congress for their excep-
tional attributes. It is our intention to enhance steward-
ship and partnership alliances in support of all of these
places, to raise public awareness about their value, and
to increase staff and budget resources to help protect and
ensure their longevity for generations to come.”
“NRAs are generally very popular,” said Forest Service
chief landscape architect Matt Arnn, who helps NRA man-
agers retain and improve the essential
character of each place. “To be nomi-
nated and congressionally designated
means there has to be a strong local
regional constituency that works in
partnership with the Forest Service and
related interest groups to pursue that
designation. You need a fair amount of
support for that.”
Millions of People, Billions of Dollars
Though spending is down slightly
from earlier in the 2000s, likely due
to decreased spending nationwide
during the most recent recession, demand for recreational
resources continues to be high.
More than 6 million people are employed in recre-
ation-related industries, more than in finance, construc-
tion or transportation. The Outdoor Industry Alliance's
2012 report notes that Americans spent $646 billion on
recreation, netting state and federal governments a cool
$39 billion in tax revenue—each.
All but one of the group from our telescope-toting
neighbors at the Seneca Rocks campground had never
been to this particular recreation area before, but all
agreed that it was an attractive resource to have in such
relative proximity to the Washington suburbs, where
they all reside. But other than being aware they were in a
National Forest, none of the group realized they were in
specially designated area nested within that forest.
In response, a 1962 presidential advisory council
developed a set of criteria to allow for the designation of
specially managed natural areas intended primarily for
recreational use. Seneca Rocks, established in 1965, was
the first of what is now a system of 22 Forest Service-man-
aged NRAs (the National Park Service and Bureau of Land
Management manage additional NRAs as well). Following
a rush of set-asides through the 1980s and ‘90s, the Mount
Hood NRA was designated in 2009 and remains the most
recent NRA. Along with specially designated scenic areas,
trails, rivers, or volcanic areas, a National Recreation Area
designation requires an act of Congress.
As Diverse as the Continent’s GeographyThese recreation areas differ from other federal land
designations primarily in their
intended use: while management
of National Parks is focused on
preservation and conservation, and
National Forests are managed for
multiple resources, recreation is
emphasized in NRAs. In these areas,
hiking, camping, biking, climbing,
fishing, swimming, snowmobiling and
any other number of interests are not
only sanctioned but actively encour-
aged, though the specific mix of
activities differs from place to place.
The recreation areas are as
diverse as the continent’s geography.
From the smallest area, the 6,000 acre Pine Ridge NRA
in Nebraska, to the vast Sawtooth NRA in Idaho, encom-
passing an area nearly as large as Rhode Island, NRAs are
selected for their unique and exceptional attributes. Those
features need not necessarily be forest-related: Hells
Canyon NRA, in Oregon’s Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest, contains 15,000-year-old Native American petro-
glyphs; Arapaho NRA is known as the “great lakes” area of
Colorado for its five large reservoirs.
By design, NRAs are located within easy striking dis-
tance from cities. Each NRA is no more than 250 miles
from a major population center, and the guidelines
regulating creation of these recreation areas also man-
date that they should be relatively large, allowing for a
high carrying capacity of visitors. Additional preference
is given to areas that would economically benefit from
By design, National Recreation Areas are located within easy striking distance of cities.
Opposite: Rock climbers testing their skills at Seneca Rocks NRA.
22 Your National Forests
featured forest
“I always knew the difference between national parks and forest areas,” said
Garrett Hart, a former Navy pilot who now resides in the D.C. area. “In my head
I never really focused on what’s a national recreation area.”
Hart did add that he has always appreciated the wider freedom of activities
within National Forests. “It’s more wide open. On a lot of the lands, you can just
go in and use it.”
Steve Pezzetti, also part of the group, agreed, noting that he grew up trav-
eling National Forests extensively with his father, who worked for the Forest
Service for 46 years. Despite the heavy summertime use from the crowds who
visit from the Eastern seaboard, he noted the careful maintenance of the trails.
The group of friends expressed pleasant surprise at the range of activities avail-
able for visitors.
