Your National Forests Winter/Spring 2016

The Magazine of the National Forest Foundation

Winter – Spring 2016

Icons in Stone

A Different Kind of Park

Bison Return to Their Native Habitat

GREAT BUILDINGS OF THE FOREST SERVICE

WHERE RECREATION REIGNS

RESTORING THE TALL GRASSES OF MIDEWIN

Board of Directors Executive Committee Craig Barrett, NFF Chair Retired CEO/Board Chairman, Intel Corporation (AZ) John Hendricks, NFF Vice Chair Hendricks Investment Holdings, LLC (MD) Max Chapman, NFF Vice Chair Chairman, Gardner Capital Management Corp. (TX) Lee Fromson, NFF Treasurer Executive Vice President, Simms Fishing Products (MT) Timothy P. Schieffelin, NFF Secretary Senior Wealth Director, BNY Mellon Wealth Management (CT) Caroline Choi, Member Vice President, Integrated Planning & Environmental Affairs, Southern California Edison (CA) Peter Foreman, Member Sirius LP (IL)

Board of Directors David Bell, Chairman, Gyro, LLC (NY) Mike Brown, Jr., General Partner, Bowery Capital (NY) Coleman Burke, President, Waterfront Properties (NY) Robert Cole, Partner, Collins Cockrel & Cole, P.C. (CO)

SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS Donate today to ensure these resources last for tomorrow. $50 will plant 50 trees — helping ensure the health and vitality of our remarkable National Forests and Grasslands. $100 will send 10 students to a Friends of the Forest® volunteer day. $1,000 will restore up to one acre of forest.

Visit www.nationalforests.org/give to contribute today.

Bart Eberwein, Executive Vice President, Hoffman Construction Company (OR) Robert Feitler, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Weyco Group, Inc. (IL) Barry Fingerhut, CEO/Owner, Certification Partners, LLC (AZ) Rick Frazier, Chief Product Supply & Service Officer, Coca-Cola Refreshments, North America Group (GA) Beth Ganz, Vice President, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Vail Resorts Management Company, (CO) Roje S. Gootee, Co-Owner& Manager, Rush Creek Ranch, LLC (OR) James K. Hunt, Co-Owner & Manager, Tournament Capital Advisors, LLC (CA) Andie MacDowell, Actress and Spokesperson (CA) Jeff Paro, President & CEO, Outdoor Sportsman Group (NY) Patricia Hayling Price, President, LiveWorkStrategize, LLC (NY) Mary Smart, President, Smart Family Foundation (NY) Thomas Tidwell, Ex-Officio, Chief, USDA Forest Service (DC) Chad Weiss, Managing Director, JOG Capital Inc. (WY) James Yardley, Senior Vice President, El Paso Corporation, Retired (TX) ®2016 National Forest Foundation and Old Town Creative Communications, LLC. No unauthorized reproduction of this material is allowed.

welcome letter

Amid Shifts and Transitions, an Enduring Mission

By Interim Presidents: Ray A. Foote, Mary Mitsos and Marcus Selig

W

e mark our calendars with everything from birthdays to holidays to special family moments,

Ray A. Foote rfoote@nationalforests.org

each entry reminding us that

transitions and cycles mark our lives. This time of year brims with transition and change as fall slips into winter, one year unfolds into the next and the procession of holidays invites us to reflect on the past year and imagine the next.

This issue of Your National Forests follows this pattern.

On pages 20-24, Michelle Donahue’s article transports you to our nation’s rich network of National Recreation Areas.

In our field reports on pages 5-6 and in our annual Ski Conservation Fund write-up on pages 30-31, we share cutting edge work creating important change by the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and others.

As we wrap up 2015, exciting changes at the NFF signal new growth and promise. With the first year of our new five-year strategic plan under our belts, we are investing more than ever before in the health of America’s National Forests and the outdoor experiences they provide to millions annually. Our new field office in Asheville, North Carolina will serve Eastern forests and people more fully, and our new staff in Portland, Oregon will strengthen our Pacific Northwest program.

On pages 7-9, we explore the benefits of one of the most exciting projects from 2015 that took place in the heartland: the return of bison to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, a 19,000-acre unit of the National Forest System only one hour southwest of Chicago. The NFF helped spearhead a multi-year effort to bring majestic bison back to this part of “The Prairie State,” back to a landscape where hundreds of native tallgrasses, prairie forbs and shrubs are taking root and flourishing in a diverse, rich ecosystem. Songbirds and grassland birds are returning to this ancient land, natural water flows are reappearing and thousands of Chicagoans are learning something new about their “backyard.”

Mary Mitsos mmitsos@nationalforests.org

With each new shift comes new opportunity. At Midewin, now we must maintain the momentum to bring back thousands more acres to a natural state, all while increasingly Marcus Selig engaging the commumselig@nationalforests.org nity. We look forward to reporting to you on this in the future.

Just as we anticipate what is to come, we reflect on what brought us to this point. To that end, we delve farther back in history on pages 16-19 to explore two fascinating landmarks the U.S. Forest Service owns and maintains.

We hope you enjoy this season of transition and this issue of Your National Forests. Whether you live in a landscape now hushed by the snow’s arrival or near a southern forest quiet after summer’s crowds are gone, it’s comforting to know that these treasured places, and the NFF which serves them, will remain next year and the year after that.

Thank you for being part of our work on behalf of America’s National Forests. If we can ever be of assistance, please be in touch.

Bill Possiel, NFF president, is on sabbatical. His regular welcome letter will return to this space in the Summer-Fall 2016 issue of Your National Forests.

Winter – Spring 2016

1

inside this edition

Welcome

3

Where in the Woods

4

Forests by the Numbers

5

Field Reports

features

Amid transitions, the NFF's mission endures How well can you identify your National Forests?

7

The NFF's Trees for US program

Bison return to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Restoring the Roan Highlands and building cairns to Kings Peak

10

Tree Spotlight

13

Forest News

The symphony of the longleaf pine Saving bats from white-nose syndrome

16

14

Kids and Nature

24

Unforgettable Experiences

26

Voices from the Forest

30

Roaming the Tall Grasses

Icons in Stone and Reputation

Historic Forest Service sites: Timberline Lodge and Grey Towers

National Forests welcome volunteers of all ages Snowmobile partnerships with states and clubs Contest winners celebrate the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

Ski Conservation Fund Ski Apache and the Lincoln National Forest

20

Where Recreation Reigns Recreation comes first in these natural areas

on the cover Timberline Lodge sits under a winter blanket of snow beneath Mt. Hood bathed in alpenglow. © Timberline Lodge

2

Your National Forests

Photos © USFS; Timberline Lodge; Doug Wewer | USFS

1

where in the woods This National Forest is named for a beloved American author.

Photo © Brian Cormack

See page 32 for the answer.

National Forest Foundation

Your National Forests

Building 27, Suite 3 Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406.542.2805

The magazine of the National Forest Foundation Editor-in-Chief Greg M. Peters Contributors Michelle Z. Donahue, Hannah Ettema, Ray A. Foote, Natalie Kuehler, Mary Mitsos, Nancy Negrete, Greg M. Peters, Marcus Selig, Mark Shelley, Amy J. Wong Graphic Artist David A. Downing, Old Town Creative+Interactive

Your National Forests magazine is printed on recycled paper with 30% postconsumer content. This magazine’s use of FSC certified paper ensures the highest environmental and social standards have been followed in the wood sourcing, paper manufacturing, and print production of this magazine. To learn more log on to www.fsc.org.

The National Forest Foundation is a proud member of EarthShare, the country’s leading federation of environmental and conservation organizations accepting Combined Federal Campaign workplace contributions from federal civilian, postal and military employees.

Look for the National Forest Foundation— CFC #12053—on EarthShare’s website at earthshare.org.

