Your National Forests - Winter/Spring 2013

“ Plow and Hearth’s partnership with the NFF has been a great success! The NFF has been easy and professional to work with and our customers love to help restore and protect our National Forests.”

~ Lynn Gore, VP of Marketing, Plow & Hearth

CORPORATE TREE-PLANTING: PARTNERSHIPS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Planting trees on National Forests is a gift that provides benefits for generations to come. Trees clean the air, produce oxygen and sequester carbon dioxide. They protect watersheds for the 123 million Americans who depend on our National Forests for drinking water. Healthy forests also sustain critical habitat for diverse wildlife and enhance our cherished outdoor recreation pursuits.

Through corporate tree-planting partnerships, companies can team up with the National Forest Foundation to restore America’s public lands. In addition to revitalizing our forests, tree-planting provides companies with tangible conservation results to share with customers. The NFF works with each corporate partner to develop engaging communications strategies to recognize their impressive environmental commitment.

www.nationalforests.org

To learn more about the National Forest Foundation’s corporate tree-planting partnerships, contact: Wes Swaffar, Ecosystem Services Program Manager

406-830-3356 • wswaffar@nationalforests.org or visit: www.nationalforests.org

Do you love unplugging from the world and wandering in the woods?

You’re not alone. Join the thousands of Americans who help care for our National Forests. We invite you to say informed and get involved.

THERE’S MORE TWEETING IN THE FOREST THAN JUST THE BIRDS!

Receive National Forest news and updates via Twitter, Facebook or delivered right to your inbox. Become a Friend of the Forest and learn how you can care for our National Forests and all they provide.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at:

www.facebook.com/nationalforestfoundation www.twitter.com/nationalforests Sign up for free tree-mail TM at:

www.nationalforests.org

INSIDE THIS EDITION Photo © Aaron Teasdale

INTRODUCTIONS 4 Welcome

An American Tradition

DEPARTMENTS 5 Volunteer Perspective Young workers take on prairie restoration

6 Forest News

Updates from our National Forests

8 Tree Spotlight

Nature’s clones endure through the ages

16 Field Reports

National Forest Foundation and partners in action

24 Where in the Woods

What National Forest is this?

26 Corporate Partners

Companies team up with NFF to be good stewards

28 Voices from the Forest Reflections on the Annual Plein Air Paint Out

30 Ski Conservation Fund

Partners make it easy to give back to your National Forests

32 Forest Perspectives

Mt. Washington ski pioneers

10

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS Official Magazine of the National Forest Foundation

Unforgettable Experiences

Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Schoonen

Backcountry skiing in western Montana

The National Forest Foundation engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System, and administers private gifts of funds and land for the benefit of the National Forests.

2

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

Contributors Hannah Ettema, Patty Gifford, Greg Peters, Darcy Poletti-Harp, William J. Possiel, Stuart Pritchard, Jennifer Schoonen, Wes Swaffar Graphic Artist David Downing, Old Town Creative Communications, LLC

Business Development Jennifer Schoonen 406-542-2805, x. 3354

INSIDE THIS EDITION Photos © Erin Paul Donovan / ScenicNH.com; Eneri LLC / iStockphoto.com

21

Conservation

Do you know where your water comes from?

25

Kids & Nature

Overcoming the winter blahs

18

Treasured Landscapes

White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire

NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION

Building 27, Suite 3, Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406-542-2805

We welcome your letters and feedback, however, we cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or materials. © 2012 National Forest Foundation and Old Town Creative Communications, LLC. No unauthorized reproduction of this material is allowed.

ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO

© Craig Moore / GlacierWorld.com Backcountry skier Brad Biolo skins into the upper Beehive Basin in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness in the Gallatin National Forest near Big Sky, Montana.

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.

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

3

WELCOME

AN AMERICAN

TRADITION

By Bill Possiel, NFF President

I love the historic aspects of working on the challenge of stewarding “America’s Backyard,” the National Forest System.

There are larger than life characters like Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, Ed Pulaski, and the many legends of Forest Service lore who gave credence to the “romance of the ranger.” And then there are the figures who literally shaped what we know as conservation today, like Aldo Leopold and Arthur Carhart. One individual you don’t hear much about is John W. Weeks and frankly, I feel a little late in telling this story since last year was the 100th Anniversary of the Weeks Act. Last fall, at the peak of fall foliage in New England, I was inspired by the landscape of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), and had the pleasure of learning more about what inspired John Weeks to work so hard to protect these lands. I was in New Hampshire to announce one of our newest Treasured Landscapes campaign sites. As addressed in this issue, Tropical Storm Irene arrived in New England on Aug. 28, 2011, bringing torrential rain and extensive flooding, and resulting in millions of dollars in damage to the WMNF. In October 2012, the National Forest Foundation announced that we would work with the Forest Service and local,

4

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

community-based organizations to help restore impacted areas following the storm.

In preparing for the event, I read about the history of the WMNF and the role that civil society played in creating it. Growing up surrounded by New Hampshire forests in his hometown of Lancaster had influenced a congressman from Massachusetts, John W. Weeks. Weeks saw the devastation of human impacts in Eastern forests and worked with Philip Ayres of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests to advance legislation resulting in 45 National Forests being created in the Eastern United States.

The congressman’s Weeks Act led to the creation of most eastern National Forests, including the WMNF in 1918.

The story is remarkable in so many ways.

The Honorable Sherman Adams, assistant to the President, said it best at the 75th anniversary of the Weeks Act: “It was not born of the U.S. Forest Service, or Gifford Pinchot, or Philip Ayres and his Society.

It was rather a coalescence of the public interest in natural resource protection and management, and the public concern over forest depletion, and the public appreciation of the unique array of goods and services which emanate from the forest.”

This strikes at the very nature of the democratic process and the role of civil society—bridging the public and private sectors in passing on a legacy of sound stewardship. It also clearly illustrates why the National Forest System is referred to as “the people’s lands.”

The challenges of passing on our forest legacy are very different today, but certainly the challenges of restoration following storms like Irene, reforestation after severe forest fires, and responsibly managing the forest systems that provide so much of our nation’s fresh water are as important to address as ever. Equally important is the leadership of our elected officials and the work of organizations like the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, one of our partners on the WMNF Treasured Landscapes site. Of course, this work is only possible when we have public appreciation of the unique array of values that emanate from our forests. And for that we turn to you, to help us continue an American tradition!

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

National Forest Foundation Building 27, Suite 3, Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406-542-2805 William J. Possiel, President Mary Mitsos, Vice President Jennifer Schoonen, Vice President Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Chairman, John Hendricks Founder and Chairman, Discovery Communications Inc. (MD)

Vice Chairman, Craig R. Barrett CEO/Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation, Retired (AZ) Vice Chairman, David Bell Creative Realities and gyro (NY) Treasurer, Bradley K. Johnson CAO, CFO, Recreational Equipment Inc., Retired (UT) Secretary, Timothy Proctor Schieffelin Source Capital Group Inc., JSBO Realty & Capital Inc. (CT) Committee Member, Peter Foreman Sirius LP (IL) Committee Member, Thomas Tidwell Ex-Officio, Chief, USDA Forest Service (DC) Mike Brown Jr., Founder & Partner, AOL Ventures (NY); Coleman Burke, President, Waterfront Properties (NY); Blaise Carrig, President, Mountain Division, Vail Resorts Inc. (CO); Robert Cole, Partner, Collins Cockrel & Cole P.C. (CO); Bart Eberwein, Executive Vice President, Hoffman Construction Co. (OR); Robert Feitler, Chairman, Executive Committee, Weyco Group Inc. (IL); Barry Fingerhut, CEO/Owner, Certification Partners LLC (AZ); Lee Fromson, Senior VP Merchandising, Recreational Equipment Inc. (WA); Roje Gootee, Rush Creek Ranch (OR); Damien Huang, Senior VP Merchandising, Eddie Bauer Inc. (WA); Jeff Paro, CEO, InterMedia Outdoors (NY); Patricia Hayling Price, President, LiveWorkStrategize LLC (NY); Jack Sahl, Ph.D., Director, Environment & Resource Sustainability, Southern California Edison (CA); Susan Schnabel, Managing Director, Credit Suisse (CA); Mary Smart, New Rochelle (NY); Chad Weiss, Managing Partner, JOG Capital Corp. (WY); James Yardley, Houston (TX) The official magazine of the National Forest Foundation, Your National Forests magazine, is published twice yearly by Old Town Creative Communications LLC and the National Forest Foundation. Copyright © 2012 Your National Forests Magazine, Old Town Creative Communications LLC and National Forest Foundation. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Printed in U.S.A. on 100% recycled paper containing 30% post-consumer content and using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and processes that adhere to the highest social and environmental standards.

Please recycle or pass on to a friend.

Volunteer Perspective A youth crew from North Lawndale College Prep High School in Chicago helped restore tallgrass prairie.

“It’s like a wilderness out here.” These were some of the first words overheard as the crew from North Lawndale College Prep High School in Chicago disembarked for their first day of work at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The crew of eight students, two student mentors and a faculty leader was recruited by the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to work on projects at the U.S. Forest Service unit located 50 miles southwest of Chicago.

“As part of the National Forest Fo un d a ti o n’s Treasured Landscapes campaign, we have made it a priority to connect urban residents and youth to our spectacular National Forest System,” said NFF President Bill Possiel. “Thanks to a generous donor, we were able to give a team of high school youth from the Chicago area the chance to help transform Midewin, while they gain a better appreciation for our forests and grasslands.”

Job opportunities on public lands are crucial to expose young people, particularly urban and minority youth, to the natural environment and reveal pathways toward conservation careers. It is widely recognized that nature-based outdoor experiences promote mental and physical health, strengthen communities, build connections to the land, and, ultimately, nurture the next generation of land stewards.

In the eastern United States, public lands are often no more than an abstract concept. The Midewin urban youth program allowed these Chicago high school students to understand their connection to and give back to their public lands.