As we prepared to leave Seneca Rocks, my first-grader piped up from the
rear of our vehicle: “Are we going back to the tent now?” My preschooler,
ever her brother’s faithful parrot, added, “More tent?” Thus inaugurated, I am
cheered that both my children seem eager for more outdoor explorations like
what we found in the Monongahela.
Michelle often hikes Mary-
land's Catoctin Mountains with
her family and grapples with
the annual problem of too many
tomatoes from the garden. She
writes about science, culture and
technology for Smithsonian, SciArt
in America and others. Reach her at
Winter – Spring 2016 23
Photo © N
athan Smith
Ride & GroomSnowmobile Partnerships with States and ClubsBy Greg M. Peters
Few winter activities beat the rush of piloting a snowmobile across
a snowy landscape. Snowmobiles offer a fun and exhilarating way
to experience winter in all its glory. Whether following a perfectly
groomed trail or cutting tracks across a powder-laden slope,
snowmobilers relish their season.
National Forests from California to Vermont provide
some of the best snowmobiling opportunities in the
country. Thousands of miles of trails loop through these
forests, providing groomed networks that attract riders
from neighboring towns and far-flung locales.
So how does the Forest Service, which is notoriously
strapped for cash, manage to keep thousands of miles of
trails groomed and maintained for these cold weather
recreationists? Through creative multi-party partnerships.
A Growing SportIn the 1970s and 80s, advances in snowmobile technol-
ogy began attracting new enthusiasts to the sport. State
governments, tasked with regulating snowmobiles just like
any other motorized vehicle, required snowmobilers to reg-
ister their sleds, providing new recreation-based revenue.
At the same time, local enthusiasts began organizing clubs
and events to build community and find places to ride.
Many of these early trail systems followed snow-cov-
ered Forest Service roads in states like Washington,
Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota and Vermont. But
the agency didn’t have funding to cover grooming or trail
maintenance costs, so it began forming partnerships with
the states and the clubs.
States used the money from snowmobile registration
fees to provide grants to local clubs who in turn partnered
with the Forest Service to groom and maintain the trails.
Eventually, states recognized that snowmobilers were also
purchasing enough gas for their machines that a portion of
the state gas tax added to each gallon of gas could be dedi-
cated to maintaining and grooming trail systems as well.
These partnerships, refined and improved, are still at
work today, nearly four decades later.
Thousands of Miles, Hundreds of ClubsMinnesota offers what is perhaps the country’s largest
system of groomed trails—about 20,000 miles. On the
Superior National Forest, a network of 700 miles of trails
intersect with hundreds more trail miles on state, county
and private lands. The Forest partners directly with more
than a dozen clubs whose volunteers groom and maintain
the trails. These volunteers also help with signage, trail
inspections and trail planning efforts.
Although many of the clubs utilize volunteers to
operate grooming equipment, there are still hard costs
associated with grooming and maintaining the trail
systems. The State of Minnesota provides grants to the
clubs to offset these hard costs through their "Grant-In-
Aid" program. Because this form of winter recreation is so
important to the remote towns that border this sprawling
forest in northern Minnesota, the Superior does provide
some money to the state to help support the grooming
programs. A 2005 study by the University of Minnesota’s
Tourism Center estimated the direct snowmobiling-re-
lated expenditures of residents and non-residents at a
whopping $199.6 million. Of this, $78.6 million was spent
on travelling to snowmobiling destinations. While not all
of this is directly related to National Forest opportunities,
these lands do play a critical role in supporting local econ-
omies during the long Minnesota winters.
In Washington, the program is pretty similar. The
Washington State Parks department provides the funding,
24 Your National Forests
unforgettable experiences
but it doesn’t only go to local clubs. The Parks department
also works with private contractors who groom trails and
plow parking lots. In a few cases, where a specific Forest or
District has grooming equipment, the state provides funds
to cover the costs of using that equipment. Regardless
of whether it’s a club, a contractor or the Forest Service
doing the grooming, oversight and enforcement are ulti-
mately the responsibility of the Forest Service. Although
here too, partnerships help share the burden.
