Your National Forests Winter/Spring 2020

YOUR NATIONAL

A Tropical Paradise ADVENTURE AND DIVERSITY IN PUERTO RICO’S NATIONAL FOREST

The Magazine of the National Forest Foundation

Winter | Spring 2020

Traversing the Forest HUT SYSTEMS OFFER REMOTE ACCESS

Working Together... …IN A BIG WAY FOR THE TAHOE REGION’S FORESTS

Board of Directors Executive Committee Patricia Hayling Price, NFF Chair President, LiveWorkStrategize, LLC (NY) Lee Fromson, NFF Treasurer Executive Vice President, Products & Operations, Simms Fishing Products (MT) Timothy P. Schieffelin, NFF Secretary Founding Partner, Leeward Group (CT) Caroline Choi, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Southern California Edison (CA) Robert Cole, Partner, Collins Cockrel & Cole, P.C. (CO) Bob Wheeler, President and CEO, Airstream Inc. (OH)

Board of Directors Michael Barkin, CFO, Vail Resorts Management Company (CO) Mike Brown, Jr., Founder and Managing Partner, Bowery Capital (NY) Mary Kate Buckley, President, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (WY) Coleman Burke, President, Waterfront Properties (NY)

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Aimée Christensen, CEO, Christensen Global Strategies; Founding Executive Director, Sun Valley Institute (ID) Vicki Christiansen, Ex-Officio, Chief, USDA Forest Service (DC) Bart Eberwein, Executive Vice President, Hoffman Construction Company (OR) James K. Hunt, Non-Executive Chairman, Tournament Capital Advisors, LLC, Hunt Companies, Inc. (WY) Allie Kline (CO) Andie MacDowell, Actress & Spokesperson (CA) Thomas McHenry, President & Dean, Vermont Law School (VT) Kevin Murphy, President, ExxonMobil Foundation; Manager, Corporate Citizenship and Community Investments, Exxon Mobil Corporation (TX) Jeff Paro (NJ) Randy Peterson, Principal, LRP Consultants, LLC (WI) Hugh Wiley, Head of Media Commerce, XO Group—The Knot Worldwide (NY)

welcome

letter

No Cookie Cutter Available: A New Lens on Diversity

W

hen asked a question about National Forests, I usually have to begin my answer with “well…it depends on the location…”

Why? Because so few generalities hold true with the National Forest System.

The immense range of plant life, wildlife habitat, settlement and ownership patterns, amount of precipitation (a driving factor in many other things), rivers and elevation make for dizzying variation. Our National Forest System —a coast-to-coast collection of 193 million acres in 42 states and Puerto Rico­—honors the history, contributions, and lifestyles of vastly different groups and communities nationwide.

Every one of our National Forests was populated by diverse and complex native communities long before Europeans arrived. New Mexico’s Apache National Forest and North Carolina’s Croatan National Forest are two among many forests whose names pay homage to those first inhabitants. Pioneers like Daniel Boone (whose name is affixed to a National Forest in Kentucky), explorers (the Lewis and Clark National Forest is in Montana), loggers and shepherds, conservationists and recreationists, and now everyday Americans have added their varied histories to these landscapes.

Much like the need to manage for diversity in the natural world, we also need to incorporate the vast diversity of the human world into management decisions. That rich diversity will make National Forests and Grasslands stronger and more resilient now and in the future.

Diversity is also a driving force in how the National Forest Foundation gets its work done. In some places, we make grants to local partners as part of a multi-year campaign. In other locations, we work through funding partnerships with the Forest Service on critical stand-alone projects. In all cases, we strive to learn from a broad array of perspectives to benefit from local wisdom, challenge our own biases, and develop long-term relationships with stakeholders. There is no cookie cutter model for restoring landscapes as different as Arizona’s red rock deserts and New Hampshire’s hardwood forests, just as there is no cookie cutter approach to working with communities as varied as Los Angeles where 15 million people live an hour’s drive from the Angeles and the village of Angoon where grizzly bears outnumber people.

You might notice some things look a little different in this issue of Your National Forests. We have adopted a new logo to reflect, among other things, our work with and on behalf of all American people.

The incredible opportunity and persistent challenges of this work demand that we pay keen attention to the complex tapestries of histories, interests, people, and solutions as we inspire personal and meaningful connections to our National Forests, the centerpiece of America’s public lands.

Thank you!

Mary Mitsos President

Winter | Spring 2020

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inside this edition Welcome Letter

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Where in the Woods?