National Forest Foundation William J. Possiel—President Mary Mitsos—Executive Vice President Ray A. Foote—Executive Vice President Edward Belden—Southern California Program Associate Sheree Bombard—Director, Administration Karen DiBari—Director, Conservation Connect Hannah Ettema—Communications and Development Associate Robin Hill—Controller Adam Liljeblad—Director, Conservation Awards Zia Maumenee—Conservation Awards Associate Luba Mullen—Associate Director, Development Emily Olsen—Conservation Connect Associate Marlee Ostheimer—Development Associate Greg M. Peters—Director, Communications Lee Quick—Accountant Patrick Shannon—Director, Pacific Northwest Program Emily Struss—Conservation Associate Vance Russell—Director, California Program Marcus Selig—Director, Southern Rockies Region Mark Shelley—Director, Eastern Region Deborah Snyder—Development Services Manager Wes Swaffar—Ecosystem Services Senior Manager Dayle Wallien—Pacific Northwest Field Representative

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forests by the numbers

disease sweep across our National Forests, the very trees that make these forests

forests are threatened. So too are the services and resources our forests provide, like clean water, clean air, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.

Fortunately, the NFF’s Trees for US program helps to heal the damage caused by these disturbances. Since 2008, we have collected donations and matched them to ecologically important reforestation projects around the country. The program has become hugely popular with people looking to highlight their love for forests and with businesses looking to give back to public lands. Thanks to all of our supporters for helping restore our forests!

Learn more about the Trees for US program at: is.gd/ynf_010

1,641,599 trees

105

Reforestation projects the NFF has funded through Trees for US since 2008

20

Reforestation projects funded through Trees for US in 2015

21

States where the NFF has planted trees since 2008

45

National Forests where the NFF has planted trees since 2008

2,000

Trees that can be planted by a single professional tree planter per day

1-2 years 6,300,000 trees

Age of trees being planted on reforestation projects

100+ yrs

How long it would take for many of the forests where we plant trees to naturally regenerate

=10,000 acres

1,000,000 acres 4

Your National Forests

Illustration © David A. Downing | Old Town Creative

W

hen severe fire, insects or

field reports Photos © SAHC

Volunteers Help the Roan Highlands Stay Wild

T

he wind-battered Roan Highlands stretch 20 miles across the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Crisscrossed by the Appalachian Trail, this rolling high country boasts billion-year old rocks scraped clean by ancient glaciers and hosts numerous

threatened and endangered species.

The Roan Highlands is recognized by numerous groups and state agencies as one of the most critical biodiversity hotspots in the Southern Appalachians. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) used their NFF’s Matching Awards Program grant to ensure areas of the Roan Highlands contained within the Pisgah National Forest continue to provide exceptional wildlife habitat for deer, bear, turkeys, migratory songbirds and other species that live in this unforgiving region.

The grassy ridges and peaks of the Roan Highlands are particularly important to the region’s wildlife. The slopes that fall from these summits are draped in thick spruce-fir forests, beautiful and fragrant, but limited in biodiversity, making the open, grassy habitat on the ridges especially critical nesting and foraging habitat for the region’s wildlife.

In 2015, SAHC brought more than 60 volunteers into the Highlands to improve 21 acres of this important habitat. The volunteers logged more than 1,000 hours pulling invasive blackberry bushes, hand cutting beech tree suckers impacted by beech bark disease and opening habitat

around green alder trees. Additionally, SAHC, working with Audubon North Carolina and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, monitored Golden-winged warbler populations and vegetation response on more than 100 acres of previously restored Highlands.

Finally, SAHC worked with local partners to implement a feral hog monitoring program that identified locations of high feral hog populations. This extremely disruptive invasive species wreaks havoc on the region’s animal and plant communities. Feral hogs eat the eggs of ground-nesting birds, affect stream and wetland health, disburse invasive plants and spread diseases that can impact area farmers and wildlife populations.

SAHC installed wildlife monitoring cameras to identify areas of high feral hog populations and worked with state agencies and private landowners to begin eradication and trapping programs. This work builds a foundation of knowledge that state agencies, private landowners and conservation organizations can use to target feral hog populations before they further damage these fragile ecosystems.

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field reports

A

s the highest mountain in Utah, Kings Peak on the border of the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests, draws more than 10,000 visitors annually. Peak baggers, alpine lake anglers and backpackers flock to Painter Basin, the high alpine

basin flanking the western edge of Kings Peak.

Located within the High Uinta Wilderness Area, Painter Basin sits at roughly 12,000 feet above sea level.

The area’s popularity and a confusing network of user-created trails has resulted in costly helicopter-assisted search and rescue operations that burden local tax payers and detract from the Wilderness experience visitors seek when travelling through the area.

Friends of Kings Peak used an NFF Matching Awards Program grant to eliminate the confusing and resource degrading user-created trails and install a prominent trail sign guiding hikers to Kings Peak. While this may sound straightforward, access and weather highlighted how remote and rugged this area truly is. The crews backpacked gear and supplies more than 11 miles and braved an early season snow storm in the high-elevation basin.

The group followed Wilderness design standards and built 27 large cairns to guide hikers across the talus slopes that flank Kings Peak. They also installed a nine-foot tall trail sign at a confusing trail juncture to reduce the number of lost hikers. When the weather frustrated cairn-building efforts, the crews kept busy maintaining three miles of system trails by cutting back overgrown vegetation.

While new signage and prominent cairns can’t completely eliminate the potential for lost hikers in this remote and popular landscape, they will no doubt reduce the number of helicopter-assisted rescues conducted each year.

Painter Basin in the High Uinta Wilderness Area.

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Your National Forests

Photo © Casey Goodlett | flickr.com

Giant Cairns Mark the Way to Kings Peak

conservation Photo © USFS

Roaming the Tall Grasses of Midewin Bison Return to Their Native Habitat

By Hannah Ettema

I

n 2007, archaeologists identified bison bones at a prehistoric village on Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie dating back to around the year 1600. By the early 1800s,

settlers had eradicated bison from Illinois.

Thanks to an NFF-led effort, these majestic creatures are back in their native habitat from a time long gone.

An hour away from Chicago’s towering sky scrapers and Lake Shore Drive, Midewin takes life at a slower pace. Quiet sunrises showcase fields of wildflowers and chattering birds. Remnant bunkers from Midewin’s past as the Joliet Arsenal dot the horizon.

In 2012, the National Forest Foundation designated Midewin as a signature site in its Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences conservation campaign.

Working closely with a stakeholder group, the NFF is restoring 2,000 acres of the tallgrass prairie. Complementing this restoration effort, we worked with our partners to bring bison back to the prairie, providing a unique opportunity to learn if and how bison can impact prairie restoration.

Tallgrass prairies, like any landscape, require many components for a healthy ecosystem. Since its inception, Midewin has been working to add those elements—native grasses, controlled fire and bison. With bison now contentedly grazing the prairie’s swaying grasses, officials will be able to see how the various elements interact and benefit each other.

CORPORATE PARTNER Caudalie is a proud partner of the NFF. Our pledge to plant one million trees over the next several years highlights our commitment to the environment and underscores our company’s ethics.

Winter – Spring 2016

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conservation Changes on the Landscape

Still an Experiment

At 19,000 acres, Midewin is the largest single parcel of protected open space in northeastern Illinois; it provides critical habitat for birds such as bobolinks, Henslow’s sparrows and grasshopper sparrows. The bison experiment has several focus areas, one of which is exploring whether different grazing patterns between bison and cattle will benefit the grassland habitat Midewin offers these and others birds.

While cattle have grazed at Midewin for decades, they, like any animal, have a particular diet. Cattle prefer to eat grasses and forbs (pretty much anything that is not grass, tree or shrub). Bison on the other hand, prefer to eat only grass.

“We’re hoping to get more heterogeneity,” explained prairie ecologist William Glass.

“The cattle provide habitat for grassland birds who like short grasses. We’re hoping with the bison there will be taller and shorter areas, kind of a mix. So then you’ll get a mix of birds.”

As with any experiment, data collection is key.

Staff have years of data about bird populations. At established points throughout Midewin, they regularly count the birds they see and hear. They also collect information about grass height, depth of the litter (amount of dead matter on the ground) and the number of cattle grazing in that area.

“With the bison there, we’ll monitor the birds like we have been. We’ll be able to monitor the grass height, the litter depth and we’ll know how many bison are out there.

So we’ll have the same information and we’ll compare it,” explained Glass.

As the bison settle into their new home, their presence may impact more than just the grassland birds. Glass expects the increasingly rare Franklin’s ground squirrels to like the bison’s pastures with tall vegetation. “[Franklin’s ground squirrels] like really tall, rank vegetation that they can burrow in. If we get that heterogeneity in the taller grasses, maybe we can get Franklin's in there. Who knows?” said Glass.

Coyotes might also prove an interesting factor. Midewin is not a zoo, but a natural ecosystem with predators and prey.