State game wardens and department of natural resource
law enforcement officers help the Forest Service patrol
trail networks and parking lots for unregistered snowmo-
biles, folks operating snowmobiles under the influence of
drugs or alcohol and riders violating access regulations.
In Montana, where there are 4,000 miles of snowmobile
trails across the state and 26 different snowmobiling clubs,
these partnerships have grown to support Nordic skiing
opportunities as well. On the Idaho-Montana border, snow-
mobilers and Nordic skiers utilize separate trail systems
that start at the Lolo Pass Visitor center. In 2014, the local
“SnoGoers” snowmobile club that grooms the motorized
trails agreed to use its state-provided grant funding (with
funding contributed by the Nordic ski club as well) to
groom the Nordic ski trails because the local Nordic club’s
grooming machine no longer worked. This unique partner-
ship provides both motorized and non-motorized recre-
ationists an opportunity to enjoy their respective sports.
Without these self-funded programs in place, oppor-
tunities for zipping off into the wintery woods would be
limited. Importantly, very little federal money is spent
maintaining these systems. In fact, little state money
is spent either, as the registration and gas tax revenues
cover the cost of administering the programs.
The next time you consider riding a snowmobile
through a National Forest, remember the multiple groups
that work together to make your ride possible. From local
snowmobile clubs who spend long, dark hours grooming
trails to the state parks officials who manage the grant
programs that support the grooming to the Forest Service
officials who ensure public safety, there’s a strong network
of partners who provide the opportunity to zip through
dense forests and open snow-filled meadows.
Greg is the NFF’s Communication Director. When he’s not lost in a mountain of paperwork at his desk,
Greg enjoys skiing, hiking, canoeing and getting home after dark. Reach him at [email protected].
CORPORATE PARTNERMillerCoors is pleased to be supporting the NFF’s watershed restoration efforts on the Angeles National Forest, helping return water back to the natural systems that depend on it.
Winter – Spring 2016 25
Photo © M
lenny | istock.com
unforgettable experiences
Growing up in El Monte, I never knew the name of the
mountains outside my mom’s car window. Like a cardboard
backdrop for a movie, they seemed distant, hard to reach and
almost two-dimensional. In fact, for the first 22 years of my
life, I never even stepped foot there.
When I was young, my concept of the outdoors was
simple: I ventured in my backyard and the grass fields
at school. That was it. But that was enough for me at
that time. My love for the outdoors blossomed thanks
to my grandma. Oftentimes, the two of us would sit on
a swinging bench under our jujube tree as she shared
stories about her life in Cambodia and Vietnam. It became
a space for storytelling, our small and cozy backyard.
When she arrived in America more than two decades
ago, she planted several fruit trees as a form of good luck:
kumquats, oranges, lemons and more. Starting as small
shrubs, they’ve grown alongside us and still stand today,
reaching toward the sky with branches outstretched.
When I moved back home after college, I found it
difficult to immerse in nature like I had as a kid. I had
studied environmental science and public health, learning
the importance of public green space. Suddenly, home
didn’t feel as hospitable as I’d remembered. Instead, home
felt like a case study I’d read about in a research paper
in college. El Monte, like most cities in the San Gabriel
Valley region, is park-poor, which means that there are
fewer than three acres of open space per 1,000 residents.
El Monte is also a predominantly working class immi-
grant community, and it suffers from one of the highest
childhood obesity rates in LA County. The connection was
obvious: without enough green space to play in, how could
youth lead active, healthy lives?
Eager to address these health disparities in my
hometown, I started working for a local public health
non-profit called Day One. As part of my work, I educate
high school students, or youth advocates, about the
importance of nutrition and physical activity. During a
meeting, one of our students suggested hiking. And after
a quick online search, I saw a huge area of green merely
This past fall, the NFF sponsored a blog contest to celebrate local community
connections to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument outside of Los
Angeles. We are pleased to feature the winning and runner-up entries here.
Car Window MountainsBy Amy J. Wong
26 Your National Forests
Photo © A
my J. W
ong
voices from the forest
a half hour’s drive away. I had finally
discovered the name of the moun-
tain range always in the background
of the car window, the San Gabriel
Mountains. And I was determined to
go there.