4

Forests by the Numbers

5

Field Reports

Photos: iStock , 10th Mountain, iStock

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A New Lens on Diversity

features

How Well Do You Know Our National Forests?

Diverse Species and Places on our National Forests

Alaska Youth Support Their Backyard Forest

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Featured Forest

Diverse, Resilient and Unique: El Yunque National Forest

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Tree Spotlight

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Tree Spotlight

How Trees Store Carbon

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24

People of Public Lands

Unforgettable Experiences

Berry-full Trees

Snowboarder Bryan Iguchi

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People of Public Lands

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Kids and Nature

30

Forest Foods

31

Where in the Woods Answer

Hut-to-Hut Across the Country

Rock Climber Gabrielle Dickerson

Fun and Easy Ways to Enjoy the Forest

Morel Mushrooms

Did You Know the Forest?

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on the cover

Featured Project

Restoring Resilience to the Tahoe Region

Forest Service cabin glowing during a winter's night in the Flathead National Forest.

Photographer: Heath Korvola / Aurora Photos

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Your National Forests

where in the woods This National Forest is home to the nation’s first designated Wilderness Area.

Photo: Meris Stout

See page 32 for answer.

National Forest Foundation Building 27, Suite 3 Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406.542.2805

®2019 National Forest Foundation.

No unauthorized reproduction of this material is allowed.

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.

Your National Forests

The Magazine of the National Forest Foundation Editor Greg M. Peters Contributors Charlotte Austin, Hannah Featherman, Kiley Heth, Brad Lane, Jane Braxton Little, Josh Orem, Mary Mitsos, Greg M. Peters, Brianna Randall, Mark Shelley Graphic Artist Marci Mansfield, MansfieldCommunications.myportfolio.com

National Forest Foundation

President Mary Mitsos Executive Vice President Ray A. Foote Vice President, Field Programs Marcus Selig Shereé Bombard Director, Administration Zoe Bommarito Communications Associate Colleen Coleman Director, Marketing and Communications Darla Cotton Executive Assistant Rebecca Davidson Director, Southern Rockies Region Sarah Di Vitorrio California Program Manager Karen DiBari Director, Conservation Connect Hannah Featherman Communications Manager Dania Gutierrez California Program Manager – Southern California Robin Hill Controller Britt Holewinski Tree Planting Associate Ben Irey Conservation Connect Program Manager Beth Krueger Grants and Contracts Coordinator Adam Liljeblad Director, Conservation Awards Hunter Maggs Accountant Jessica McCutcheon Digital Marketing Manager Matt Millar California Program Manager – Tahoe Kerry Morse Conservation Programs Officer Luba Mullen Associate Director, Development Katie Neher Development Database Associate Emily Olsen Colorado Program Manager Marlee Ostheimer Conservation Partnerships Manager Monica Perez-Watkins Tree Planting Coordinator Spencer Plumb Arizona Program Manager Evan Ritzinger California Program Coordinator – Tahoe Brian Robey California Program Associate – Southern California Patrick Shannon Director, Pacific Northwest Program Katrina Angelina Shull Event Planner and Coordinator Dani Southard Northern Rockies Program Manager Mark Shelley Director, Eastern Region Wes Swaffar Director, Reforestation and Partnerships Briana Tiffany California Program Associate – Tahoe Dayle Wallien Director, Conservation Partnerships

Winter | Spring 2020

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forests by the numbers

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie to the unique tropical trees on Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest, our National Forests have it all.

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Tropical Rainforest 23 tree species found only here in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico

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Your National Forests Your National Forests

Methuselah, a bristlecone pine located on the Inyo National Forest in California is the oldest tree in North America

4,800 years old 58

"Urban Forests"

36 “Major” species of pine trees in North America

National Forests with more than 1 million people living with 50 miles of the forest (as of 2015)

1,175

Lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area

3,703,000

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%

Acres of National Grasslands managed by the U.S. Forest Service

of Idaho that is National Forest— the largest percentage of any state

Eastern hemlock pine cone, the smallest pine cone in the world.

Sugar pine cone, considered the longest pine cone in the world

1"

26"

Photo: AdobeStock.com

Tongass National Forest, the largest National Forest in the U.S.