“The coyotes can’t take on an adult bison but they could probably bother a young one. It’ll be interesting to see how that all plays out,” said Glass.

Glass says they’re not sure what exactly will happen to the landscape after the bison arrive. “We have some ideas but are ready to be surprised.”

At The Nature Conservancy’s nearby Nachusa Grasslands, staff are monitoring bison introduced last year for impacts on tallgrass prairie health. While it is too soon for results on that front, the staff have noticed subtle changes.

“Researchers have noticed that a lot of the nests of small mammals like mice, voles and shrews are being made out of bison hair,” explained Cody Considine, a restoration ecologist for Nachusa.

Public interest has proven to be a big and unforeseen aspect of the bison’s presence at Nachusa.

“Probably the biggest challenge that we didn’t expect is the amount of interest that media and people have with the animals. That’s created a lot of extra work that we didn’t necessarily anticipate,” explained Considine.

Midewin is the largest single parcel of protected open space in northeastern Illinois

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Your National Forests

Roaming the Prairie

Midewin is no stranger to managing herds. Throughout the rolling hills and windblown grasses of Midewin, cattle graze with gusto. Like many other units of the Forest Service, Midewin maintains a grazing permit system.

Currently, there are approximately 950 head of cattle grazing on about 3,700 acres of Midewin. Fortunately for the land and staff, the permitees very much support Midewin’s mission.

“It’s really refreshing to work with people who understand and are in line with the overall purpose of Midewin.

They are here to graze their cattle, but they are also here as stewards of the land,” said range management specialist Kelly Gutknecht.

Unlike the privately-owned cattle grazing there, Midewin’s bison herd is owned and therefore managed by the Forest Service.

“It will be myself working hand-in-hand with prairie ecologist William Glass,” explained Gutknecht. “We will be vigilant and care for the bison appropriately as needed.”

Gutknecht knows bison are wild animals.

“We want them to be free-ranging bison and to interact with them as minimally as possible. They won’t depend on us for things. We want them to graze. And bison grazing will help us meet the goals at Midewin.

That’s part of the reason that they’re here.”

conservation Photo © USFS

Three of Midewin's bull bison.

In preparation for the herd, Midewin set aside 1,200 acres for the bison habitat. Their enclosure is surrounded by seven miles of six-foot tall fencing and includes a corral area with hydraulic gates and chutes used to handle the animals once a year. The corral area is surrounded by three smaller “trap pastures,” each allowing access into the corral area.

Gutknecht explained: “The corral area will always remain open for the bison; we want them to have a positive association with it. It’s an area that will be used for water and/or supplements as well as annual checkups.”

Officials hope that the bison's comfort level with the corral area will allow for a smooth round-up each fall, causing minimal discomfort to the animals.

Hannah is the NFF’s devel­ opment and communications

Expecting the Unexpected

associate. She manages all

In everything it does, the Forest Service adapts to change. New challenges inspire new solutions and ways to manage National Forests and Grasslands for the greatest good. Given the nature of the bison experiment, Midewin is prepared for the unexpected.

As Glass explained: “There’s all these cool little things that could happen, some of which we don’t even know or haven’t even thought about. I think there’s going to be a lot of things we’re going to learn.”

aspects of the NFF’s digital communications and spends her free time exploring Montana’s national forests and stage managing local theater productions. Reach her at hettema@nationalforests.org.

Want to learn more about the NFF’s efforts to bring bison back to Midewin? Visit is.gd/ynf_011

Winter – Spring 2016

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tree spotlight Photo © Martjan Lammertink | pbase.com/picidpics

A Longleaf Symphony Heard Once Again

By Mark Shelley

“

This plain is mostly a forest of the great long-leaved pine, the earth covered with grass, interspersed with an infinite variety of herbaceous plants, and embellished with extensive savannas, always green, sparkling with ponds of water, and ornamented with clumps of evergreens, and other trees and shrubs…”

The sound moving through a longleaf pine forest seems to emanate from on high and down low—a crescendo that starts in the tree canopy and builds through the ground level grasses—all orchestrated by the breeze.

Some have likened this windy symphony to waves crashing in a far off sea; the great eighteenth century explorer William Bartram described it as: “the solemn symphony of the steady Western breezes, playing incessantly, rising and falling through the thick and wavy foliage.”

Bartram initially explored the Southeast in 1776, but returned seven years later, at the bequest of London phy-

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Your National Forests

~ William Bartram, Travels (1791)

sician Dr. John Fothergill to collect botanical specimens and sketch his travels. Beginning in Pennsylvania, Bartram sailed to Charleston, South Carolina and explored south to Savannah, Georgia. He canoed the St. Johns River in Florida, travelled west across the state with Native American traders, looped back into Georgia, and eventually north to the Carolina highlands before concluding his trip at the Mississippi River. Throughout his five-year adventure, he was rarely out of sight of longleaf pine. A traveler following Bartram’s footsteps today would hear only the faintest whispers of Bartram’s “solemn symphony.”

tree spotlight

Historic Range Current Range

A Muted Melody Ninety-two million acres of stately longleaf pine forests once dominated the Southeast, but today less than two percent remain. Of that two percent, very few acres still reflect the diversity and age of the longleaf forests that covered the South for more than 40,000 years. Logging, fire suppression and conversion to other, more easily-managed species have greatly reduced and fragmented its range, impairing its ecological function.

The longleaf pine is the longest lived of the southern pine species.

Throughout most of their range, longleaf pines can reach 250 years in age, although trees older than 450 years have been documented. The longleaf is a beautiful tree, with rolling, graceful lower branches laden with large cones. Its long needles give it its common name.

Longleaf pine’s scientific name, Pinus palustris, means "of the marsh."

Locals refer to it as longstraw, yellow, southern yellow, swamp, hard or heart, pitch, and Georgia pine. In pre-settlement times, this premier timber tree grew in extensive, pure stands throughout the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains from southeastern Virginia to eastern Texas and south through the northern two-thirds of peninsular Florida. The species also grows in the Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, and Mountain Provinces of Alabama and northwest Georgia.

Longleaf pine is native to a wide variety of sites ranging from wet, poorly drained flatwoods just above sea level to dry, rocky mountain ridges 1,900 feet high. Most of the current longleaf pine forests are found on the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains at elevations below 660 feet.

Longleaf pine is a high quality timber tree, well suited to a whole range of products—poles, piling, posts, saw logs, plywood, pulpwood and ship supplies. Even its needles or "pine straw" are used as mulch. Its usefulness fostered centuries of intense exploitation, which combined with a lack of planned regeneration, contribute to the decline of longleaf pine forests that continues today.

Longleaf pine stands require fire.

In the past, frequent fires resulted in open, parklike stands of longleaf with few other woody plants and ground cover dominated by grasses and forbs— excellent habitat for game, especially quail, and quail hunting has long been associated with this timber type. Many species of birds, mice and squirrels feed on longleaf pine seeds, adding to the long list of animals that depend on longleaf forests.

Ninety-two million acres of longleaf pine forests once dominated the Southeast, but today less than two percent remain.

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tree spotlight Photos © USFS; Martjan Lammertink | pbase.com/picidpics

But with a reduction in fire occurrence, hardwoods and other pines encroach on the longleaf forest. This ecosystem conversion reduces habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered wildlife, from amphibians and snakes to birds and small mammals.

Woodpecker Harmonies Mature longleaf stands also provide the most desirable habitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker. These finicky birds build nesting cavities in pines at least 60 years old. Rare, old-growth longleaf trees are ideally suited to the red-cockaded woodpecker, but across the region most longleaf stands are second-growth and therefore too young for this indicator species.

Critically needed restoration is underway, including: planting new longleaf pine trees, removing invasive exotic plant species, restoring native plants and reducing competition from oak trees (and other species) that shade out longleaf seedlings. Preventing further oak and pine encroachment through controlled fire is the final step.

The NFF is supporting a comprehensive longleaf restoration program on the Ocala National Forest. These efforts are focused on expanding red-cockaded woodpecker habitat and on ensuring that these habitats remain suitable through prescribed fire and other management techniques.

Through these restoration efforts, we can bring back the high pitched notes, rattling and quiet drumming of the red-cockaded woodpecker, perhaps just as Bartram heard in his day—returning an essential melody in harmony with nature’s soothing longleaf symphony.