Midewin offers a unique opportunity for youth to gain valuable education and professional experience, while making tangible and lasting contributions to the health of a natural landscape with a rich history.

Working in tough record heat conditions last summer, the North Lawndale students performed a variety of tasks to support the health and restoration of Midewin National Tallgrass

Young workers take on

prairie restoration

By Hannah Ettema

Prairie. They tracked and documented bug populations, measured grass growth, studied bird nesting sites, planted native grasses and forbs, and removed invasive weeds throughout their tenure at Midewin.

As young adults who have not yet decided on a career or field of study, the students left Midewin with a lasting impression. One student, Caprisha Treadwell, originally planned to study environmental engineering but is now considering environmental science and applying for the Peace Corps after college.

The students, current and recent graduates, were inspired to be involved in the project by an environmental science class they took. Their concern about the environment was heightened as they learned that some of them live in food deserts and they realized the lack of green space in their own neighborhoods. “This experience has been great for me because I got to do hands-on activities with the environment and it opened my eyes to the beautiful wildlife,” said crew member Joy Carpenter.

Students also had the opportunity to learn more about the unusual history of Midewin. Evidence of the Joliet Arsenal can be seen today across the landscape with dozens of ammunition bunkers rising www.nationalforests.org

n

above the grasses. Treadwell said, “At first I didn’t know what the buildings were; they were huge.” During their first days on the job, Treadwell and the other students toured Midewin and learned of the Joliet Arsenal’s history.

In 2011 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was named as a restoration site under NFF’s Treasured Landscapes campaign. The focus of the NFF’s work there is to restore native tallgrass prairie— an ecosystem that has diminished to just a fraction of its original extent. Midewin spans 19,000 acres of land carved out of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant located about 10 miles south of Joliet, Ill. Once a bustling industrial site, the prairie is now in the process of returning to its tallgrass glory, harboring a growing diversity of wildlife along with trails and interpretive facilities for visitors from across the nation.

“Having the National Forest Foundation facilitate bringing the North Lawndale College Prep High School crew to work at Midewin is a great opportunity for all,” said Wade Spang, Midewin Prairie supervisor.

“It provides opportunities for Chicago youth to experience the great outdoors and helps the U.S. Forest Service to make important connections into Chicago.”

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

5

Forest

News Photos © Binkski Art / iStockphoto.com; nasa.gov

More Americans Enjoying Wildlife-Related Recreation With the recent release of the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced that 38 percent of Americans 16 and older participated in wildlife-related recreation in 2011. These 90 million people spent $145 billion on equipment, triprelated expenses, land ownership/leasing, and conservation. Once again, the survey has demonstrated that outdoor recreation and wildlife-related activities are a critical part of the nation’s economy, representing one percent of the gross domestic product.

“Wildlife-associated recreation not

only sustains our spirit and connects us to each other and the natural world, but also provides significant financial support for wildlife conservation in our nation’s economy,” wrote FWS Director Dan Ashe in the report’s opening. “This spending supports thousands of jobs in industries and businesses connected to fishing , hunting and the observance of wildlife.”

The largest sector of wildlife recreation is comprised of people who photograph and observe wildlife. In 2011, 71.8 million people spent $55 billion on these activities.

Another 37 million people took part in hunting and fishing, with both activities

seeing increases in participation in 2011.

Hunters and anglers spent $90 billion on their pursuits in 2011, funding that gives back to wildlife conservation in many ways. Excise taxes on equipment sales as well as license sales directly support wild l ife mana g ement and habitat conservation programs.

Overall 28 states saw increases in the number of wildlife-related recreationists in the last five years, with Texas claiming the highest numbers. The states benefiting from the hig hest spending throug h wildlife-related recreation include Florida, Wisconsin and New York.

Smokey Bear

Heads into Space

Last May, NASA astronaut Joe Acaba got the opportunity to choose a talisman and zero-gravity indicator when he joined a Russian space flight to the International Space Station. His selection may be one of America’s most recognizable mascots, but the Russian crew members weren’t sure what to think of the blue-jeans-wearing bear.

Acaba’s selection of Smokey Bear to float above the spacecraft’s control panel came after a life connected to the outdoors. “It was a gift that was given to me by a friend of mine who works for the U.S. Forest

6

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

Service,” Acaba said. An avid outdoorsman, Acaba is a former schoolteacher and served as an environmental education provider while in the Peace Corps.

Traditionally, the Soyuz’s Russian commander provides a doll—often chosen by a child—to mark the moments when the craft reaches orbit. For this very special flight, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka handed over that honor to Acaba.

Not only did Smokey earn a oncein-a-lifetime trip to space, he also celebrated his 68th birthday on August 9 while in orbit.

Forest

News

Photos © Shaun Lowe Photographic / iStockphoto.com; West by Sou’ West Photography / iStockphoto.com

2012 Wildfires Prove Costly More than $1 bil l ion . That ’s the staggering bill tallied this year by the U.S. Forest Service to fight wildfires. As the traditional fire season wound down last fall, the economic and ecological toll proved to be overwhelming. Large fires began early this year due to a mild winter and dry spring in places like Colorado and New Mexico. And they lasted well into October, with smoke hanging in places like Montana’s Bitterroot Valley at a time when residents typically expect the first snowfall.

As of early October, 8,842,000 acres had burned—far exceeding the 10-year average of 6.7 million acres per year.

Not only did this year’s fires cover vast swaths of ground, but they were some of the most destructive ever. Runaway blazes like the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs and the High Park fire near Ft. Collins combined to burn more than 600 homes in Colorado.

Trends of longer dry weather spells related to climate change fueled the 2012 f ire sea son . Thoug h nearly impossible to predict, future fire seasons are likely to present similar challenges.

To help curb the threat, the Forest Service hopes for an expanded budget for clearing out brush and debris and thinning overgrown forests.

Tough News for

Pancake Lovers

Last fall, President Barack Obama designated Chimney Rock as a national monument, the seventh monument to be managed by the U.S. Forest Service and one of 103 national monuments protected for Americans. Chimney Rock National Monument sits on 4,726 acres of Colorado’s San Juan National Forest and is bordered by the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.

Roughly 1,000 years ago, the Ancestral Pueblo people built more than 200 homes and ceremonial buildings high above the valley floor. Today, peregrine falcons nest on the cliffs and soar over the ancient structures and forested slopes, framed by the craggy peaks of the San Juan Mountains.

U.S. Forest Service research indicates that climate change will affect habitat suitability for maple trees, threatening the multi-million dollar maple syrup industry.

Changes in climate have already had an impact on the iconic sugar maple trees of the northeastern United States.

Flow of maple sap, which is boiled down to make syrup, is controlled by alternately freezing and thawing cycles in the late winter. Maple trees also rely on snowpack during this time to protect their roots from freezing.

Climate stressors may decrease the availability of maple syrup or shift production northward by the end of the next century because of direct changes in temperature, decreases in snowpack or increases in weather disturbances such as ice storms.

“Climate change will produce winners and losers geographically. Folks who retrieve sap from maple trees in the far northeastern region will get a longer sap flow season while those in the southeastern regions will see a reduction,” said Dave Cleaves, climate change advisor for the Forest Service.

www.nationalforests.org

n

A study conducted by the Forest Service and Cornell University examined the relationships between sugar maple sap flow and temperature over the last several decades and used climate models to project sap flow into the future. The researchers found that the number of sap flow days may not change in the Northeast, but the timing of peak production will shift earlier.

By adapting to an earlier tapping season, maple syrup producers in Vermont and other northern states may be able to sustain their livelihoods for the next 100 years. However, at the southern extent of sugar maple habitat, such as Pennsylvania, overall production may be reduced sooner.

The Forest Service has developed an atlas of potential future habitat for 134 tree species in the eastern United States. The atlas shows that climate change will likely reduce the amount of suitable habitat for maple trees in the coming century. While maple trees won’t necessarily vanish from the landscape, there could be fewer trees that are more stressed, further reducing maple syrup availability.

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

7

TREE SPOTLIGHT Photo © Ron and Patty Thomas Photography / iStockphoto.com

Nature’s clones endure

through the ages

By Hannah Ettema

Driving along a mountain road or wandering down a wooded path, quaking aspen capture the attention of every sense at once. Swaths of yellow painted across the hillsides among somber green conifers jump out on a sunny fall day. Whispers of the heart-shaped leaves drift through the forest with the lift of a breeze. Quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, ignite our curiosity and imaginations as they tremble and glow across America’s forest lands.

It’s hard to decide what is most memorable about aspen: the vibrant fall yellow, the clusters of creamy white trunks, or the rustling of the quaking leaves.

Regardless of what comes to mind when you think of aspens, they hold the title of the most widespread tree in North America.

From the Midwest across Canada, north into Alaska and across the West down to Arizona and New Mexico, quaking aspens dot the edge of conifer forests in clusters or “clones.”

8

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

One aspen tree is actually only a small part of a larger organism. A stand or group of aspen trees is considered a singular organism with the main life force underground in the extensive root system. Before a single aspen trunk appears above the surface, the root system may lie dormant for many years until the conditions are just right, including sufficient sunlight. In a single stand, each tree is a genetic copy of the other, hence the term clone used to describe a stand.

Older than the massive sequoias or the biblical bristlecone pines, the oldest known aspen clone has lived more than 80,000 years on Utah’s Fishlake National Forest.

Not only is the clone the oldest living organism, estimated to weigh in at 6,600 tons, it is also the world’s heaviest. Dubbed the Pando Clone, this aspen colony spans 106 acres.

Prominent among the dark greens of neighboring conifers, deciduous aspen stands thrive in a variety of environments.

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

Aspens quickly colonize recently burned or bare areas to establish a stand of young trees given the proper conditions. They prefer moist soil but can survive near springs in desert conditions. Of the many variables for a healthy clone of aspens, the one that cannot waver is the need for abundant sunshine. Yet even in cases where a stand’s trees are wiped out, it can be difficult to permanently extinguish an aspen’s root system due to the rapid rate at which it reproduces.