Photo: Alamy.com

17,000,000 acres

America’s National Forests include some incredibly diverse landscapes. From the red rocks of Arizona’s Coconino National Forest to the glaciers of the Tongass National Forest, and from the head-height grasses at

field

reports

Rural Alaska Youth on the Rise: The Angoon Youth Conservation Corps Program

By Kiley Heth and Josh Orem All photos: USFS

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teenager hunches over a cold fire pit, carefully adding wood shavings and bark to a small pile of kindling. It’s the first time she’s ever had to make a campfire. Colorful kayaks bob in the cold, grey ocean as nervous shouts and laughter mix with the high-pitched cries of a bald eagle soaring above.

A hoodie-clad figure scribbles notes on a soggy piece of paper under a drizzling sky, recording floatplane impacts to visitor solitude. Bags of trash and invasive weeds sit on a rocky beach while a crew of youth relaxes under the momentarily sunny sky.

While these scenes, and others like them, could be from an Outward Bound course or a week-long volunteer vacation, they’re from a remote wilderness in the Alaskan bush. Admiralty Island, a part of Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, has long been recognized as a special place. Alaska Native Tlingit have always treasured this remote area for its bountiful fish, deer, berries and other foods, and subsistence is still vital to the 450 community members of Angoon, the sole town on the island.

Admiralty Island is also renowned for its old-growth forest, salmon runs and healthy brown bear population: its Tlingit name, Kootznoowoo, translates as Fortress of the Bears, and refers to the 1,600 brown bears populating the million-acre island. With support from Angoon’s citizens, President Jimmy Carter designated Admiralty Island a National Monument in 1978. Congress reaffirmed the monument status in 1980 while also designating most of the island as the Kootznoowoo Wilderness Area to protect its wilderness character and subsistence opportunities.

In the 1970s, a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program employed Angoon youth to maintain trails, cabins and shelters on Admiralty Island, but the program ended with budget cuts in the 1980s. After several dormant decades, the Angoon Youth Conservation Corps was revitalized in 2015 with a renewed

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field

reports

The 2019 Angoon YCC crew and program leaders pose in front of the renovated Mitchell Bay Shelter. (Note: the crew helped the USFS renovate the shelter—they replaced rotten sills at the foundation)

effort to employ rural youth 15-18 years of age. The “new” Angoon YCC has been successful, thanks to the collaboration of diverse partners. The U.S. Forest Service lines out projects, trains the youth and helps transport them to the field. The Chatham School District employs the youth and administers their payroll and work permits. MobilizeGreen employs the YCC Program Leaders who support and oversee the youth during the summer. Finally, the National Forest Foundation has raised critical YCC program funding for the past four years through its Alaska Forest Fund. In addition, the NFF has strongly advocated for employing Alaska Native youth through the YCC in its fundraising and communication efforts.

In 2015 and 2016, the Angoon YCC program employed crews of four youths with one leader. For the last three years, the program has expanded to employ six youths and two leaders.

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Your National Forests

And in 2018, the YCC added the Assistant Crew Leader position, which provides two returning students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, gives them more responsibility for reporting and planning trips, and increases their hourly pay. The Angoon YCC has been the first job most of the youth have ever had, not surprising in a rural area with few employment opportunities, and students have shared that they used their paychecks to help support their families.

The primary objectives for the program are conservation based: maintaining trails, cabins and shelters, cleaning up campsites and marine debris, and mapping and removing invasive species. The most rewarding accomplishments are more subtle.

Over the last five seasons the teenagers on the crew have reported many firsts: the first time they’ve camped, hiked, or kayaked; the first time they

have spent a week away from family; and the first time they got to experience places of cultural importance.

The expanded comfort zones and acquired skills have exceeded everyone’s expectations – most importantly those of the youth. “Out here in wilderness we’re all the same —it doesn’t matter how much money we have or no matter your background —you have to work together as a team … trying to make a difference,” reflected a 2015 YCC alum. On top of these new outdoor skills, the youth have also gained valuable professional skills like navigating the application and interview process and adhering to a work schedule while communicating with a supervisor and team members, more firsts for most of these teens.

As crew leaders with MobilizeGreen, we have been very grateful for the huge support from the community in Angoon. Numerous teachers and family

field members have shared with us the enormous growth they have seen in the youth, particularly in responsibility and work ethic. Throughout the season we share accomplishments of the crew on Facebook, and at the end of each season we celebrate with the community by hosting a potluck. During the potluck the crew shows off samples of marine debris they picked up over the season, they educate the community on the harms of plastics in the ocean, and the program leaders highlight each individual’s personal and collective growth throughout the season.

reports

The positive change from the Angoon YCC program has been transformative for the youths and the community. “We've seen tremendous growth, improved attitude and effort from the students after being on the crew,” observed the Angoon school principal. The current plan is to develop a young adult internship program for those over 18 years old to continue connecting young people to meaningful local stewardship and to nurture future conservation leaders.