Mark is the NFF’s Eastern Field Program Director. Based in Asheville, NC, Mark explores the National Forests in the East (and sometimes in the West) by trail trudging, biking, paddling and otherwise getting out of doors. Reach him at mshelley@nationalforests.org.

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Your National Forests

How to Help the Endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Because of its narrow requirement for old-growth living pine trees in which it makes its nesting and roosting cavities, the red-cockaded woodpecker was the first longleaf forest inhabiting animal to achieve endangered status under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966.

Want to help the NFF improve red-cockaded woodpecker habitat?

Support our conservation effort on the Ocala National Forest where we’re restoring the longleaf pine forests on which these endangered birds depend. Working with local partners and contractors, including Florida’s Boyscouts, we’re restoring and improving longleaf forests for woodpeckers and other forest-dependent species. Learn more at is.gd/ynf_012.

forest news Photo © Greg Turner | USGS.gov

Forest Service Researchers Battle White-nose Syndrome

I

magine there is a magic flying machine that appears every night and snatches insects and pests from the air. Imagine this machine operates without any assistance from humans and that it benefits America’s agricultural industry to the tune of $26 billion a year. Now imagine

that the machines are breaking down and no longer able to perform their pest-reducing magic. You’d want to find out how to fix them right?

That’s exactly what researchers at the Forest Service’s Northern Research Station, Southern Research Station and Center for Mycology Research are doing with a recent grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

These “magic machines” are bats, honed by millions of years of evolution and experts at catching and consuming millions and millions of harmful insects. The “breakdown” is white-nose syndrome, a fungus that’s killing millions of bats across the country.

First identified in eastern New York in 2007, white-nose syndrome has been steadily moving throughout the country, affecting hibernating bats in 26 states and 5 Canadian provinces. White-nose syndrome is a fungus that penetrates bats’ nose, mouth and wing tissue causing dehydration and inability to maintain body temperature during hibernation. Researchers estimate that the disease has killed between 5 and 6 million bats, close to 80 percent of northeastern bat populations since 2007.

Because bats are crucial to both agricultural and natural systems, researchers are scrambling to find a cure for the disease and prevent further spread. To that end, the USFWS recently awarded $2.5 million in grants to scientists studying white-nose syndrome. Forest Service scientists received four grants totaling $410,690 from the USFWS in September 2015. The grants will help researchers tackle this disease in four crucial areas: ➤➤ Using a native soil bacteria that limits the growth of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome; ➤➤ Analyzing the impact of ultra-violet light on the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome; ➤➤ Understanding the vulnerability of tri-colored bats in the southern United States to white-nose syndrome; ➤➤ Developing decontamination protocols that mitigate human-based transmission of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome.

"Fungi and bats are among the most elusive species on the planet, which makes white-nose syndrome a particularly challenging disease to manage," said Michael T. Rains, Director of the Forest Service's Northern Research Station and the Forest Products Laboratory. "Forest Service scientists have expertise on both and are working on a variety of approaches to reduce the mortality of bats in the face of this devastating disease. We are honored and grateful for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's support of this research."

A little brown bat with white muzzle typical of white-nose syndrome.

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kids and nature

Feeling “Taller” through Volunteering

By Natalie Kuehler

V

olunteering on a National Forest can be a great way to spend the day outside with your children and foster their interest in nature. With a little planning and forethought, volunteer opportunities for your entire family abound: from building

trails and restoring campgrounds to helping care for wildlife.

You may worry that bringing your child, especially a young one, will be disruptive, unproductive or simply not fun. But after hosting several volunteer days on the NFF’s Treasured Landscapes Majestic Methow campaign site on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, I have found the opposite to be true: kids do a great job, and watching a youngster bond with nature while volunteering lifts the spirit of the entire group.

To get a child's perspective I spoke to eight-year-old Sophia Baraibar, who participated in a trail restoration party I organized.

Sophia pounding stakes to mark restoration areas.

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Your National Forests

Sophia’s most important piece of advice is to: “find an activity that your child likes to do anyway.” She enjoys hiking and pounding things into the ground, so marching more than two miles to Blue Lake and hammering stakes into the ground to rope off restoration areas proved a perfect fit. Sophia also advises: “it would not be good if you just told your kids to come” to a volunteer event. Instead, she says, “you have to give them enough details so that the kids know why they are doing the work and that their help is important.” Sophia really wanted to volunteer after her mother explained that she would be: “protecting really delicate plants up at Blue Lake that otherwise would have died from people walking on them.”

kids and nature Photos © Natalie Kuehler

Tips to make sure your kids have fun and stay safe during restoration events Safety First Make sure the event’s location and activities are safe for children. This includes safety during breaks or playtime as children go exploring throughout the day. Avoid activities along big cliffs, near busy roads or in areas known to be frequented by animals like rattlesnakes.

Snacks Pack plenty of snacks (Sophia recommends: “enough protein—otherwise you will be really hungry on the way back,” while one parent I spoke to simply said: “sugar!”).

Clothing Pack warm clothes (especially layers) and a spare set of clothes if there’s a chance your child could get wet.

Make the hike in fun

Working hard and safe.

She also cautions against underestimating children and encourages adults to find meaningful jobs for their kids. In addition to placing stakes, Sophia enjoyed signing up all the volunteers at the beginning of the event. As the only child there she had initially felt “really small.” Knowing that she was helping meant she “didn’t have to be shy” and began to feel “taller.”

Sophia had such a good time at the event that she was “even thinking about going on a hike on [her] birthday” the following week. As for volunteering again—Sophia didn’t even have to think about that. “I will definitely go to the next volunteer event,” she said, and immediately asked me to sign her up.

If you are hiking up to the event location, think of fun activities to do along the way: search for a frog to kiss, count the switch-backs, pretend to be a mountain goat or simply identify different plants along the way.

Be a good role model The most important thing you may be doing while volunteering with your family is not the actual work itself, but planting a seed in your child’s mind that this is their forest too.

Natalie spent the season as the NFF’s Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest where she was sure to bring enough snacks to share with the many volunteers who made this year's Majestic Methow projects such a success—and so much fun.

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the opening of Timberline Lodge in 1937.

By Ray A. Foote

F

irefighting, timber, camping with friends and Smokey Bear are often associated with the U.S. Forest Service. Favorite trails and fishing spots or a passing glimpse of the classic ‘shield’ logo also bring the century-old agency to mind.

Less well known are the historic sites the Forest Service owns and cares for. Two such places stand out, although they could not be more different from each other: one, a grand château high above the Delaware River in northeastern Pennsylvania, designed by an esteemed Gilded Age architect and displaying fine European craftsmanship. The other, 2,800 miles due west, a rustic but grand lodge in Oregon’s Cascade Range built by federal work crews during the depression and adorned by Native American art and exquisite carving.

Respectively, Grey Towers and Timberline Lodge are beloved American icons, each distinguished by their designation as National Historic Landmarks, the top tier of official recognition for historic significance. They also share a deep and lasting tie to the Forest Service.

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From Wallpaper to Well Managed Forests Built to reflect its owners’ French roots, Grey Towers was the imposing summer home of James Pinchot, a wealthy wallpaper manufacturer and lumberman, and his wife Mary Eno Pinchot. They hired renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a château-style mansion set on extensive grounds, an estate that quickly became the dominant feature of Milford, Pennsylvania, a small town along the Delaware River. With 43 rooms and three tremendous turreted towers, the landmark was built from indigenous fieldstone and immediately became a gathering place of the wealthy and important.

Photo © Timberline Lodge

Icons in Stone and Reputation

unforgettable experiences Photos © Daniel Case | commons.wikimedia.org; Grey Towers Historic Association

In 1875, when James Pinchot selected the site for his estate, it was essentially a denuded hillside; only decades later would it resemble today’s verdant appearance. That would be true of much of the eastern United States. In the late nineteenth century, these lands were utterly cut over and simply left bare save hundreds of thousands of stumps. Pinchot came to recognize the unsustainability of such practices, even though they had personally enriched his family, and he saw in his son Gifford an opportunity to begin righting the extremes of his own generation.

"How would you like to be a forester?" James asked Gifford, invoking a profession that didn’t even exist in America at the time. Gifford later noted: "I had no more conception of what it meant to be a forester than the man in the moon....But at least a forester worked in the woods and with the woods—and I loved the woods and everything about them.” With no school of forestry in the U.S., Gifford enrolled in the French National School of Forestry before returning home to attend the new Yale School of Forestry, conveniently funded by his parents.