Clones of aspen trees grow densely together to average heights of 40 to 60 feet. The smooth, white bark is marked with black scars of self-pruned branches.

Fluttering almost like magic, aspen’s leaves attach to branches with long and flattened stems, causing the leaves to quiver at the slightest wind.

Aspens grow all the time—even in winter.

Beneath the white outer bark layer is a thin green photosynthetic layer that allows

TREE SPOTLIGHT Photos © Mark Windom Photography / iStockphoto.com; Imgorthand / iStockphoto.com

the tree to create sugars and grow when other deciduous trees would otherwise be dormant. During hard winters, the green, sugary layer provides necessary nutrients for deer and elk. Throughout the year young aspens provide food for a variety of animals including moose, black bear, beaver, porcupine, ruffed grouse and rodents.

Although a soft wood, aspen is relatively strong and has been used in unique ways.

In addition to its strength, aspen wood is not as flammable as other species, making it ideal for matches. In order to avoid uncomfortable splinters in uncomfortable places, the heat-resistant aspen wood is commonly used within saunas for seats and backrests. And we’d all hate to drop that eggroll; chopsticks are also made with aspen for their flexibility and strength.

Historically, aspen trees were used to treat many ailments because it contains salicylates, chemicals similar to aspirin.

Early American Indians used the leaves of the aspen to treat swollen joints, headaches and burns. Parts of the bark were consumed

in order to alleviate stomach ailments and urinary tract infections.

Today, many places in the West have seen diebacks of aspen. In areas where grass is limited, deer and other ungulates browse heavily on young aspens, preventing the trees and clones from reaching maturity.

Luckily, fans of these popular trees have been devoted to reversing its decline.

With support from Salt River Project, the National Forest Foundation helped provide fencing around 12 acres of key aspen stands on Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest to prevent elk from eating the trees and encourage the stand’s recovery. In Utah, the NFF brought together various stakeholders to form the Utah Forest Restoration Working Group. The collaborative created “Guidelines for Aspen Restoration on the National Forests in Utah,” now used to standardize and implement restoration strategies for aspen across the state.

While in some instances quaking may be a sign of fear, rest assured, when the aspen quakes, the world stops to listen.

The wispy leaves that capture our attention each and every autumn represent one of nature’s miracles we can hardly grasp: the seemingly everlasting and complex root system beneath the surface. Whether in your own backyard or deep in America’s wilderness, quaking aspens feed our sense of wonder with their glorious demonstration of nature’s resilience.

Planning for your future can make a big difference for theirs Including the National Forest Foundation in your estate plan is a simple way to make a lasting gift to the waters, wildlife habitats and wild places treasured by you and your loved ones, and can have profound financial benefits for you as well.

The NFF established the National Forest Legacy Society to recognize those generous individuals who have designated a planned gift on behalf of America’s National Forests.

To request more information about the National Forest Legacy Society, please contact:

Deborah Snyder: 406-830-3355 dsnyder@nationalforests.org www.nationalforests.org/plannedgiving

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

9

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES

A SIDE ROUTE

By Greg Peters

TO SOLITUDE

10

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES

“No chair

whisks you up to the summit. Wind and blowing snow obscure routes

and paint packs and jackets white.”

Photos © Aaron Teasdale

Don’t get me wrong. I love summer.

There are few things I enjoy more than a long, leisurely hike, the freedom of flipflops and shorts, and the near silent glide of my canoe across the water. Summer days are easy, and here in Western Montana, seemingly endless. Evening light lingers in the sky until past 10 o’clock, and the sun has already dried the dew when my alarm sounds the start of a new day. Yes, summer days are simple and relaxing.

But although summer days seem to last forever, summer itself doesn’t stick around very long. Fall comes quickly to this corner of the world and after a couple of short months of crisp days and bright sunshine, winter follows. Flip-flops are replaced by heavy boots, shorts by flannel-lined jeans, a down parka becomes the costume of choice for those willing to abandon their sense of fashion for the cozy function of insulation.

And though I miss the ease and abandon of a long summer afternoon, I don’t mourn its passage. I celebrate. Because with winter comes snow and with snow comes skiing.

As my colleag ues, my friends, my long-suffering wife, and my spurned family

will no doubt attest, I’m something of a skiing junkie. And winter gives me a fourmonth long fix. I grew up in the East and was fortunate to spend countless weekends at local resorts, blasting down groomed ski runs as fast as I dared. I loved it, but it wasn’t until I moved to Alaska after college that I truly got hooked. Too broke to ski at the local resort, I found some friends who could teach me the basics of backcountry skiing.

I pieced together gear – used bindings, used skis, discounted boots, an avalanche beacon, probe, and collapsible shovel, and began to earn my turns.

Backcountry skiing isn’t the easiest thing to do, I’ll happily admit that. There’s no lodge with hot chocolate and comfortable seats waiting at the base. Conditions are variable. No groomer erases yesterday’s tracks. No chair whisks you up to the summit. Wind and blowing snow obscure routes and paint packs and jackets white.

You can get hot and sweaty hiking up and cold and wet skiing down. You need the proper gear. You need competent partners.

But the magic of traveling through the mountains in winter driven only by the www.nationalforests.org

n

power of your legs and lungs is ample reward for any discomfort, perceived or real.

I’m not some strung out adrenaline junkie, always on the hunt for the next peak to shred or the steepest couloir to hike. Of course, it’s thrilling to reach the top of a peak and know that the only tracks below are the ones that you set getting to the summit. But more than that, it’s the silence, the solitude, the escape from mechanism and machinery that bring me back to the trailhead, that roust me from a warm bed on a Saturday morning to slide into a cold truck and drive slippery mountain roads.

There is no waiting in line. No feeling like you missed the best part of the day because your friend was late, or you took a wrong turn on your way to the resort.

Backcountry skiing isn’t easy. But it is simple. This may sound counter-intuitive.

How could something that requires a fairly high level of skill, some important (and expensive) pieces of gear, and a commitment to hike thousands of vertical feet only to slide back down be simple? Well, because that’s all you need: a few pieces of specialty gear, a decent pack, some basic knowledge,

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

11

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES trite, backcountry skiing truly is about the journey, not the destination.

Please don’t think I’m a resort hating hippie, or a miserly misanthrope, too cheap to plunk down my hard-earned cash for a dozen easy rides to the top. I love skiing at resorts. I spent years at several, teaching skiing, working as a waiter, a janitor, an office administrator, doing whatever it took to get a ski pass and ride the lift every day.

And I still spend a few days at the resort each season. But, over time, I found myself riding the lift to access terrain just outside of the ski boundary. I never ducked ropes or broke rules (ok, almost never), but I made full use of backcountry gates and of what skiers call “side-country” terrain. Eventually, I realized that I didn’t really need the lifts at all.

Over the years, I’ve come to enjoy traveling on skis through the snow so much that I don’t even need the lure of a big peak and its attendant downhill schuss. Close to half of my ski outings now consist of exploring Forest Service roads and following animal

tracks through the woods. I still very much consider this backcountry skiing. There are no groomed routes, no signs warning of steep descents or that the old road I’m on might simply end around the next bend.

There are no lodges, no roaring fires behind comfortable couches waiting for me at the bottom of the hill, just a cold truck and some semi-frozen Gatorade. The forests are quiet and softened by the snow. Muted voices barely reach their intended recipient.

If I’m out alone, which I often am, I choose my route based solely on my momentary whims. Follow those elk tracks – yes I think I will. Switchback up that shoulder – sure what the heck, I’ve always wondered what’s on the other side of that ridge. Turn around and head home? Not quite yet, but soon.

Backcountry skiing is freeing in a way few other pursuits can match. No dense undergrowth prevents your passage through the woods. No trails or signs compel you one way or another. No engineer or chainsaw-wielding resort employee dictates your route up or down the mountain. All the supplies you need are on your back, ready for you to use. The lifts don’t close at 4:00. There’s no compulsion to get as many runs as possible because you just spent 75 bucks on a ticket. No first chair to get in line for, no “no friends on a powder day” philosophy. There is simply you, your friends (or loyal dog), fresh snow, and the knowledge that once you get to the top, gravity will get you back down again.

T HE END

12

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

Photo © Aaron Teasdale

and a willingness to hike. Special bindings allow you to release your heel and pivot your boot on the ski. Heel risers make climbing easier. A day pack nestled snuggly on your back contains all the extra clothes, food, emergency supplies, water, and maps you need. Climbing skins affixed to the bottom of your skis allow you to climb up steep pitches without sliding backwards.

At the top, they are removed and stowed in your pack.

Like many things that are hard to define, backcountry skiing might be best defined by what it isn’t. It’s not about getting as many runs as possible. It’s not about showing off the latest gear or skiing the fastest down a run. It’s not about how many black diamonds you skied, or how many times you didn’t fall. It’s not about fancy lodges and fur-lined boots. It’s about giving up control and letting the mountains dictate your route, if you make it to the top, or if you turn around part way up.

Though it may be over-used and borderline

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES Photo © Habich Enterprises / istockphoto.com

FISHOn! Checking one

off the bucket list

"The idea of parking

one’s behind on a frozen lake

to wait for a fish to bite doesn’t

seem all that enticing to many of us."

By Stuart Pritchard

But ice fishing can actually be a great way to get outdoors with the family in the winter.

And today’s gear—high-tech huts, heaters and fish finders—supplemented by a thermos full of something hot and soothing can make for a fun and fruitful day out.

The Idea Is Hatched The family was sitting around the firelight on a late October night, not much else to do. I had recently attended a seminar on laboratory medicine where the opening

speaker had urged us to decide what we wanted to do during our lifetimes.

“I want everyone in the room to take 10 minutes to write down everything that you would like to do at some time during your life.”

“Now look at that list and ask yourself this question: What am I waiting for?”