Thanks to the generous partners who have helped make the Angoon YCC possible by supporting the Alaska Forest Fund: • U.S. Forest Service • Edgerton Foundation • REI Co-op • Hecla Charitable Foundation • Skaggs Foundation • Walmart

Kiley Heth and Josh Orem have been leading the Angoon YCC program since 2017 and will be back for the 2020 season. For more information about the Angoon YCC program, contact Patrick Shannon, Director, Pacific Northwest Programs, at pshannon@nationalforests.org.

C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R

The Angoon YCC records a culturally modified tree (CMT).

Mapping CMTs helps archeologists determine where historic use has occurred.

To support our National Forests, minuteKEY plants one tree each time a customer purchases specially-themed keys at point of sale. Through this creative and multi-year partnership, minuteKEY has supported the planting of more than 300,000 trees.

Winter | Spring 2020

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tree spotlight Photo: iStock

Berry Diverse

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By Brianna Randall

midst the muted colors of winter, nothing feels quite as stunning as stumbling upon a shrub laden with bright, beautiful berries. We often think of berries as summer’s bounty, plucking ripe, juicy blueberries, raspberries, huckleberries or strawberries as we wander through the forest.

Yet several species of shrubs—plants that have woody branches, but don’t grow as tall as trees—produce colorful fruits in the fall and boast dazzling berries throughout the winter, feeding people and wildlife alike.

Here are a few of the berry-bearing shrubs you might see in the forest this season.

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Your National Forests

tree spotlight Photos: Wiki Commons

Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)

This deciduous holly is native to the eastern half of North America where it grows in wet woods, swamps and low-lying areas. Its spectacular bright-red berries can last from late summer through early spring … unless, of course, the local birds gobble them up first.

Juniper (juniperus communis)

The common juniper is a small, rounded conifer tree whose modified cones have an unusually fleshy cover, which is why they are called “berries.” Birds love them (especially wild turkeys!) and so do people: juniper berries are used worldwide to flavor gin or made into spice, sauce, or tea.

This species has the largest geographic range of any woody plant, and can be found growing in the cooler climates of the northern and western U.S. Other species of juniper grow in dry, arid climates as well.

Black Elderberry (sambucus spp.)

Found throughout the country, these suckering shrubs (shrubs that send out new shoots through the ground) often grow near riparian areas. The clusters of fruit range from silvery-blue to purply-black, and can be used to make jams, syrups, and wine. Some people believe elderberries have immune-boosting properties. Songbirds and deer also love them.

Hawthorn (crataegus spp.)

Hawthorn are in the rose family, as evidenced by their thorny twigs. Known for its tough wood, there are hundreds of hawthorn species in the U.S. Their small apple-like fruits ripen in autumn and attract birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, and deer. Called “haws” or “mayhaws,” they can be made into jelly or wine.

Yew (taxus spp.)

The Pacific Yew (found in the northwest) and the Canada Yew (growing from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic) produce soft red berries. While birds happily eat this sweet fruit, humans should beware: the seed inside the berry is highly toxic to mammals, proving lethal within just a few hours.

Fun fact: The bark of the Pacific Yew produces a cancer-fighting compound that is the primary ingredient in Taxol, the best-selling cancer drug ever made.

Snowberry (symphoricarpos spp.)

More than a dozen species of snowberry are native to North America. They grow in wetter soils found in shady woods or near streams. Come autumn, snowberry bushes are decorated with round, white berries that remain once the leaves have fallen (though one species known as coralberry flaunts bright pink berries). While some native tribes ate one or two snowberries to settle the stomach, they are bitter and tough for humans to digest.

Mountain Ash (sorbus spp.)

Also known as rowan trees, North America has a half-dozen native mountain ash varieties.

These trees can grow over 15 feet high, feature lovely fall foliage, and have festive clusters of orange-red berries that can last throughout the winter.

Brianna Randall is a Missoula, Montana-based writer and founder of AdventureFamilies.com. Find her at BriannaRandall.com.

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tree spotlight

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How Trees Sequester Carbon

rees are amazing organisms. A short walk through a pine-scented forest just makes us feel better and gazing over an autumnal mosaic of orange, red and yellow inspires and awes us all.

Using sunlight for energy, the chloroplast cells break down the water and carbon dioxide and recombine them into glucose and oxygen.