Last November, my friends
and I decided to hike with our
youth advocates in the San Gabriel
Mountains. None of our students
had ever explored the mountains
before either. The timing could not have been more per-
fect—President Obama had just declared the mountains
a National Monument that October. What better way to
celebrate than to hike the mountains? Carpooling up the
winding one-lane highway to the mountains, we watched
the landscape transition from a concrete city to luscious
greenery and mountainous peaks.
Breathing in fresh, crisp fall air, we gradually made
our way to the top of Vetter Mountain. Along the trail,
we enjoyed seeing bits of frost melting on fallen logs and
identified native plants like yucca and white sage. Our
youth advocates expressed genuine excitement through-
out the hike, and as we took the final steps toward the top
of the peak, we all felt a strong sense
of accomplishment. We took a moment
to soak in glorious 360 degree views
of the San Gabriels—away from busy
highways, smoggy air, billboards and
the commotion of the city. It was just
us, the mountains and the blue sky.
Simple.
We all visit the outdoors for dif-
ferent reasons: as a place to tell our
stories, as a place to escape from city
life and as a revolutionary act of reclaiming our roots.
Experiencing the San Gabriel Mountains can be a cathar-
tic remedy for park-poor, low-income communities of
color in the San Gabriel Valley who don’t have local parks
to relax in. By increasing access to these open spaces,
residents can enjoy an improved quality of life, health
and happiness. Now that the San Gabriel Mountains have
become a National Monument, I hope there will be ongo-
ing education and outreach to our communities, so that
future generations can create their own meaning of the
outdoors. This way, our children’s children can grow up
knowing the name of, and hopefully stepping foot in, the
mountains outside their car windows.
Amy J. Wong is a first-generation Asian American passionate about the intersectionality
of public health and environmental justice, follow her on Twitter: @sunlightleak.
Without…green space to play in, how could youth lead active, healthy lives?
Amy and friends on top of Mt. Vetter.
Winter – Spring 2016 27
voices from the forest
Photo © D
avid Koo
As a young Latina from Southeast Los Angeles, I never had
the opportunity to visit the San Gabriel Mountains. The
mountains were such a familiar surrounding yet very
unknown territory. I grew up seeing the mountains everyday
but knew very little about the natural landscape that surrounds concrete
Los Angeles. Until very recently, I didn’t know the mountains actually had
a name, other than “las montañas,” as my family affectionately called
them. I never learned about the San Gabriel Mountains in school and
never had the chance to explore this huge forest in Los Angeles’ backyard.
When I decided to take my first hike in the San Gabri-
els, I honestly didn’t know where to start. I turned to Goo-
gle knowing I could find an endless amount of informa-
tion. After some searching, I decided to go to the Chantry
Flats Picnic area and hike a portion of the Gabrielino trail.
I took my sister, cousin and friend hoping we could find
Sturtevant Falls. None of us had much experience in the
San Gabriel Mountains, so it was great to explore together!
It took about an hour on three different freeways
to get from Lynwood to the Adams Pack Station that
Saturday morning. After parking, we quickly headed
towards the Gabrielino trail and started to make our way
towards Sturtevant Falls. As we made our way up the trail,
I couldn’t help but wonder why it took me so long to visit
the San Gabriel Mountains.
Unknown TerritoryBy Nance Negrete
28 Your National Forests
Photos © N
ance Negrete
voices from the forest
Until a couple years ago, my dad was the only one in our family who drove
and because of his long work hours, we didn’t have the opportunity to take a
family trip to the mountains. The closest we ever got to the San Gabriels was
Montebello, so even traveling on the 210 freeway was somewhat unfamiliar to
me. I also realized I never took advantage of school fieldtrips and lost an oppor-
tunity to learn more about such an important part of the environment. Now I
understand that the San Gabriel Mountains were always available for me, but I
just didn’t have the time, money or resources to access them.