As we sat there that evening, I proposed the same exercise. We each took our turns announcing our dreams to the sound of much laughter and “I’d like to do that.” www.nationalforests.org

n

As the list grew, I announced that I would like, at some time, to go ice fishing. I knew people that had and enjoyed it a bunch, but I didn’t have the equipment and I wasn’t about to buy it for one run at something I didn’t know anything about.

A couple of years later, one of my coworkers was telling me about his successes on his last ice fishing trip. It reminded me of that night. That weekend there was a locally produced fishing show that talked about guided trips to

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

13

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES Photo © v-verevkin / istockphoto.com

Colorado’s Lake Granby on the Arapaho National Forest. I wrote down the name of the guide and decided to attend the upcoming Sportsman’s Expo in Denver.

The expo was crowded with all manner of booths. I could buy new fishing gear, boats, hunting gear, portable toilets, you name it. In addition, there were many guided trips. I could go to Canada or Alaska for a one-week fishing trip for salmon, or take a hunting trip for elk, deer, moose, or (insert game animal here). I found a couple of guides that did fishing trips but not ice fishing. I was getting discouraged and the families’ feet were getting tired. I told them to meet me in the lobby while I made a pass down the last aisle.

I had no sooner parted company with them and started down the aisle when I was looking at a movie of the same fishing trip I had seen on television. I stopped at the booth and, sure enough, it was the exact guide service I had been looking for, Toknow Guide Service. Steve, the guide, and I discussed the cost of a one-day trip to Granby and struck up a deal to meet one Saturday in late February.

Fish EXACTLY Here My son and I headed up for an overnight hotel stay in Frasier, Colo., so that we could meet our guide at 7 a.m. the next day. My son was a little apprehensive about being out in the middle of an ice-covered lake but, cold feet aside, we headed out to meet Steve. He was waiting for us with the snowmobile out and the ice shelter in tow behind it.

He took me out first and I explained my son’s concerns about the ice and also that

14

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

he might be a little apprehensive about the ride on the snowmobile. We headed out from the house onto the ice, GPS in his hand. After a couple of minutes he slowed and watched the GPS. After a couple of hesitations he stopped and peered at it.

Nope, not quite there. He revved it up and circled around to stop again. I swear we were within 20 feet of where he stopped before but this was the spot. He unloaded the shelter and took off to pick up my son.

It was kind of a wild ride getting here and I figured my son would be white knuckling it when they arrived. Wrong…overprotective father! Here they came with my son laughing up a storm like he was on a Six Flags rollercoaster. “Dad, that was WAY cool!”

On the lake you hear constant crackling sounds. Steve explained that this was natural and we would want to worry if we didn’t hear them. At this time the ice is 18 inches thick and could easily hold a semi.

We set up the shelter, broke out the auger and drilled our ice hole. Once drilled, Steve dropped the fish finder transponder in the hole and explained what we were seeing.

“This line indicates the bottom,” he said.

He raised and lowered the lure. “Did you see the second line? That is our lure. If anything else shows up, that is our fish.”

One Very Successful Trip We marveled at the technology as he showed us how slowly to raise and lower the lure. He suddenly told my son to set the hook, which he quickly did. Fish on! We had hardly warmed up the seats.

My son landed a lake trout that measured about 16 inches and weighed about 3 pounds. Steve asked if we wanted to keep

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

it. He went on to explain that no matter how many we caught, he would prefer we didn’t keep more than four to help maintain the fishery. That was fine with us.

Back to watching the fish finder and setting the hook. We got pretty good at watching for that hesitation when the line should be going down or feeling the gentle tug as it was taken by the fish. We would continue to fish until noon, when we decided to call it a day and head home.

Things had slowed a bit, but we had caught and kept four fish and released 12 others.

The fish ranged from 16 to 20 inches. Steve decided to try one more thing before we packed up and left.

“I don’t know if you have noticed but there is a pretty good sized fish that keeps appearing way above the bottom. Are you willing to go after him?”

My son told me to take a shot so Steve refreshed the bait and dropped it about 15 feet. We could see the bait on the fish finder and I worked it slowly. Suddenly he appeared. He went by it twice before I felt the strike. I set the hook and fought in the biggest laker of the day. No it wasn’t a monster, although Granby does have some.

He was 22 inches and about 5 pounds.

Unfortunately he was hooked deep and we couldn’t release him. Steve cleaned up the five fish we had and packaged them for the ride home. He also gave us a bottle of “Steve’s Seasoning,” which is a rub he stole from his brother who won the Taste of Colorado contest with it.

So it was a wonderful day and one to scratch off the ol’ bucket list. Seventeen lake trout was way beyond my expectations.

What a great memory!

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES Photos © Stuart Pritchard

Author Stuart Pritchard and his son filling up their bucket list on Lake Granby in the Arapaho National Forest

About the Author Stuart Pritchard is an avid traveler whose hobbies include collecting gemstones and fossils. His blog can be found at: treasuredpasts.hubpages.com.

He lives by the motto: “Enjoy your Treasured Pasts and don’t forget to live your dream.”

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

15

Field Reports

Colorado Fish Return to the “ Trail” In the aftermath of 2002’s Hayman wildfire in Colorado’s Pike National Forest, life was erased from the area’s rivers and streams. Burned hillsides led to flooding and waves of sediment pouring into important tributaries of the Upper South Platte River. Aquatic life disappeared.

The National Forest Foundation adopted this region as one of its first Treasured Landscapes campaign restoration sites. A key restoration strategy included designing and implementing major rehabilitation to Trail Creek, one of the drainages most severely impacted by erosion and sedimentation. Under the guidance of renowned stream restoration expert, Dave Rosgen, the NFF initiated work with heavy equipment to narrow and deepen the stream channel and to install natural erosion control structures and head cuts within the drainage.

Within days, native trout found their way up the channel—practically following the heavy equipment as each phase of work completed and recolonizing habitat they hadn’t visited in more than a decade.

BEFORE AFTER Trail Creek before (above) and after (left) restoration activities enabled trout to return to the stream for the first time in more than 10 years.

16

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

Field Reports

Barrett Prize honors forest innovation In October 2012, the National Forest Foundation announced the winners of the Barrett Foundation Prize—an effort to encourage creative ideas regarding public lands stewardship. The contest challenged teams of university students to create business plans that reflect real opportunities for finding market-based incentives to address forest stewardship challenges on National Forest System lands.

A team from Yale University School of Forestry & Environmental Studies received the $50,000 first-place prize for its business plan titled “The Deschutes Collaborative Conservation Fund—Sustainable Funding for a Restoration-Based Economy.” The Yale team’s plan proposes the formation of the Deschutes Collaborative Conservation Fund, to help drive development of a restoration-based economy that rehabilitates Central Oregon’s forest products industry and promotes forest health.

The second-place prize of $10,000 was awarded to the team from Colorado State University (CSU) for “An Innovative, AllLands Approach to Watershed Stewardship

in Colorado.” The CSU business plan provides a structural framework to leverage public-private partnerships under development in the northern Colorado region and address priority areas of concern for the forests and the populations that depend on them for drinking water, flood control, recreational opportunities and other services.

“Our goal with the Barrett Foundation Prize was to challenge students to develop real world solutions that would satisfy the multiple goals of forest health, sustainable use and job creation,” explained Bill Possiel, NFF president. “With the dramatic increase in catastrophic wildfires and pest infestations, it is imperative to forest health and community safety that we reduce risk through active forest management. A breakthrough, market-based solution could contribute significantly to risk reduction.”

The Barrett Foundation Prize was created

by Craig Barrett, the former chairman and current vice chairman of the NFF Board of Directors, retired chairman and CEO of Intel Corporation, and champion of the

importance of education in maintaining American competitiveness in an increasingly global business environment.

“We asked for proposals that were innovative and realistic in meeting the dual standards of forest management and economic sustainability,” said Barrett. “The creative ideas brought forward not only met our requirements but seem to have a high probability of success in the marketplace.

We congratulate the efforts of all the contestants and look forward to their ideas becoming reality.”

Following a review of pre-proposals, the NFF invited six finalists to submit complete business plans for the challenge. In addition to Yale and Colorado State University, finalist teams represented Northern Arizona University, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Yale University, and Drexel University. The selection committee included Mr. Barrett, academic leaders in the field of forest management, and representatives from the Forest Service, National Forest Foundation and other national conservation organizations.

Walls come Crumbling down in Illinois In a country that loses as much as 6,000 acres a day to development, it’s not often that we see a landscape transform from industrial development back to nature. At the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in northeastern Illinois, that transformation has been taking place slowly over the last couple of decades—with a leap in progress during the summer of 2012 thanks to the National Forest Foundation’s Treasured Landscapes campaign.

At about 19,000 acres, Midewin provides a large expanse of open space where a revitalized native tallgrass ecosystem is taking root. Tallgrass prairies once covered 21 million acres in North America, but just one-tenth of one percent of these lands remains. Midewin too was nearly lost beneath the infrastructure of

the Joliet Arsenal—a bustling munitions factory complex established during World War II. Grassroots efforts led to Midewin’s eventual management by the U.S. Forest Service, but the skeletons of the arsenal development linger.

Effectively restoring the native prairie now requires removing the buildings, roads and rail beds left behind. Those buildings include dozens of concrete bunkers once used to store explosives. Last summer for the first time in several years, bunkers came down, with a total of seven bunkers and 1,000 feet of road removed as part of the NFF’s campaign. That process opened up an additional 35 acres of ground that can now be replanted with native tallgrass vegetation. Adding to that exciting progress has been the recent launch of the bison www.nationalforests.org

n

reintroduction process at the prairie. The NFF and Midewin staff aim to complete the necessary feasibility studies to have a small bison herd roaming Midewin within about three years.

Old ammunition storage bunkers crumble, making way for new tallgrass prairie to take root in Illinois.

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

17

TREASURED LANDSCAPES

White Mountain National Forest

Presidential Peaks and a Congressman’s Legacy

By Darcy Poletti-Harp

Clear waters rush down rocky streambeds. Low-growing alpine conifers twist under the force of legendary mountaintop winds. Autumn paints the landscape a wash of gold, red and orange, and winter covers the valleys and mountains in a white hush.