The formal chemical equation for this is: 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight (energy) = 6O2 + C6H12O6. The six O2 molecules are pushed back out of the tree and the remaining glucose molecule, made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, is used to make more tree. And that’s how trees “sequester carbon.”

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Your National Forests

But trees aren’t only pretty. They produce food like nuts and fruit; they provide thousands of species of wildlife with habitat and forage; and, if managed well, they are a sustainable source of wood for homes, furniture, and dozens of other products.

Recently, another critically important function has been in the news: carbon storage (often called “sequestration”). Most of us probably recall that trees utilize a process called photosynthesis to turn sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into woody biomass and oxygen. If you take a moment to ponder this, it seems almost magical.

Tree roots absorb water and water-soluble nutrients from the soil, which are drawn up through special cells called xylem located in the tree’s inner bark to the tree’s leaves or needles. At the same time, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air through needles or leaves. The water and carbon dioxide meet up in special cells called chloroplasts. It’s here where the real magic happens.

Using sunlight for energy, the chloroplast cells break down the water and carbon dioxide and recombine them into glucose and oxygen. Glucose is a type of sugar that trees use to produce biomass—leaves or needles, bark, branches, roots, and tree trunks.

Oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis and since trees don’t need it, they push it back out of their leaves or needles and into the air.

Trees are long-lived and since their roots, trunks, branches and leaves or needles are made mostly of carbon, it’s easy to see how they hold that carbon both above and below the ground. Trees also move some carbon into the soil as roots and litter (fallen leaves and small branches) decompose. Some northern forests can sequester twice as much carbon in the soil as in the aboveground trees.

When trees are harvested and turned into lumber, furniture or other products, the carbon in the wood is still sequestered. This storage lasts as long as the product does. Importantly, when wood is burned, all of its sequestered carbon is released.

Recycling wood from older homes or products that are no longer usable is one way to increase how long carbon is stored by wood products. Reforestation, replanting trees that have died or been harvested, is a key strategy for increasing carbon sequestration.

So is afforestation, planting trees where none grew previously, although afforestation can disrupt some ecosystems that evolved without trees like grasslands or sagebrush-steppe.

C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R The NFF is proud to welcome Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s as a major new partner.

Their Outdoor Fund will support planting at least 500,000 trees on our National Forests in 2020 and 2021 to improve wildlife habitat, provide clean water and ensure forests are beautiful for generations to come.

tree spotlight As the world wrestles with the impacts from climate change, it’s becoming increasingly clear that trees will play an outsized role in mitigating this threat.

So how can you help?

• Plant native trees. Whether through the NFF’s 50 million For Our Forests campaign or other programs, planting native trees is one of the easiest ways to help. Native trees also improve wildlife habitat, add beauty, and help clean pollutants from the air and waterways.

• Reuse and recycle wood products.

Get creative with old furniture, buy upcycled products for your home, or simply buy fewer products.

• Buy wood products from sustainably managed forests. If growing more trees is a good way to remove carbon from the atmosphere, cutting them down in unsustainable ways is the opposite. In fact, deforestation (especially in tropical regions) is a leading contributor of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TODAY! NATIONALFORESTS.ORG/50MILLION

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featured forest Photo: iStock

Diverse, Resilient and Unique: El Yunque National Forest

By Mark Shelley

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The Taino were the island’s first human inhabitants, and El Yunque loomed large in both their mythology and their day-to-day existence. They considered the Luquillo Range sacred for more than a thousand years. According to ancient Indian legend, the good spirit 'Yuquiyu' (or 'Yúcahu') reigned on his mighty mountain-top throne, protecting Puerto Rico and its people.

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Your National Forests

There are differing opinions as to where the El Yunque actually gets its name. The Taino are said to have referred to the tallest peak in the range as Yuke, which means “white lands” and refers to the thick clouds that encircle the peak. Others attribute its present-day name to the deity Yúcahu, who represented everything from agriculture, peace, tranquility and fertility to the notion of “goodness” itself. Yúcahu resided on El Yunque, where it was said he did battle with the god of chaos and disorder.

Frogs, Birds, Water, and More El Yunque is one of the oldest natural reserves in the western hemisphere—first set aside by King Alfonso XII of Spain in 1876. It is home to hundreds of native plant species and almost 200 vertebrates, many of them endemic to El Yunque, including one of the world's most endangered birds, the Puerto Rican parrot. Like many National Forests, El Yunque is a critical source of water, providing nearly 20 percent of Puerto Rico’s fresh water.