I hope that we can do better to make sure that everyone has the ability to
visit the San Gabriels—especially children who see the mountains every day
and have a deep desire to explore them. When President Obama dedicated the
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014, he stated that “Too many
children…especially children of color, don’t have access to parks where they
can run free, breathe fresh air, experience nature and learn about their envi-
ronment. This is an issue of social justice.” The San Gabriel Mountains serve
a very large city and it is important that everyone—especially underserved
communities—be given the opportunity and resources to learn and have fun in
the mountains.
While hiking towards the Falls I didn’t see any signs indicating I was within
the boundaries of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. One of my
main goals was to visit the National Monument, and I hope that Congress will
soon act to expand the National Monument boundaries—making it easier and
more accessible for anyone to get to.
Signs or not, hiking the Gabrielino trail to Sturtevant Falls was a very beau-
tiful experience, and I hope to inspire others from my community to take more
trips to the San Gabriels.
On our drive home, I told my sister that one of my fondest memories of see-
ing the mountains every day was the snow covered peaks. If winter ever returns
to Los Angeles, I hope that on my next trip I’ll visit the National Monument with
the rest of my family, so that we can all experience a little bit of snow.
Nancy Negrete is a native and resident of Lynwood in
Southeast Los Angeles, a graduate of Wellesley College and is
currently the Program Manager at The City Project.
It is important that everyone…be given the opportunity and resources to learn and have fun in the mountains.
Opposite: The author and her friends at Sturtevant Falls.
CORPORATE PARTNERREI is pleased to support the NFF’s efforts to expand recreation opportunities in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and restore National Forests impacted by fire.
Winter – Spring 2016 29
voices from the forest
Veterans and StudentsMake a Difference on the Lincoln National ForestBy Greg M. Peters
Riudoso, New Mexico may not be among the country’s most
famous ski towns. It lays deep in the southwest corner of New
Mexico, closer to Roswell than to Taos, New Mexico’s better
known ski resort. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t great skiing
at Ski Apache, just a 30 minute-drive out of town. And it hasn’t stopped
the resort, which is owned and operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe,
from becoming one of the NFF’s best Ski Conservation Fund (SCF) partners.
Donations from guests staying at the Resort and at the
Tribe’s Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino have
generously supported the SCF program since 2008.
Together, we’ve been able to
support a series of restoration proj-
ects that have helped the Lincoln
National Forest recover from wildfire,
improve watersheds and recreation
opportunities while connecting with
students and veterans.
In the fall of 2014, a Veterans
Fire Corps Crew (part of the Arizona
Conservation Corps) comprised of six
post-911 veterans worked on several
hundred acres of the Lincoln. They
felled hazard trees, installed 94 log
terraces to improve water quality
and reduce erosion, conducted
prescribed burning and spread more
than 500 pounds of native grass seed
on an area impacted by 2012’s Little Bear Fire. The crew
learned valuable sawyer skills, prescribed burning tech-
niques and gained valuable conservation work experience.
The crew’s excellent work prompted the Forest Service
to highlight their efforts and outcomes. According to Sean
Donaldson, wilderness technician on the Smokey Bear
Ranger District, “Based on the work that the Veterans crew
established, this project was selected
as one of the seven projects the forest
reported on for meeting the National
Best Management Practice targets.”
In addition to the Veterans Fire
Corps work, Ski Apache’s partnership
with the NFF supported three other
high-value projects on the Lincoln this
past summer.
The nonprofit conservation group,
EcoServants, rerouted and rehabilitated
mountain biking and hiking trails that
connect the Village of Ruidoso to the
Lincoln National Forest. With the help
of youth crews and AmeriCorps mem-
bers, EcoServants rehabilitated miles
of user-created trails and rerouted and
expanded multiple-use trails to improve safety and user
experience. The effort is part of a sustainable trails plan
first outlined in 2010 to make Ruidoso and the Lincoln a
mountain biking destination.
Interns helped maintain more than 200 miles of trail, 13 trailheads, and three developed campgrounds.