It was propitious that the tremendous château in Milford opened on the young Pinchot’s 21st birthday, an event marked by the father presenting the son a copy of George Perkins Marsh’s Man and Nature: Earth as Modified by Human Action. Considered the foundational text of a nascent conservation ethos, Marsh’s book made the case that stewardship was essential to progress. This idea defined Pinchot’s vision and career. In 1905, he was appointed by his friend Teddy Roosevelt as the first Chief Forester of the brand new U.S. Forest Service. The Forest History Society has noted that: “[Pinchot] had a strong hand in guiding the fledgling organization toward the utilitarian philosophy of the ‘greatest good for the greatest number.’ Pinchot added the phrase ‘in the long run’ to emphasize that forest management consists of long-term decisions.”

Grey Towers became the intellectual center of forest thought in the early twentieth century. From 1901 to 1926 it was the primary summer fieldwork location for the Yale School of Forestry. In 1903, the elder Pinchot started the Milford Experimental Forest as a lab and learning site. Leading thinkers and practitioners gathered to share ideas and questions about the rapidly growing field of professional forestry, including coming to terms with the abusive and unsustainable logging practices of the day.

Grey Tower's namesake turrets.

Gifford Pinchot at his desk c. 1900.

Blacksmiths, Stonemasons and a “Magic Mile” Standing at 5,690 feet elevation, the literal timberline, the majestic lodge of the same name was built by Works Progress Administration crews between 1936 and 1938 as part of the massive federal effort to jolt a depressed nation back into economic health.

Gracing Mt. Hood National Forest an hour east of Portland, Oregon, Timberline boasts a lobby with six stone fireplaces joined by a huge chimney rising 80 feet through the hexagonal room. Awed visitors enter through an 1,800-pound Ponderosa pine front door and encounter carpentry, metalworking, masonry and carving throughout. Some have referred to the lodge as a veritable museum of uniquely American rustic decorative arts—table legs and Newell posts are carved with beavers, rams and owls, wildlife all found in the surrounding forests.

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unforgettable experiences Photos © Library of Congress

In 1935, lacking funds to hire a private architectural firm, the Forest Service gave the task to a team of four in-house architects led by Tim Turner. Each had grown up in the Pacific Northwest and brought a strong sense of the region’s innate character to their plans. By all accounts, this team produced a world-class design suited to its demanding climate, reflective of the ‘everyman’ ethos that built it and respectful of the native heritage and ecological history of the region.

The lodge and its leisure time offerings were something of an experiment in the Forest Service’s ability to promote outdoor recreation. Franklin D. Roosevelt noted that this “venture” project would “test the workability” of the government’s ability to own and operate such places.

This flirtation didn’t last long as Timberline’s operations were almost immediately contracted out to a private concessionaire under a special use permit granted by the Forest Service and have been thus ever since. Nevertheless, the ties with Mt. Hood National Forest were then and remain integral to the resort.

While America’s downhill ski industry was in its infancy in the 1930s, it was about to take off, in part thanks to Timberline’s innovations. The year it opened, the resort installed the “Magic Mile,” a mile-long chairlift that ascended to 7,000 feet. Operational by 1939, the lift opened up tremendous new recreational possibilities. It was only the second passenger chairlift in the world; a few years later, the resort opened an aerial tram to serve growing crowds, though it closed in the 1950s.

A mere 17 years after opening, the entire celebrated Timberline enterprise was on the rocks and ultimately ceased operating. Within months of its closure, Oregon businessman Richard L. Kohnstamm took over as the area operator and dedicated the rest of his life to the landmark resort, returning it to profitability and earning the sobriquet “the man who saved Timberline Lodge.” His son, Jeff Kohnstamm, succeeds him as the area operator to this day.

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Encounters with Presidents Each of these sites bears a special relationship with a U.S. President. Timberline owes its very existence to the works program FDR put in place as one of many mechanisms to pull America out of the Great Depression. On September 28, 1937, FDR’s 40-car motorcade ascended Mt. Hood for the president to dedicate the new building.

That day, he reiterated the twin themes that define and often stress the Forest Service even today: timber production and recreation. First, he noted how future visitors to Timberline could “visualize the relationship” between National Forest lands and economic recovery. They would “understand the part which National Forest timber will play in the support of this important element of northwestern prosperity.”

Roosevelt also correctly presaged an era of growing recreation on forest lands. “Those who will follow us to Timberline Lodge on their holidays and vacations will represent the enjoyment of new opportunities for play in every season of the year.…Summer is not the only time for play….[People] are going to come here for skiing and tobogganing and various other forms of winter sports.” Today, things have come full circle from Roosevelt’s time as U.S. ski resorts are rapidly retooling to offer summertime activities (such as ziplines and mountain biking) to balance their wintertime high season long dominated by skiing. With more than 60 percent of western ski areas on Forest Service lands, these changes also reflect the ever evolving role of these public lands and their multiple uses.

Twenty-six years, almost to the day, after FDR dedicated Timberline, President John F. Kennedy visited Grey Towers. With tiny Milford abuzz, the president helicoptered in for a brief ceremony to accept the Pinchot family’s estate as a gift to the entire nation. On that early fall day, Kennedy’s visit coalesced three notable events.

First, the official transfer of the mansion and 101 acres

unforgettable experiences

Friends, Associations and Further Reading

of surrounding land to the Forest Service; second, the launch of a new Pinchot Institute for Conservation Studies at Grey Towers, a nonprofit organization still active today in forest policy and research; and finally, the kickoff of Kennedy’s national “conservation tour.”

Over the next five days the president visited 11 states and made 15 speeches about the need to protect America’s natural resources. Kennedy’s stumping for the environment was surprising; he had shown little interest to date in the outdoors. Yet, Rachel Carson had published Silent Spring the prior year, and national cognizance of early environmental issues was rising quickly.

The tour was Kennedy’s last major opportunity to summon the nation’s attention for conservation as he was assassinated two months later.

Pressing Forward with a Conservation Mission Both Grey Towers and Timberline draw their character and reputation from strong historical associations. Yet, each is also a vital agent in continuing to educate and inspire Americans to enjoy and protect their National Forests. Timberline welcomes two million people annually, actively informing guests about its symbiotic relationship with the National Forest that rings it. Its birth as a public works project and showcase of the richness of nearby flora and fauna give the resort an intimate tie with the ongoing mission of the Forest Service.

Grey Towers’ tours, seminars and events focused on forest history, theory and practice continually rekindle the questions Gifford Pinchot doggedly pursued as America’s first chief forester. The place itself, a grand nineteenth century gesture, bears witness to a legacy of seeking the most enlightened approach to managing our forests. At the same time, Grey Towers represents and embraces a remarkable sweep of changes in our understanding of forest stewardship, changes that will certainly continue to unspool throughout the twenty-first century.

Ray is the NFF’s Executive Vice President. He lives in Fairfax, VA and spends his free time playing jazz and blues piano and pursuing

Visitor information, additional history and further resources are easily available about both of these historic sites, including from their associated nonprofit partners.

Friends of Timberline (friendsoftimberline.org), founded in 1975, is a nonprofit organization that conserves Timberline Lodge, protects its historical integrity and celebrates its builders by raising funds and coordinating community efforts.

The Grey Towers Heritage Association (greytowers.org) is a nonprofit organization that provides tours, programs, history, publications and more. It works closely with The Pinchot Institute (pinchot.org), which provides nonpartisan research, education and technical assistance on the future of conservation and sustainable natural resource management.

Char Miller’s Seeking the Greatest Good: The Conservation Legacy of Gifford Pinchot (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2013) is the most thorough history and examination of Grey Towers’ coming into public ownership and how its mission today echoes Gifford Pinchot’s conservation ethos.

Both sites are open to the public.

Timberline Lodge (timberlinelodge.com) is a full-service year-round resort.

Grey Towers is available for tours and occasional educational programs.

CORPORATE PARTNER Boxed Water is planting one million trees on National Forests in the next five years.

This year’s #ReTree campaign was overwhelming, and we’re excited to keep the momentum going and reach our goal by 2020.

outdoor photography. Reach him at rfoote@nationalforests.org.