Who would guess that over 70 million people live within a day’s drive of this wild country? It’s no wonder that the White Mountain National Forest has been a haven for visitors looking to escape the rush of city life for over a century.

One of only two National Forests in New England, the 800,000 acres of the White Mountain are steeped in historical traditions that stretch back thousands of years, providing a home and sustenance for native tribes and early colonists.

Walking through the leafy hardwood forests, it’s easy to stumble upon a memory of the past, be it an ancient stone farm wall, logging camp or railroad bed.

The White Mountain National Forest is a vacation hotspot for a reason—it holds some of the best recreation opportunities in the Northeast, including over 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail and 40 peaks

18

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

over 4,000 feet in elevation. Hikers and backpackers test their endurance on routes that bring them from granite peak to peak, with challenging elevation drops and gains in between. A well-developed system of huts and lodges reflect the forest’s rich recreational history, providing hikers with the winning combination of rugged days and comfortable nights; today the area still has a reputation of the best hut-to-hut hiking outside of Europe. Ski areas like Atitash, Black Mountain, Bretton Woods, and Cranmore Mountain draw visitors from across the New England each winter and quaint and cozy hamlets lie tucked in the valleys, a great taste of rural hospitality. Ready to start planning your next trip yet?

A Rich Natural History Dominated by the stately Presidential Range, the White Mountains form a part of the sweeping Appalachian Mountain Range, whose arc reaches from Alabama to Canada. Various geological processes shaped the range, with the most dramatic changes taking place during the Wisconsin Glacial Period of the last ice age, some

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

12,000 to 15,000 years ago. Glaciers softened the once craggy peaks, depositing the coarse and acidic soil now typical of the region and leaving the mountains more rounded than the ranges of the western United States.

Vegetation wise, the forest is a transition zone between the northern boreal spruce and fir forests and the southern oak/pine forests. The transitional nature of the region is due in part to its unique weather patterns; the forest’s climate is said to be the coldest of any of the regions found at the same latitude across the Northern Hemisphere. In fact, Mount Washington is home to the “World’s Worst Weather,” a claim backed by data collected at the Mount Washington Observatory. From temperatures of 47 degrees below zero to wind speeds of 231 miles per hour, there’s a reason meteorologists have been watching the weather at the mountain’s summit since 1870.

With elevations ranging from 1,000 feet in the lower valleys, to the windswept 6,288-foot summit of Mount Washington, the White Mountain is home to a variety of ecosystems and microclimates. The lowest valley regions are home to the mixed hardwood forests that provide such an impressive showing each autumn. Rising in elevation along the mountain slopes, dense softwood stands of spruce and fir come to dominate the landscape. But it is at the mountaintops that the forest’s most unique ecosystem can be found. Scoured by freezing winds and powerful storms, the exposed ridge tops are home to whimsical krumholtz forests of stunted black spruce and balsam fir that creep along the harsh and rocky summits.

These varying ecosystems are populated by a wide variety of fauna, including over 180 bird species. In addition to its yearround avian residents, neo-tropical birds like the American redstart and black-throated blue warbler migrate up from Central America during the summer to breed and nest. Snowshoe hares, moose, and whitetailed deer are sought by predators like black bears and fox, and the rushing streams are home to native fish species like the eastern brook trout and the Atlantic salmon.

Photos this story © Erin Paul Donovan / ScenicNH.com

Lincoln Woods Trail

TREASURED LANDSCAPES From Colonists to Conservationists With the earliest evidence of human inhabitants dating back some 10,000 years, the White Mountain claims an impressive cultural history. Systematic archeological research and testing has unearthed over 21 prehistoric Native American sites on the forest including villages, hunting grounds, and spiritual places. The Pennacook-Abernaki heritage of the region echoes on today in the names that define the landscape: Mount Waternomee, Mount Chocorua, the Pemigewasset River, and the Kancamagus Highway.

European exploration of the area did not begin until the mid-1600s, and by the end of the Revolutionary War, towns dotted the once wild landscape and settlers had cleared many acres of forest for agriculture and livestock grazing. But, with the Industrial Revolution calling country folk to the cities in the middle part of the 19th century, many of these farms, and occasionally even whole communities, were abandoned. In turn, logging companies began buying up these former farms and woodlots, establishing a foothold in the region that would shape the landscape for years to come.

Along with the extensive timber har vesting came the construction of infrastructure like railroad grades, milldams, and logging camps. The

timber boom had reached its height: between 1850 and 1900, lumber harvests jumped from 5.4 billion board feet to 44.5 billion board feet. As time passed and demand continued to grow, the unregulated practices of the logging companies led to destructive forest fires and severely damaged watersheds. By 1880, the majority of the profitable timber had been removed from New England and the Great Lakes, leaving thousands of acres of land that was no longer of value to the timber companies.

Out West, the U.S. government was able to protect watersheds and forests by turning public land into vast Forest Reserves, but back East most of the land in need of protection was held privately by the timber compan ies . It wa s Massachusetts Congressman John Weeks who emerged as the champion of the “lands nobody wanted,” providing a constitutional channel for the government to buy private land.

The White Mountains were in Weeks’ blood: he grew up on a farm tucked in the foothills of the range and then continued to summer with his family there after his move to Boston. It was clear to Weeks that his beloved mountains and similarly razed landscapes across the country were in need of protection and revitalization.

The Weeks Act, passed in 1911, made

it possible for the federal government to buy private land through the commerce clause of the Constitution, claiming protection for the headwaters of navigable watersheds crucial to the country’s economy. The lands acquired as a result of Weeks’ politicking were then turned into National Forests managed by the newly created National Forest Service.

The lands that had provided the backdrop for Weeks’ idyllic childhood became the White Mountain National Forest in 1918, with the original 7,000 acres bought for 13 dollars an acre. Today, nearly 20 million acres of land have been acquired and protected under the Weeks Act, and landscapes that were once wasted and blackened are now vibrant and healthy, all thanks to John Weeks’ love of the iconic White Mountains.

Af ter the creation of the Wh ite Mountain National Forest, public use became even more widespread with the further development of summer resorts, trail systems, and some of the earliest alpine ski areas in the country. One of the most popular features of the forest today still remains the extensive hut system, which began in 1888 with the construction of the Madison Spring Hut between Mount Madison and Mount Adams in the Presidential Range. Originally built by the recently founded Appalachian Mountain

QUÉBEC Lake Umbagog NWR

White Mountain National Forest

Lancaster

Berlin MAINE

VERMONT

Conn ect icu

tR

iv e

r

Conway

Hanover

Lake Winnipesaukee

Laconia Mer

Franklin

River ack rim

NEW Concord HAMPSHIRE

Great Bay NWR

Manchester

Mount Chocorua Scenic Area

Wapack NWR

MA

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

19

TREASURED LANDSCAPES Club to serve as “refuge to any persons who might be caught on the mountain in a storm or overtaken by night,” the system now boasts eight huts and two lodges where weary hikers can rest their feet and heads after a long day of walking in the woods. Lodging at all huts includes dinner and breakfast during the popular summer season, and three of the huts are open year-round with self-service in the off seasons.

Start Exploring!

One of the best places to utilize the hut system is the Presidential Range, home to the highest peaks in the Northeast. In fact, the summit of Mount Washington sits more than 800 miles from the nearest higher peak in North Carolina. Congress designated the 27,606-acre Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness in 1975, protecting the most popular peaks in the forest. The mountains themselves form an impressive 12-mile ridgeline, the largest contiguous alpine area east of the Mississippi. The first of the peaks to receive “presidential honors” was Mount Washington in 1784, even though at the time Washington was still just a highly respected Revolutionary War general.

The other main peaks—Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe—were named on an 1820 expedition whose members included an ancestor of Congressman John Weeks.

Trekking peak to peak, the “Presi Traverse” is one of the most popular hikes in the forest, and can be completed at a variety of difficulty levels. Extremists enjoy challenging themselves to complete the 20-to 24-mile traverse in a day, while other backpackers enjoy spreading the hike out over two or three days, tent camping along the way. The route is also the perfect way to enjoy some hut hospitality, as the minimum traverse passes by two huts, and the longer traverse, three.

Another popular hiking route is the “Pemi Loop,” named for the Pemigewasset Wilderness, which it crosses. Like the “Presi Traverse,” the 32 miles can be completed in a grueling day hike, or a two-day backpacking or hut-hopping trip. The hike, with its 18,000-foot elevation change, was rated #2 of “America’s Hardest Dayhikes”

by Backpacker magazine. Climbing eight

20

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

Flash flood of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River

After the Storm On Aug. 28, 2011, the torrential rains and menacing winds of Tropical Storm Irene swept their way up the Atlantic Coast, dropping an unprecedented 3-10 inches of rain across the White Mountain National Forest in just an hour’s time. Woody debris, boulders, and sediments rushed down the rivers, eroding riverbanks, creating new stream channels, and flooding nearby trails and roads.

Close to 170 sites on the White Mountain sustained some sort of damage as a result of the torrential storm and total damages to trails, bridges, campgrounds, and recreation sites added up to some $10 million, with $2.5-$3 million of that necessary for trail work alone.

As a part of our Treasured Landscapes conservation campaign, the National Forest Foundation is partnering with local community organizations and the U.S. Forest Service to help revitalize the iconic White Mountains. This three-year project will work to restore and improve trails, watersheds and habitats impacted

by Tropical Storm Irene, while also connecting citizens and communities to the land through collaboration, volunteering and learning opportunities. Planned projects include trail restoration and stewardship; streambank and fish habitat restoration; treatment of invasive plant species; and volunteer engagement through hands-on stewardship events.

This work is being facilitated with the help of a number of dedicated local organizations and the support of area donors. The Waterville Valley Foundation has stepped up with the first major gift for the NFF’s project plan, pledging $20,000 toward restoring the Greeley Ponds Trail.