30 Your National Forests
ski conservation fund
In 2004, the Peppin Fire rendered many trails through the popular Capitan
Wilderness Area on the Lincoln impassable. Downed trees and hazardous con-
ditions prevented hikers and stock trains from accessing the Wilderness. The
Arizona Conservation Corps stationed crews in the Wilderness for five-to-seven
day-long stints to clear roughly ten miles of trails. This work will provide hikers
and stock users renewed opportunity to access the majestic Capitan Wilder-
ness Area after a decade-long hiatus resulting from the 2004 fire.
Longtime NFF partner, the Student Conservation Association also worked
throughout the summer, placing two wilderness interns and two wildlife
interns in two popular Wilderness Areas on the Smokey Bear Ranger District
of the Lincoln. In addition to meeting more than 500 visitors and providing
Wilderness, Leave No Trace and wildlife education, the interns also helped
maintain more than 200 miles of trail, 13 trailheads, two day-use sites, three
developed campgrounds and numerous dispersed camping areas.
The NFF’s Ski Conservation and Forest Stewardship Fund programs support
this type of work across the country every year. While we’re highlighting the
work accomplished in New Mexico, guests at lodges from Washington to New
Hampshire can add a dollar to their room night to support projects like these in
their backyard forest.
For a current list of the NFF's Ski Conservation and Forest Stewardship
Fund partners, please visit is.gd/ynf_013
Greg is the NFF’s Communication Director. When he’s not
lost in a mountain of paperwork at his desk, Greg enjoys skiing,
hiking, canoeing and getting home after dark. Reach him at
Felling hazard trees.
Veterans Fire Corps member clearing deadfall.
Winter – Spring 2016 31
Photos © A
rizona Conservation C
orps
ski conservation fund
Answer from page 3: Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri
This National Forest is named for a beloved American author.
Missouri’s only National Forest, the Mark Twain National
Forest, spans nearly 1.5 million acres. Most of the Forest
is in the Ozark Highlands, an old landscape that features
caves, volcanic mountains and perennial springs. On your
next visit, bring along a canoe or kayak and explore the Eleven Point
National Scenic River, which Congress established as a National Scenic
River in 1968. The 44-mile float is free of impoundments and meanders
through steep bluffs, alternating between rapids and clear pools. Other
popular places on the Mark Twain include Greer Spring and the Glade Top
Trail National Scenic Byway.
Learn more at www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf
32 Your National Forests
Photo © Bhanu Tadinada | flickr.com
where in the woods
NFF CELEBRATES22 YEARS OF SPORTING CLAYS
PLEASE JOIN US MAY 6-7, 2016 FOR THE 22nd ANNUAL SPORTING CLAYS INVITATIONAL.
Contact Emily Struss at [email protected] to learn more about participating or sponsoring a team.
Our special thanks go out to last year’s sponsors:
EVENT SPONSORSPAUL & SONIA JONES
CRAIG & BARBARA BARRETTBNY MELLON
WEALTH MANAGEMENTMAX CHAPMAN
CURIOSITY STREAMINTERMEDIA OUTDOORS /
SPORTSMAN CHANNEL FRITZ & ADELAIDE
KAUFFMANN FOUNDATIONPOLARIS
SIRIUS FUNDWATERFRONT NY
RANDY & CATHY WEISENBURGER
STATION SPONSORSBAILEY FOUNDATION
DAVID BELLBETTERIDGE JEWELERS
BOWERY CAPITALROBINS ISLAND FOUNDATION
WILLIAM J. POSSIELTHE VIRGINIA SPORTSMAN
The NFF’s Annual Sporting Clays Invitational is a great opportunity to connect with friends and celebrate all that America’s National Forests provide.
We invite you and your company to join us next May for the 22nd Annual Sporting Clays Invitational in upstate New York.
For the past 21 years, many generous sponsors and friends of the National Forest Foundation have gathered for a memorable shoot in New York. This event is a vital fundraiser for the NFF’s conservation mission and we are deeply grateful for the participation and generosity of all.
Help Protect America’s Backyard
Join the hundreds of thousands of Americans who help care for our National Forests. Find out where to play, stay up-to-date
on conservation news and receive insider tips.
nationalforests.org