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Morning light hits Goat Falls in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.

WHERE

RECREATION

REIGNS

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  Your National Forests

featured forest Photo © Jay Krajic

A Different Kind of Park

By Michelle Z. Donahue

T

raversing the green and rolling terrain of the ancient Allegheny Mountains is reminiscent of riding giant ocean swells. Cresting up and over each

successive ridgeline rewards the traveler with a sweeping view of a lush, river-worn valley below and the vista of the next sloping flank to come.

More valleys lay beyond, highlands rising and falling in an even, steady flow, marching on into the misty distance.

Until, suddenly, breaking that gentle rhythm, the pale and broken parapet of the “Rocks” juts up through the tree line like the bleached bones of a dragon.

With my family, I’ve been through many a Mid-Atlantic dale and hollow, but the journey to Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area on the Monongahela National Forest took us into an area of West Virginia we hadn’t yet explored.

Despite being only three hours west of Washington, D.C., the verdant landscape felt much more remote.

The area felt little different than any other federal land: the ubiquitous brown sign with carved, yellow-painted lettering faithfully greets arriving visitors. The region has an appropriately tousled quality, with little development nearby. But subtle clues hint at your presence in a different kind of “park.”

Instead of the arrowhead emblem of the National Park Service, signs are emblazoned with the tree-adorned shield of the Forest Service. A small crossroads hosts a motel, country store and outfitter that enjoy brisk business. Our campground, well-appointed with leveled tent pads and tidy fire pits, is managed by a contractor—though so seamlessly, it’s hard to tell.

When we arrived at our campsite in the middle of an impossibly bright September afternoon, the glowing full-face panorama of the Seneca Rocks crags commanded our rapt attention. A group of campers from the D.C. area had brought a telescope for nighttime stargazing, but in the meantime, pointed it at the precipice, watching helmeted climbers rappel and ascend the rocks.

Subtle clues hint at your presence in a different kind of “park.”

Congress Responds to Recreational Demand In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Congress heatedly debated the merits of establishing Wilderness Areas on public lands. As part of the process leading up to 1964’s Wilderness Act, the federal Outdoor Recreation Resource Review Commission identified a rapidly increasing urban demand for outdoor recreational opportunities.

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featured forest

Opposite: Rock climbers testing their skills at Seneca Rocks NRA.

In response, a 1962 presidential advisory council developed a set of criteria to allow for the designation of specially managed natural areas intended primarily for recreational use. Seneca Rocks, established in 1965, was the first of what is now a system of 22 Forest Service-managed NRAs (the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management manage additional NRAs as well). Following a rush of set-asides through the 1980s and ‘90s, the Mount Hood NRA was designated in 2009 and remains the most recent NRA. Along with specially designated scenic areas, trails, rivers, or volcanic areas, a National Recreation Area designation requires an act of Congress.

As Diverse as the Continent’s Geography These recreation areas differ from other federal land designations primarily in their intended use: while management of National Parks is focused on preservation and conservation, and National Forests are managed for multiple resources, recreation is emphasized in NRAs. In these areas, hiking, camping, biking, climbing, fishing, swimming, snowmobiling and any other number of interests are not only sanctioned but actively encouraged, though the specific mix of activities differs from place to place.

The recreation areas are as diverse as the continent’s geography.

From the smallest area, the 6,000 acre Pine Ridge NRA in Nebraska, to the vast Sawtooth NRA in Idaho, encompassing an area nearly as large as Rhode Island, NRAs are selected for their unique and exceptional attributes. Those features need not necessarily be forest-related: Hells Canyon NRA, in Oregon’s Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, contains 15,000-year-old Native American petroglyphs; Arapaho NRA is known as the “great lakes” area of Colorado for its five large reservoirs.

By design, NRAs are located within easy striking distance from cities. Each NRA is no more than 250 miles from a major population center, and the guidelines regulating creation of these recreation areas also mandate that they should be relatively large, allowing for a high carrying capacity of visitors. Additional preference is given to areas that would economically benefit from

increased local tourism and recreation opportunities.

And, of course, the geography should be picturesque, a regionally significant landmark.

“The Forest Service is incredibly proud to manage some of the world’s most treasured public landscapes,” said Joe Meade, director of the Forest Service’s recreation, heritage and volunteer resources. “Each of these iconic NRAs have been recognized by Congress for their exceptional attributes. It is our intention to enhance stewardship and partnership alliances in support of all of these places, to raise public awareness about their value, and to increase staff and budget resources to help protect and ensure their longevity for generations to come.”

“NRAs are generally very popular,” said Forest Service chief landscape architect Matt Arnn, who helps NRA managers retain and improve the essential character of each place. “To be nominated and congressionally designated means there has to be a strong local regional constituency that works in partnership with the Forest Service and related interest groups to pursue that designation. You need a fair amount of support for that.”

By design, National Recreation Areas are located within easy striking distance of cities.

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Millions of People, Billions of Dollars

Though spending is down slightly from earlier in the 2000s, likely due to decreased spending nationwide during the most recent recession, demand for recreational resources continues to be high.

More than 6 million people are employed in recreation-related industries, more than in finance, construction or transportation. The Outdoor Industry Alliance's 2012 report notes that Americans spent $646 billion on recreation, netting state and federal governments a cool $39 billion in tax revenue—each.

All but one of the group from our telescope-toting neighbors at the Seneca Rocks campground had never been to this particular recreation area before, but all agreed that it was an attractive resource to have in such relative proximity to the Washington suburbs, where they all reside. But other than being aware they were in a National Forest, none of the group realized they were in specially designated area nested within that forest.

Photo © Nathan Smith

“I always knew the difference between national parks and forest areas,” said Garrett Hart, a former Navy pilot who now resides in the D.C. area. “In my head I never really focused on what’s a national recreation area.”

Hart did add that he has always appreciated the wider freedom of activities within National Forests. “It’s more wide open. On a lot of the lands, you can just go in and use it.”

Steve Pezzetti, also part of the group, agreed, noting that he grew up traveling National Forests extensively with his father, who worked for the Forest Service for 46 years. Despite the heavy summertime use from the crowds who visit from the Eastern seaboard, he noted the careful maintenance of the trails.

The group of friends expressed pleasant surprise at the range of activities available for visitors.

As we prepared to leave Seneca Rocks, my first-grader piped up from the rear of our vehicle: “Are we going back to the tent now?” My preschooler, ever her brother’s faithful parrot, added, “More tent?” Thus inaugurated, I am cheered that both my children seem eager for more outdoor explorations like what we found in the Monongahela.

Michelle often hikes Maryland's Catoctin Mountains with her family and grapples with the annual problem of too many tomatoes from the garden. She writes about science, culture and technology for Smithsonian, SciArt in America and others. Reach her at michelle.z.donahue@gmail.com.

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unforgettable experiences

Ride & Groom Snowmobile Partnerships with States and Clubs

By Greg M. Peters

F

ew winter activities beat the rush of piloting a snowmobile across a snowy landscape. Snowmobiles offer a fun and exhilarating way to experience winter in all its glory. Whether following a perfectly groomed trail or cutting tracks across a powder-laden slope,

snowmobilers relish their season.

National Forests from California to Vermont provide some of the best snowmobiling opportunities in the country. Thousands of miles of trails loop through these forests, providing groomed networks that attract riders from neighboring towns and far-flung locales.

So how does the Forest Service, which is notoriously strapped for cash, manage to keep thousands of miles of trails groomed and maintained for these cold weather recreationists? Through creative multi-party partnerships.

A Growing Sport In the 1970s and 80s, advances in snowmobile technology began attracting new enthusiasts to the sport. State governments, tasked with regulating snowmobiles just like any other motorized vehicle, required snowmobilers to register their sleds, providing new recreation-based revenue.

At the same time, local enthusiasts began organizing clubs and events to build community and find places to ride.

Many of these early trail systems followed snow-covered Forest Service roads in states like Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota and Vermont. But the agency didn’t have funding to cover grooming or trail maintenance costs, so it began forming partnerships with the states and the clubs.

States used the money from snowmobile registration fees to provide grants to local clubs who in turn partnered with the Forest Service to groom and maintain the trails.

Eventually, states recognized that snowmobilers were also purchasing enough gas for their machines that a portion of the state gas tax added to each gallon of gas could be dedicated to maintaining and grooming trail systems as well.