“In July of 2011, we gathered at the foot of Mt. Washington and the Mt. Washington Auto Road to celebrate a 100-year legacy of restoration and conservation that was made possible by the signing of the Weeks Act in 1911,” said White Mountain National Forest Supervisor Tom Wagner. “Once again, it will take a collective effort that is consistent with our history in these mountains to address a new challenge and sustain this beautiful landscape for the future.” summits over 4,000 feet, the legendary daylong “Pemi” has adventurous hikers setting out with headlamps hours before dawn.

If your exploration style is a bit more relaxed, look no further than the Kancamagus Highway. The designated Scenic Byway is a beautiful drive in any season, but the 26.5-mile route is known as one of the best fall foliage tours in the country. Along the way, stop by Loon Mountain Ski Resort for a gondola ride and marvel at the vivid landscape from an eagle’s eye view. Thinking about an autumnal escape next year? The colors peak

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

between mid-September and mid-October.

The White Mountain is an outdoor wonderland any time of the year, drawing hut hikers, backpackers, leaf peepers, and skiers as the four seasons pass.

Enjoy a leisurely afternoon drive on the Kancamagus Highway, chat with fellow hikers over a communal dinner in a historic AMC hut or challenge yourself on a demanding day hike with sweeping vistas as a well-deserved reward. No matter what season you visit or how you choose to see the forest, the White Mountain is calling to be explored!

ConserVAtion

By Wes Swaffar

When you turn on your faucet to fill a glass of water, do you know where that water comes from?

Especially if you live in the western United States, there’s a good chance that water came from a National Forest.

Although our National Forest System was originally established “for the purpose of securing favorable conditions of water flows, and to furnish a continuous supply of timber,” we often forget that National Forests are the headwaters of America. In fact, National Forests supply approximately 20 percent of Americans with a reliable supply of cold, clean water.

But what exactly do forests have to do with water? Forested lands capture and hold snow in the winter. Forest soils absorb rain and snow like enormous sponges, acting as a natural filter, replenishing underground aquifers, and slowing down high water flows as the water moves downhill. In addition to providing water for human use, water flowing from National Forests supports valuable ecological communities—wetlands, meadows, lakes, and streams.

These watershed services and the natural and human communities that they support are of incalculable value to the American public. If you’ve spent time camping next to a creek or fishing at your favorite river, you understand that our forested watersheds are fundamental to our national identity and are a valuable legacy that we must pass on to future generations. These values extend www.nationalforests.org

n

beyond our own memories and experiences.

A recent U.S. Forest Ser vice study conser vatively estimated the value of watershed services from National Forests and Grasslands at $3.7 billion annually.

And the best part ? Healthy National Forests and Grasslands will continue to supply these valuable services…if we take care of them.

Increasing Threats While National Forests and Grasslands are the single largest supplier of water in the United States, a number of factors have left many watersheds degraded and in need of restoration. Severe wildfire and climate change rank as the two main threats to the watersheds on our National Forests.

While natural fire plays an important role in many forests, the dense and overcrowded conditions that have become typical of many of our National Forests have left them vulnerable to a startling new trend—severe landscape-scale fires.

We saw this in the news this summer: As of October 2012, nearly 9 million acres had burned, and experts estimate future fire seasons of up to 12 million acres.

These abnormally large and severe wildfires negatively impact our watersheds by burning vegetation that would normally absorb runoff and hold soil in place. The resulting flush of water and sediment clogs

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

21

ConserVAtion reservoirs and requires expensive dredging and repairs. The costs of these fires extend well beyond the suppression efforts of fire fighters. These costs are already excessive for western communities dependent on National Forest watersheds for their drinking water supplies, and forcing others to assess their risks.

For example, sediment removal costs in one of Denver’s municipal watersheds following a severe wildfire amounted to more than $40 million. The City of Santa Fe estimates that a relatively small 7,000acre fire on the National Forest lands within its watershed would cost approximately $22 million in reservoir dredging costs to restore a functioning water supply for the city’s residents.

A recent U.S. Forest Service report stated that climate change has, and will continue to affect the quality, quantity and timing of stream flows from forests. This warming trend is already documented, with average temperatures predicted to increase by 2°C by as soon as the middle of this century.

So what can we expect for our National Forests? We can expect warmer winters with more precipitation falling as rain rather than snow—running off faster and earlier, leaving less water for late-season stream flows. In the summer we can expect hotter temperatures, warmer streams (troublesome for fish), and more forests stressed by severe drought. In addition to these direct impacts to our water supply, we can expect to see a further decline in forest health, more beetle-related death, and more severe wildfires.

Investing in Healthy Headwaters In an era of bigger fires and a changing climate, the U.S. Forest Service and the American public are slowly realizing the urgency of investing in healthy and resilient headwaters. U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell recently emphasized watershed restoration and stewardship as a core agency goal, when he stated, “Ultimately, our success at the Forest Service will be measured in terms of watershed health on those 193 million acres of National Forests

and Grasslands.”

The recently released Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) reflects the U.S. Forest Service’s commitment to restoring key watersheds. The WCF assesses watershed conditions on individual National Forests and prioritizes key watersheds for comprehensive restoration projects. In addition to providing a “roadmap” for bringing our watersheds back into shape, the WCF features an interactive map showing the condition of our National Forest watersheds.

With nearly half of watersheds on National Forests classified as “Functioning at Risk” or “Impaired Function” through this framework, the challenge to restore America’s headwaters is immense. Some estimate that, even with aggressive watershed restoration and improvement activities, we may not see the results of our efforts for many decades. With this in mind, the U.S. Forest Service has strategically focused on watersheds where there is hope of making a significant difference.

The Forest Service Watershed Condition Framework ranks the current health of forest watersheds.

Ratings based on assessments of National Forest System land in six-level watersheds. May 12, 2011.

22

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

ConserVAtion

“Many feel it is time to assign a price to the many

watershed services provided by National Forests.”

Although repairing our headwaters is a priority of the U.S. Forest Service, the agency cannot meet its ambitious goals without substantial financial resources.

National Forest management funding is limited; about two-thirds is spent on responding to large fires. With limited funds left for preventive actions and watershed restoration, it will take more than the U.S. Forest Service’s declining budget to restore our imperiled watersheds.

Where to look for help? With today’s poor watershed conditions and current levels of funding, more attention is being directed toward downstream water users, who currently receive large benefits from upstream watersheds that collect, store, purify and deliver usable water to them at little or no cost. Many feel it is time to assign a price to the many watershed services provided by National Forests, and to ask those who benefit to step up and help.

“Isn’t watershed protection the job of the U.S. Forest Service?” one might ask. While true, the funding constraints to the U.S. Forest Service limit the agency’s capacity to address the staggering restoration need.

Accomplishing watershed restoration in our key areas will require significant amounts of funding in the near term.

Realizing this need, and seeing the benefit of preventing expensive runoff and damage to public water supplies, an emerging conservation model of “public/ private partnerships” is augmenting funding for watershed restoration and providing valuable cost savings for some utilities and corporations. In some cases, these partnerships involve large public or private entities, such as water utilities or corporations. In other instances, individual water users voluntarily take steps or make small contributions to invest in the health of their National Forest watershed.

Diverse Partners Stepping Up In the last decade, recovering from the Hayman and Buffalo Creek fires, Denver Water

faced more than $40 million in costs for removing sediment from the reservoirs that store the water for the 1.3 million people of the Denver metropolitan area.

Denver Water established an innovative partnership with the Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forest Service to address the extreme risk of wildfire and increase the security of their water supply. Through the “Forest to Faucet” partnership, Denver Water chose to match National Forest funds for forest management and watershed restoration in the watersheds that supply Denver with water, totaling $16.5 million over 5 years. Costly? Yes. However, compared to the cost of recovering from devastating fires, this partnership brings cost savings and water security for the Denver metropolitan area.

It’s not just the water utilities that are stepping up to pay for watershed restoration. Large corporations like the Coca-Cola Company and MillerCoors strive to ma ke water stewardship a cornerstone of their sustainability approach by investing in the valuable watershed services that their businesses depend on. As part of their goal of becoming “water neutral” by 2020, Coca-Cola works worldwide to better understand, monitor and help pay for the watershed services that they depend on.

Coca-Cola recently invested $150,000 in the National Forest Foundation’s efforts to restore the Upper South Platte watershed on the Pike National Forest.

In 2007, MillerCoors started a partnership with the National Forest Foundation to engage its employees in the restoration of the watersheds that supply the namesake “Rocky Mountain spring water.” Through volunteer Friends of the Forest® Days, MillerCoors continues to restore the Clear Creek watershed on the Arapaho National Forest by implementing stream and riparian restoration activities.

Recognizing the positive impact of linking downstream water users to our upstream National Forests, USDA

www.nationalforests.org

n

Under Secretary Harris Sherman recently announced the need to build and expand on the public/private partnership model as a solution. In line with this vision, the National Forest Foundation is developing the Restoring America’s Headwaters program to further facilitate public/private partnerships and address the most valuable resource from our National Forests—water.

What’s Ahead?

Recognizing the need for the restoration of America’s headwaters, the National Forest Foundation seeks to restore impaired watersheds of the National Forest System and engage Americans in active watershed restoration and stewardship projects to promote a broader appreciation for the critical importance of National Forests and Grasslands to America’s water supply. The National Forest Foundation supports comprehensive restoration work through targeted investments in priority watersheds, leveraging valuable corporate and foundation support to accomplish this work. As we pursue this mission, we engage individuals and communities to build a sense of ownership and pride in National Forest headwaters.

To Learn More, Visit: The National Forest Foundation’s Restoring America’s Headwaters Program at: nationalforests.org/ restoring-americas-headwaters The U.S. Forest Service’s Watershed Condition Framework at: fs.fed.us/publications/watershed/ The U.S. Forest Service’s Forest To Faucet Dataset at: fs.fed.us/ ecosystemservices/FS_Efforts/ forests2faucets.shtml Carpe Diem West’s Healthy Headwaters Alliance at: carpediemwest.org/what-we-do/ healthy-headwaters-background

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

23

WHERE IN THE WOODS Photos © Susan Elliot (left); Sergey Yeliseev (bottom right); Eneri LLC / iStockphoto.com

Where in the Woods?