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These partnerships, refined and improved, are still at work today, nearly four decades later.

Thousands of Miles, Hundreds of Clubs Minnesota offers what is perhaps the country’s largest system of groomed trails—about 20,000 miles. On the Superior National Forest, a network of 700 miles of trails intersect with hundreds more trail miles on state, county and private lands. The Forest partners directly with more than a dozen clubs whose volunteers groom and maintain the trails. These volunteers also help with signage, trail inspections and trail planning efforts.

Although many of the clubs utilize volunteers to operate grooming equipment, there are still hard costs associated with grooming and maintaining the trail systems. The State of Minnesota provides grants to the clubs to offset these hard costs through their "Grant-InAid" program. Because this form of winter recreation is so important to the remote towns that border this sprawling forest in northern Minnesota, the Superior does provide some money to the state to help support the grooming programs. A 2005 study by the University of Minnesota’s Tourism Center estimated the direct snowmobiling-related expenditures of residents and non-residents at a whopping $199.6 million. Of this, $78.6 million was spent on travelling to snowmobiling destinations. While not all of this is directly related to National Forest opportunities, these lands do play a critical role in supporting local economies during the long Minnesota winters.

In Washington, the program is pretty similar. The Washington State Parks department provides the funding,

unforgettable experiences Photo © Mlenny | istock.com

but it doesn’t only go to local clubs. The Parks department also works with private contractors who groom trails and plow parking lots. In a few cases, where a specific Forest or District has grooming equipment, the state provides funds to cover the costs of using that equipment. Regardless of whether it’s a club, a contractor or the Forest Service doing the grooming, oversight and enforcement are ultimately the responsibility of the Forest Service. Although here too, partnerships help share the burden.

State game wardens and department of natural resource law enforcement officers help the Forest Service patrol trail networks and parking lots for unregistered snowmobiles, folks operating snowmobiles under the influence of drugs or alcohol and riders violating access regulations.

In Montana, where there are 4,000 miles of snowmobile trails across the state and 26 different snowmobiling clubs, these partnerships have grown to support Nordic skiing opportunities as well. On the Idaho-Montana border, snowmobilers and Nordic skiers utilize separate trail systems that start at the Lolo Pass Visitor center. In 2014, the local “SnoGoers” snowmobile club that grooms the motorized trails agreed to use its state-provided grant funding (with funding contributed by the Nordic ski club as well) to groom the Nordic ski trails because the local Nordic club’s grooming machine no longer worked. This unique partner-

ship provides both motorized and non-motorized recreationists an opportunity to enjoy their respective sports.

Without these self-funded programs in place, opportunities for zipping off into the wintery woods would be limited. Importantly, very little federal money is spent maintaining these systems. In fact, little state money is spent either, as the registration and gas tax revenues cover the cost of administering the programs.

The next time you consider riding a snowmobile through a National Forest, remember the multiple groups that work together to make your ride possible. From local snowmobile clubs who spend long, dark hours grooming trails to the state parks officials who manage the grant programs that support the grooming to the Forest Service officials who ensure public safety, there’s a strong network of partners who provide the opportunity to zip through dense forests and open snow-filled meadows.

CORPORATE PARTNER MillerCoors is pleased to be supporting the NFF’s watershed restoration efforts on the Angeles National Forest, helping return water back to the natural systems that depend on it.

Greg is the NFF’s Communication Director. When he’s not lost in a mountain of paperwork at his desk, Greg enjoys skiing, hiking, canoeing and getting home after dark. Reach him at gpeters@nationalforests.org.

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voices from the forest

connections to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument outside of Los Angeles. We are pleased to feature the winning and runner-up entries here.

Car Window Mountains

By Amy J. Wong

G

rowing up in El Monte, I never knew the name of the mountains outside my mom’s car window. Like a cardboard backdrop for a movie, they seemed distant, hard to reach and almost two-dimensional. In fact, for the first 22 years of my

life, I never even stepped foot there.

When I was young, my concept of the outdoors was simple: I ventured in my backyard and the grass fields at school. That was it. But that was enough for me at that time. My love for the outdoors blossomed thanks to my grandma. Oftentimes, the two of us would sit on a swinging bench under our jujube tree as she shared stories about her life in Cambodia and Vietnam. It became a space for storytelling, our small and cozy backyard.

When she arrived in America more than two decades ago, she planted several fruit trees as a form of good luck: kumquats, oranges, lemons and more. Starting as small shrubs, they’ve grown alongside us and still stand today, reaching toward the sky with branches outstretched.

When I moved back home after college, I found it difficult to immerse in nature like I had as a kid. I had studied environmental science and public health, learning the importance of public green space. Suddenly, home

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didn’t feel as hospitable as I’d remembered. Instead, home felt like a case study I’d read about in a research paper in college. El Monte, like most cities in the San Gabriel Valley region, is park-poor, which means that there are fewer than three acres of open space per 1,000 residents.

El Monte is also a predominantly working class immigrant community, and it suffers from one of the highest childhood obesity rates in LA County. The connection was obvious: without enough green space to play in, how could youth lead active, healthy lives?

Eager to address these health disparities in my hometown, I started working for a local public health non-profit called Day One. As part of my work, I educate high school students, or youth advocates, about the importance of nutrition and physical activity. During a meeting, one of our students suggested hiking. And after a quick online search, I saw a huge area of green merely

Photo © Amy J. Wong

This past fall, the NFF sponsored a blog contest to celebrate local community

voices from the forest Photo © David Koo

Amy and friends on top of Mt. Vetter.

Without…green space to play in, how could youth lead active, healthy lives?

a half hour’s drive away. I had finally discovered the name of the mountain range always in the background of the car window, the San Gabriel Mountains. And I was determined to go there.

Last November, my friends and I decided to hike with our youth advocates in the San Gabriel Mountains. None of our students had ever explored the mountains before either. The timing could not have been more perfect—President Obama had just declared the mountains a National Monument that October. What better way to celebrate than to hike the mountains? Carpooling up the winding one-lane highway to the mountains, we watched the landscape transition from a concrete city to luscious greenery and mountainous peaks.

Breathing in fresh, crisp fall air, we gradually made our way to the top of Vetter Mountain. Along the trail, we enjoyed seeing bits of frost melting on fallen logs and identified native plants like yucca and white sage. Our youth advocates expressed genuine excitement throughout the hike, and as we took the final steps toward the top

of the peak, we all felt a strong sense of accomplishment. We took a moment to soak in glorious 360 degree views of the San Gabriels—away from busy highways, smoggy air, billboards and the commotion of the city. It was just us, the mountains and the blue sky.

Simple.

We all visit the outdoors for different reasons: as a place to tell our stories, as a place to escape from city life and as a revolutionary act of reclaiming our roots.

Experiencing the San Gabriel Mountains can be a cathartic remedy for park-poor, low-income communities of color in the San Gabriel Valley who don’t have local parks to relax in. By increasing access to these open spaces, residents can enjoy an improved quality of life, health and happiness. Now that the San Gabriel Mountains have become a National Monument, I hope there will be ongoing education and outreach to our communities, so that future generations can create their own meaning of the outdoors. This way, our children’s children can grow up knowing the name of, and hopefully stepping foot in, the mountains outside their car windows.

Amy J. Wong is a first-generation Asian American passionate about the intersectionality of public health and environmental justice, follow her on Twitter: @sunlightleak.

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voices from the forest Photos © Nance Negrete

Unknown Territory

By Nance Negrete

A

s a young Latina from Southeast Los Angeles, I never had the opportunity to visit the San Gabriel Mountains. The mountains were such a familiar surrounding yet very unknown territory. I grew up seeing the mountains everyday

but knew very little about the natural landscape that surrounds concrete Los Angeles. Until very recently, I didn’t know the mountains actually had a name, other than “las montañas,” as my family affectionately called them. I never learned about the San Gabriel Mountains in school and never had the chance to explore this huge forest in Los Angeles’ backyard.

When I decided to take my first hike in the San Gabriels, I honestly didn’t know where to start. I turned to Google knowing I could find an endless amount of information. After some searching, I decided to go to the Chantry Flats Picnic area and hike a portion of the Gabrielino trail.

I took my sister, cousin and friend hoping we could find Sturtevant Falls. None of us had much experience in the San Gabriel Mountains, so it was great to explore together!

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It took about an hour on three different freeways to get from Lynwood to the Adams Pack Station that Saturday morning. After parking, we quickly headed towards the Gabrielino trail and started to make our way towards Sturtevant Falls. As we made our way up the trail, I couldn’t help but wonder why it took me so long to visit the San Gabriel Mountains.

voices from the forest

Opposite: The author and her friends at Sturtevant Falls.

Until a couple years ago, my dad was the only one in our family who drove and because of his long work hours, we didn’t have the opportunity to take a family trip to the mountains. The closest we ever got to the San Gabriels was Montebello, so even traveling on the 210 freeway was somewhat unfamiliar to me. I also realized I never took advantage of school fieldtrips and lost an opportunity to learn more about such an important part of the environment. Now I understand that the San Gabriel Mountains were always available for me, but I just didn’t have the time, money or resources to access them.

I hope that we can do better to make sure that everyone has the ability to visit the San Gabriels—especially children who see the mountains every day and have a deep desire to explore them. When President Obama dedicated the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014, he stated that “Too many children…especially children of color, don’t have access to parks where they can run free, breathe fresh air, experience nature and learn about their environment. This is an issue of social justice.” The San Gabriel Mountains serve a very large city and it is important that everyone—especially underserved communities—be given the opportunity and resources to learn and have fun in the mountains.

While hiking towards the Falls I didn’t see any signs indicating I was within the boundaries of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. One of my main goals was to visit the National Monument, and I hope that Congress will soon act to expand the National Monument boundaries—making it easier and more accessible for anyone to get to.

Signs or not, hiking the Gabrielino trail to Sturtevant Falls was a very beautiful experience, and I hope to inspire others from my community to take more trips to the San Gabriels.

On our drive home, I told my sister that one of my fondest memories of seeing the mountains every day was the snow covered peaks. If winter ever returns to Los Angeles, I hope that on my next trip I’ll visit the National Monument with the rest of my family, so that we can all experience a little bit of snow.

It is important that everyone… be given the opportunity and resources to learn and have fun in the mountains.

CORPORATE PARTNER REI is pleased to support the NFF’s efforts to expand recreation opportunities in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and restore National Forests impacted by fire.

Nancy Negrete is a native and resident of Lynwood in Southeast Los Angeles, a graduate of Wellesley College and is currently the Program Manager at The City Project.

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ski conservation fund

Veterans and Students Make a Difference on the Lincoln National Forest

By Greg M. Peters

R

iudoso, New Mexico may not be among the country’s most famous ski towns. It lays deep in the southwest corner of New Mexico, closer to Roswell than to Taos, New Mexico’s better known ski resort. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t great skiing

at Ski Apache, just a 30 minute-drive out of town. And it hasn’t stopped the resort, which is owned and operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe, from becoming one of the NFF’s best Ski Conservation Fund (SCF) partners.

Donations from guests staying at the Resort and at the Tribe’s Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino have generously supported the SCF program since 2008.

Together, we’ve been able to support a series of restoration projects that have helped the Lincoln National Forest recover from wildfire, improve watersheds and recreation opportunities while connecting with students and veterans.

In the fall of 2014, a Veterans Fire Corps Crew (part of the Arizona Conservation Corps) comprised of six post-911 veterans worked on several hundred acres of the Lincoln. They felled hazard trees, installed 94 log terraces to improve water quality and reduce erosion, conducted prescribed burning and spread more than 500 pounds of native grass seed on an area impacted by 2012’s Little Bear Fire. The crew learned valuable sawyer skills, prescribed burning techniques and gained valuable conservation work experience.

The crew’s excellent work prompted the Forest Service

to highlight their efforts and outcomes. According to Sean Donaldson, wilderness technician on the Smokey Bear Ranger District, “Based on the work that the Veterans crew established, this project was selected as one of the seven projects the forest reported on for meeting the National Best Management Practice targets.”

In addition to the Veterans Fire Corps work, Ski Apache’s partnership with the NFF supported three other high-value projects on the Lincoln this past summer.

The nonprofit conservation group, EcoServants, rerouted and rehabilitated mountain biking and hiking trails that connect the Village of Ruidoso to the Lincoln National Forest. With the help of youth crews and AmeriCorps members, EcoServants rehabilitated miles of user-created trails and rerouted and expanded multiple-use trails to improve safety and user experience. The effort is part of a sustainable trails plan first outlined in 2010 to make Ruidoso and the Lincoln a mountain biking destination.

Interns helped maintain more than 200 miles of trail, 13 trailheads, and three developed campgrounds.

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Your National Forests

ski conservation fund Photos © Arizona Conservation Corps

In 2004, the Peppin Fire rendered many trails through the popular Capitan Wilderness Area on the Lincoln impassable. Downed trees and hazardous conditions prevented hikers and stock trains from accessing the Wilderness. The Arizona Conservation Corps stationed crews in the Wilderness for five-to-seven day-long stints to clear roughly ten miles of trails. This work will provide hikers and stock users renewed opportunity to access the majestic Capitan Wilderness Area after a decade-long hiatus resulting from the 2004 fire.

Longtime NFF partner, the Student Conservation Association also worked throughout the summer, placing two wilderness interns and two wildlife interns in two popular Wilderness Areas on the Smokey Bear Ranger District of the Lincoln. In addition to meeting more than 500 visitors and providing Wilderness, Leave No Trace and wildlife education, the interns also helped maintain more than 200 miles of trail, 13 trailheads, two day-use sites, three developed campgrounds and numerous dispersed camping areas.

The NFF’s Ski Conservation and Forest Stewardship Fund programs support this type of work across the country every year. While we’re highlighting the work accomplished in New Mexico, guests at lodges from Washington to New Hampshire can add a dollar to their room night to support projects like these in their backyard forest.

For a current list of the NFF's Ski Conservation and Forest Stewardship Fund partners, please visit is.gd/ynf_013

Veterans Fire Corps member clearing deadfall.

Felling hazard trees.

Greg is the NFF’s Communication Director. When he’s not lost in a mountain of paperwork at his desk, Greg enjoys skiing, hiking, canoeing and getting home after dark. Reach him at gpeters@nationalforests.org.

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where in the woods Photo © Bhanu Tadinada | flickr.com

Answer from page 3: Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri

This National Forest is named for a beloved American author.

M

issouri’s only National Forest, the Mark Twain National Forest, spans nearly 1.5 million acres. Most of the Forest is in the Ozark Highlands, an old landscape that features caves, volcanic mountains and perennial springs. On your

next visit, bring along a canoe or kayak and explore the Eleven Point National Scenic River, which Congress established as a National Scenic River in 1968. The 44-mile float is free of impoundments and meanders through steep bluffs, alternating between rapids and clear pools. Other popular places on the Mark Twain include Greer Spring and the Glade Top Trail National Scenic Byway.

Learn more at www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf

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Your National Forests

NFF CELEBRATES

22 YEARS OF SPORTING CLAYS The NFF’s Annual Sporting Clays Invitational is a great opportunity to connect with friends and celebrate all that America’s National Forests provide.

We invite you and your company to join us next May for the 22nd Annual Sporting Clays Invitational in upstate New York.

Our special thanks go out to last year’s sponsors: EVENT SPONSORS PAUL & SONIA JONES CRAIG & BARBARA BARRETT BNY MELLON WEALTH MANAGEMENT MAX CHAPMAN CURIOSITY STREAM INTERMEDIA OUTDOORS / SPORTSMAN CHANNEL FRITZ & ADELAIDE KAUFFMANN FOUNDATION POLARIS SIRIUS FUND WATERFRONT NY RANDY & CATHY WEISENBURGER

STATION SPONSORS BAILEY FOUNDATION DAVID BELL BETTERIDGE JEWELERS BOWERY CAPITAL ROBINS ISLAND FOUNDATION WILLIAM J. POSSIEL

For the past 21 years, many generous sponsors and friends of the National Forest Foundation have gathered for a memorable shoot in New York.

This event is a vital fundraiser for the NFF’s conservation mission and we are deeply grateful for the participation and generosity of all.

THE VIRGINIA SPORTSMAN

PLEASE JOIN US MAY 6-7, 2016 FOR THE 22 ANNUAL SPORTING CLAYS INVITATIONAL. Contact Emily Struss at estruss@nationalforests.org to learn more about participating or sponsoring a team. nd

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