Any guesses as to what National Forest this is? It’s a big one— but made up of many pieces. Wild residents of this section range from bighorn sheep to a threatened strain of cutthroat trout to the Himalayan snowcock—a species native to central Asia that was introduced here in the 1960s. The forest’s wild landscapes offer a sharp contrast to the “wild” life in this state’s cities.

See page 27 for the answer.

Himalayan snowcock

24

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

KIDS & NATURE Photos © Eneri LLC / iStockphoto.com

Overcoming The

Winter Blahs Traditional sledding and snowball fights keep most kids excited about winter.

But the inevitable winter blahs often set in—making the family cagey and bored.

There are countless unique adventures on our National Forests—including a few warmer escapes—that can make even the grumpiest family members have a whole new appreciation for winter.

See the Woods Using Dog Power Numerous dog sled guide services operate on National Forests around the country. Two of the best places to see and learn about nature in winter are just outside Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. The National Forests surrounding both these parks are home to dog sled guides who can take your family into the remote recesses of a snow-blanketed forest.

Make Like a Snowshoe Hare

Fly South with the Birds

Head to your local outdoor gear outfitter and rent some snowshoes — and teach your kids what it’s like to be a snowshoe hare.

You can often find a local group that offers free or low-cost guided snowshoe walks which also include some natural history lessons. For example, the Washington Trails Association gets families out onto the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Arizona’s Coronado National Forest near Tucson and Florida’s Ocala National Forest not far from Orlando offer great options for those who prefer flip flops to snowshoes. Both places offer unique winter wildlife watching opportunities, from seeking out Florida’s endangered scrub-jay to spotting Arizona’s unique coatis.

Gather ‘round the Fire

Winter Fun Resources

Often our best winter days are spent sharing stories while sipping hot chocolate and warming our feet by the fire. Many National Forest rental cabins are available year-round for quiet family getaways. If rustic is up your alley, New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest offers cabins along established cross-country ski trails. But there are also many private lodges across the National Forest System – from Minnesota’s Chippewa to North Carolina’s Cherokee National Forest where you can chill out around a board game and a roaring fire while surrounded by the hushed beauty of a winter forest.

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

recreation.gov discover theforest.org

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

25

corporate partners corner Photo © georgeclerk / iStockphoto.com

Show the

world you’re a friend Longtime NFF donor, Sonadei, has designed a new t-shirt to help all our Friends of the Forest demonstrate their support. With one men’s style and two women’s styles, the shirts come in a variety of colors. Each “I am a Friend of the Forest” shirt is hand screened on 100 percent, super soft cotton. A portion of each t-shirt sale supports the National Forest Foundation and our work to restore and conserve America’s National Forests.

Located in Seattle, Washington, Sonadei is a unique apparel design company. They work with local, national, and international events and teams to help with their graphic design and custom apparel needs. As a company committed to doing good, Sonadei donates a portion of all proceeds to the American Cancer Society and the National Forest Foundation.

To order your t-shirt, visit: sonadei.com/magento/national-forestfoundation.html

26

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

Disney Invests in Forest

Carbon Projects In spring 2012, Disney announced a $6 million investment in forest carbon projects in California, including support of the National Forest Foundation’s Carbon Capital Fund, which reforests National Forests damaged by natural disasters while providing verified carbon offsets for voluntary carbon markets. This project builds on Disney’s longstanding history of nature conser vation and environmental stewardship, a legacy that spans more than 60 years. The company’s investment marks more than $20 million to forest carbon projects since 2009.

“Disney’s citizenship efforts are focused on the well-being of children and families, and conserving nature for future generations is an important part of this commitment,” said Leslie Goodman, senior vice president of Corporate Citizenship at Disney. “The work we do with dedicated environmental stewards, including the National Forest Foundation, is helping to protect forest ecosystems and wildlife habitats that are critical to the livelihood of communities.”

The investment with NFF will result in the reforestation of approximately 900 acres with more than 150,000 trees in the Angeles National Forest, outside of the city of Los Angeles, an area heavily damaged

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

by the 2009 Station Fire. The Angeles National Forest provides 33 percent of Los Angeles County’s water and hosts 72 percent of the county’s open space.

Reforestation of the areas damaged by the Station Fire is a priority for the forest and the NFF. Prompt reforestation helps prevent the establishment of invasive weeds, protects water supplies, and improves wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.

The project has been registered on the American Carbon Registry, and only native trees, adapted to the Angeles National Forest, are being planted.

Following this project, last summer Disney chose a second Carbon Capital Fund project to support as well. On Colorado’s San Juan National Forest, Disney is generating carbon benefits through tree-planting across nearly 800 acres severely burned by wildfire.

“The NFF is excited to collaborate with Disney in demonstrating how America’s National Forests can be part of a multipronged solution to global climate change,” said NFF President Bill Possiel. “These investments will improve forest health and directly benefit the millions who live near the Angeles and San Juan national forests.”

corporate partners corner Photos © Koerper Images / iStockphoto.com; Tom Price / iStockphoto.com

Polaris supports

Arizona trail work Polaris Industries recently stepped up to help the Coconino National Forest proceed with plans to provide improved motorized trails. The forest has long been planning the Kelly Motorized Trails project to sustain the needs of both local and visiting motorized recreation enthusiasts around Flagstaff. With a $24,000 grant and donation of a Ranger utility vehicle, Polaris is helping to implement OHV trail construction, install signage and improve roadways and trails along a stretch that runs from the Flagstaff Airport to the Munds Park area on the Flagstaff Ranger District.

The work will kick off during summer 2013, and will engage youth conservation crews who are gaining both leadership

and job skills through their summer employment. Partners engaged in the work will also include local trail riders clubs.

“Polaris customers and employees alike share a love of riding and respect for nature. That is why we continue to support projects that provide riders with sustainable, environmentally conscious trails,” said Scott Wine, Polaris CEO. “We are therefore proud to partner with the National Forest Foundation, as they consistently champion such efforts. We share their vision to create well-maintained public recreation areas that offer protected access to our public lands, not only so we can enjoy them today, but so future generations will have the same opportunity.”

Lands’ End nurtures

better habitat

The popular outdoor wear and luggage company, Lands’ End, is nurturing better habitat for wildlife in the Midwest with their support of NFF tree-planting projects. The company recently committed support for tree-planting on Wisconsin’s Chequamegon National Forest and Minnesota’s Superior National Forest. Their support will plant 275,000 trees to improve habitat for Kirtland’s warblers, lynx and snowshoe hares.

Where in the Woods?

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada from page 24

Ruby Mountains Ranger District

At 6.3 million acres, Nevada’s Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest takes the prize as the largest National Forest in the lower 48.

Unlike most other National Forests, the Humboldt-Toiyabe is comprised of many non-contiguous sections throughout Nevada and a tiny portion in California. From sagebrush rangelands to alpine meadows, the forest offers a diverse collection of landscapes to explore. It harbors 23 Wilderness Areas, two of which are within the Ruby Mountains Ranger District in the northeast portion of the state. The Ruby Mountains Ranger District is made up of the East Humboldt and Ruby Mountain Ranges, covering about 450,000 acres with elevations ranging from 6,000 feet to 11,387 feet at the top of Ruby Dome. Characterized by rocky peaks, cirque basins, high glacier-formed lakes, rolling sage/grass hills and step narrow canyons, this region sees yearly snowfall averages of about 8-10 feet. Named for the abundant garnets found in the area by early pioneers, the Ruby Mountains are also well-known for their wildflower colors each spring and vivid aspen displays each fall.

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

27

VOICES FROM THE FOREST

Musings from a Self-Titled Plein Air “Junkie”

by Patty Gifford, 2011 NFF Paint Out poster winner As a plein air painter and visual artist, I don’t often use words to express the beauty I find in our National Forests and their waterways. I usually just try to paint them, capturing their essence, beauty, energy, vitality and diversity by putting oil paint on canvas. We plein air painters want to give viewers the feeling that they are there, experiencing the moment right alongside with us.

The forests and the natural world have been the steadfast, eternal muses of mankind since the beginning of artistic awareness.

Nature at its unspoiled best is unimaginably rich in all aspects. Artists love to tap into this diverse richness, absorb it and spew it back in one form or another.

Our National Forests are that exquisite environment available to all of us. It’s a very

primal encounter, which has the ability to enable me and others to transcend our often overwhelming daily lives to enter into a physical and mental space which can put us in touch with our basic, more primitive, instincts and intuitions.

We find a solitude which can sooth us, give us solace and quiet down the mental happenings within ourselves, to become more aware of our place in the world. We can watch fish, hike in the woods, spot a golden eagle, catch a glimpse of a rare wildflower, see plants we’ve only ever read about, smell and absorb fresh air and internalize the energy of the swiftly moving river. We are free to delight in the visual feast of colors and shapes. All of these things revitalize and serve as a muse for all types of artists and people from all walks of life.

Patty Gifford’s painting from the NFF’s 2011 Paint Out near Sisters, Ore., was selected as the “poster winner” and used on posters promoting local forest volunteer events.

28

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

It has been my pleasure and an honor to participate in three of the four timed Plein Air Paint Out events the National Forest Foundation has organized to raise public awareness of our National Forests and showcase Oregon’s beautiful Deschutes National Forest. I am pleased that the forests I love so much and have painted on canvas will be used to inspire our present and future generations to come out and experience this incredible unspoiled beauty for themselves.

It is important to not just preserve this beauty for ourselves, but for itself, the animals, birds, fish, insects, plants, trees and the quietly unfolding miracles within and under the canopy of our wonderful forests.

For more information about Patty Gifford’s artwork visit: www.patriciagifford.com

VOICES FROM THE FOREST

A Marriage of Canvas and Conservation For the last four years, the National Forest Foundation has hoste d a unique event that brings together community members to express their love of place on canvas. Each July, artists gather near Sisters, Ore., to paint landscapes around the Metolius River and Whychus Creek—the centerpieces of the NFF’s Deschutes National Forest Treasured Landscapes campaign site. The Annual Plein Air Paint Out originated around a goal to enhance the public’s familiarity with and appreciation of the natural and recreational resources of the region.

The event is a timed competition, giving artists of all ages and experience levels (including a growing number of kids) four hours to complete an original work of art in the open surroundings of central Oregon.

Paint Out paintings are judged by a panel of artists for a variety of awards, one of which designates a piece of artwork to be made into posters that help promote a National Public Lands Day volunteer stewardship event. The NFF’s Plein Air Paint Out events have been made possible by generous grants from the Roundhouse Foundation.

Jerry Dame’s artwork has drawn top honors repeatedly at the NFF’s Paint Out.

Participants in the Annual Plein Air Paint Out find their inspiration.

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

29

Ski Conservation Fund

Stay, Play and Give Back

By Greg Peters

From New England’s corduroy groomers and Utah’s legendar y powder to Washington’s old growth rain forests and California’s towering peaks, forest visitors across the country are pooling their vacation dollars to invest in restoration activities on their favorite National Forests.

The National Forest Foundation’s Ski Conser vation Fund and Forest Stewardship Fund programs provide lodge and resort guests at participating facilities an opportunity to donate a dollar per room night, lift ticket purchase, zip-line ride, or golf game. Contributions are matched by the NFF and returned to the local economy through our granting programs, providing local conservation organizations funding to accomplish important restoration projects on the forests where the funds were generated. These projects improve recreational opportunities, restore watersheds, enhance wildlife habitat, and revitalize forest health, improving the quality of visitor experiences on the forest.

It’s truly a win, win. Actually, it’s a win, win, win, win—guests make microcontributions, which quickly accumulate; local conservation organizations receive funding that supports local economies

30

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

and accomplishes important restoration work; forest health is improved; and, when guests return the following year, their forest experience is that much better. So, whether you’re a local or a visitor, book your next trip with a participating resort and Stay, Play and Make a Difference!

Visitor Dollars Make a Difference On Oregon’s Deschutes National Forest, contributions from the guests of Sunriver Resort helped the Deschutes River Coalition revitalize Todd Lake recreation facilities. This jaw-droppingly beautiful lake now has 1,000 feet of new lodgepole fence to protect restoration areas, improved campsites, improved signage, new maps and guides for visitors, and restored picnic and day-use facilities. A popular spot in Central Oregon, Todd Lake will continue to provide visitors with opportunities for exceptional camping, hiking and paddling.

Colorado’s “fourteeners” are magnets for outdoor enthusiasts from around the country. These 54 peaks each reach heights of more than 14,000 feet and provide unparalleled hiking and climbing opportunities. Thanks to Ski Conservation Fund contributions from Vail Resorts,

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

important restoration and trail work has improved three fourteeners on the White River National Forest. Volunteers, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps participants, and professional trail maintenance crews devoted hundreds of hours to improving trails, restoring campsites, and replanting fragile alpine ecosystems on Mount of the Holy Cross, Quandary Peak and Capitol Peak. Enhanced hiker education efforts were launched as well to keep hikers informed of the best ways to leave no trace while scaling these majestic peaks.

High altitude mountain passes are known for their breathtaking scenery and for epic views that stretch for miles. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Ophir Pass in Colorado’s San Juan National Forest. This pass serves as an important and incredibly scenic route for travelers headed from the quaint mountain town of Telluride to the historic mining enclave of Silverton. But Ophir Pass is more than just a pull-off for travelers. It is the headwaters of tributary streams that fill the Animas River, and it contains critical wetland areas called fens that provide habitat for countless denizens of the high country. With contributions from Durango Mountain Resort, volunteers and conservation groups are working to restore these important fens. Restoration work has restored the hydrology and function of the Ophir Pass fen and addressed sedimentation, pollution from historic mines, and other legacies of past use. Without the Ski Conservation Fund, this important restoration would have taken years. Now visitors looking to stretch their legs and explore the pass can glimpse a fully functioning, unique highaltitude ecosystem that provides critical habitat for a host of forest creatures.

Photo © Colorado 14ers Initiative

Right: Colorado 14ers Initiative trail work Below: Todd Lake project in Oregon

Ski Conservation Fund Photo © Jerry Hubbard; Mountain Studies Institute / Jerry McBride; The Durango Herald (bottom right)

Ophir Fen in Colorado

NFF Stewardship Fund partners From California to New Hampshire, Forest Stewardship and Ski Conservation Fund partners make it easy to give back to your National Forests. Please consider booking your next forest getaway with one of our partner organizations.

California

Oregon

China Peak Mountain Resort Mt. Shasta Ski and Board Park Mountain High Sugar Bowl

Arizona

Pend Oreille Shores Resort

Black Butte Ranch Cascade Vacation Rentals Cold Springs Resort Cooper Spur Mountain Resort Five Pine Lodge Hoodoo Campgrounds on the Deschutes National Forest Lake Creek Lodge Metolius River Lodge Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort Sun Country Tours Sunriver Resort Timberline Lodge

Arizona Snowbowl

Colorado Arapahoe Basin Ski and Snowboard Area Beaver Creek Resort Breckenridge Ski Resort Copper Mountain Resort Keystone Resort The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, a RockResort The Arrabelle at Vail Square, a RockResort The Lodge at Vail, a RockResort One Ski Hill Place, a RockResort The Osprey at Beaver Creek, a RockResort The Pines, a RockResort Vail Resorts Hospitality Winter Park Resort

Idaho New Hampshire Waterville Valley Ski Resort

New Mexico Ski Apache

Utah Snowbird Ski and Snowboard Resort Brighton Resort Snowpine Lodge

Wyoming Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Washington Lake Quinault Lodge Skamania Lodge Stevens Pass Mountain Resort

www.nationalforests.org

n

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

31

FOREST PERSPECTIVES

April 19, 1937

White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire In April 1937 the Gulf of Slides ski trail was in just its second season. The Civilian Conservation Corps had first cut the trail in 1935 on New Hampshire’s Mount Ski adventurers return from a spring ski run down Gulf of Slides Ski Trail on Mt. Washington within the White Mountain National Forest.

32

YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS

n

Washington within the White Mountain National Forest. Together, with its more famous neighbor, Tuckerman’s Ravine, the area quickly became a popular late March to late May backcountry skiing destination.

Over 75 years later, the Gulf of Slides ski trail and Tuckerman’s Ravine still draw spring backcountry skiing enthusiasts.

The Gulf of Slides trail starts out as the John Sherbourne ski trail at the south end of the parking lot at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center near Jackson and Gorham, N.H. After the first half-mile, the trail crosses a footbridge and becomes the Gulf

WINTER – SPRING 2013

n

www.nationalforests.org

of Slides trail, extending for a total 2.5 miles from start to finish.

Most users will use A.T. (Alpine Touring) or Telemark equipment and skins to climb the trail. A run back down the Gulf of Slides trail has varied terrain with double fall lines, rises and possible open water crossings. It is a backcountry experience with avalanche risks.

You can learn more about skiing the Gulf of Slides trail and the other backcountry trails of the Pinkham Notch area by contacting the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center/Joe Dodge Lodge at 603-466-2721.

Photo © HJ Piper

Mt. Washington ski Pioneers

National Forest Foundation 18th annual sporting clays invitational may 11–12, 2012 This past May, many generous sponsors and friends of the National Forest Foundation gathered for a memorable two-day fundraiser. From Brigadier General Craig Nixon’s insightful remarks at GlenArbor Golf Club to an exciting day of clays competition at Dover Furnace, the event was a great opportunity to connect with friends and celebrate all that America’s National Forests provide. This event is a vital fundraiser for the NFF’s conservation mission and we are deeply grateful for the participation and generosity of all.

Our special thanks go out to the following sponsors: TITLE SPONSOR

EVENT SPONSORS Paul & Sonia Jones Bentley USA Craig & Barbara Barrett John & Maureen Hendricks InterMedia Outdoors/ Sportsman Channel Sirius Fund

STATION SPONSORS

American Chestnut Foundation AOL Ventures Betteridge Jewelers Cushman & Wakefield David Bell Federal Premium Ammunition Gyro Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ralph Bailey Foundation Salesforce.com Sentient Jet Spencer & Tomoko Haber / Timothy P. & Susan Schieffelin The Virginia Sportsman Waterfront NY

Help Protect America’s Backyard

The 193-million-acre National Forest System provides an expanded backyard for all Americans. With your support, the National Forest Foundation helps ensure these lands will always give us joy, adventure and solitude.

For just $35, you (or your gift recipient) will receive: • a one-year membership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF).

• subscription to the official magazine of the NFF—Your National Forests.

• 10 trees will be planted to restore one of America’s National Forests.

(If you wish to give a gift membership, your gift recipient will receive the above benefits with a card notifying them that this special gift came from you.)

3 easy ways to order: Mail: Return the form below to: NFF, Fort Missoula Rd – Bldg 27, Suite 3, Missoula, MT 59804 Online: www.nationalforests.org Contact: dsnyder@nationalforests.org or 406.830.3355

Your gift is tax deductible.

Yes ~ I want to become a Friend of the Forest ® and support the WILD places I love!

Fill out and mail the form below or scan the QR code to give.

Enclosed is my gift in the amount of $ _________ YOUR NAME ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

PHONE EMAIL

I wish to order _________ gift membership(s) at $35 each.

NAME OF RECIPIENT ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

EMAIL

(If you wish to order more than one gift, please enclose additional recipient information with this form.)

Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ Please charge my:

VISA

Mastercard

[Payable to: National Forest Foundation] OR American Express

Discover

Card Number NAme on Card

Exp. Date /