Photo: US Fish and Game

uerto Ricans have a strong and intimate connection to the El Yunque National Forest not only for its vibrant forest ecosystems, diverse native species and abundant recreation opportunities, but also because of its geography.

El Yunque sits on the island's eastern edge, on the slopes of the Luquillo Mountains.

featured forest It was established as the Luquillo Forest Reserve in 1903 and became the Caribbean National Forest in 1906.

Eventually, the name was changed to its present-day moniker. It has always been the only tropical rain forest in the National Forest System.

The forest’s relatively small 28,000-acre size belies its importance as one of the most biologically diverse National Forests in the country. It is home to a dazzling diversity of flora, fauna and ecosystems, from sweltering lowland rainforests that hum with chirps of Coqui frogs, to chilly, cloud-covered dwarf forests – all providing habitat for hundreds of animal and plant species. The El Yunque contains over 240 species of native trees, of which 88 are rare and 23 are only found in the Forest. Along with the trees, the El Yunque hosts 50 species of native orchids, over 150 species of ferns, and 127 species of terrestrial vertebrates.

The steep slopes of the rugged Luquillo Mountains rise to 3,533 ft. and can receive rainfall of over 200 inches per year at higher elevations, providing water to Puerto Rico and helping sustain its remarkable diversity.

Through the El Yunque Stewardship Fund, the NFF, the U.S. Forest Service and community partners are working together to expand restoration efforts while increasing the collective capacity of local groups to engage in hands-on stewardship and recreational infrastructure improvements.

This NFF effort is rehabilitating damaged trails and repairing impaired watersheds and habitat, all while connecting citizens and communities to the land through collaboration, volunteering and learning opportunities. To date, the El Yunque Stewardship Fund has supported work on the Angelito Bridge and Trail, the Rio Sabana Recreation Area and Trail, and a scenic byway on the Forest. Learn more at nationalforests.org/elyunque.

Rich in history, teeming with life, and unique among our incredible National Forests, the El Yunque is a captivating destination beloved by locals and visitors alike.

Rising impressively from the Caribbean Sea, this rugged and resilient landscape proves that amazing things come in small packages.

Photo: USDA

Island Protector and Recreation Destination The landscape of El Yunque National Forest has long been valued for its role as island protector and for its importance to the health and quality of life for Puerto Rico’s citizens. Today, it serves as an economic engine that helps propel Puerto Rico’s economy. Visitors come to Puerto Rico and El Yunque to experience tropical forests, lush mountain terrain, and recreation opportunities. Each year, the El Yunque welcomes about 600,000 visitors from all over the world, making it the most visited natural attraction on the island.

Despite its small size, El Yunque provides impressive recreational opportunities for visitors and residents. From the El Portal Visitor Center, a walkway winds through the surrounding treetops. More than a dozen hiking trails cross the forest, including some that run to La Mina waterfall and Mount Britton, and then up to the high-altitude dwarf forest. In the southern part of the Forest, ancient petroglyphs left by the Taíno people captivate modern day visitors. Picnic pavilions, stone towers, rivers, waterfalls, and a visitor center packed with interpretive displays add to the recreational opportunities.

Hurricane Impacts and Forest Recovery Hurricanes Irma and Maria passed over Puerto Rico in September 2017 and left a swath of destruction across the El Yunque. Whether addressing the massive number of downed trees or crippled facilities and severely impacted infrastructure, recovery operations on the Forest have required an increased dedication and a long-term collective community effort.

Mark Shelley is the Director of Eastern Programs for the NFF and leads the NFF’s restoration and community engagement efforts on the El Yunque.

Reach him at mshelley@nationalforests.org.

Special thanks to Sandra Patricia Cano Sorenson for this translation.

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featured forest Photo: iStock

Diverso, Resiliente y Único: Bosque Nacional El Yunque Por Mark Shelley

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Los taínos fueron los primeros habitantes humanos de la isla, y El Yunque fue muy importante tanto en su mitología como en su existencia cotidiana. Ellos consideraron la cordillera Luquillo un lugar sagrado durante más de mil años. Según la antigua leyenda india, el buen espíritu 'Yuquiyu' (o 'Yúcahu') reinó en su poderoso trono en la montaña, protegiendo a Puerto Rico y a toda su gente.

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Your National Forests

Hay diferentes opiniones sobre dónde el Yunque en realidad recibe su nombre. Se dice que los taínos se referían al pico más alto en la cordillera como Yuke, que significa "tierras blancas." Esto tiene que ver con las espesas nubes que rodean el pico. Otros atribuyen su nombre actual a la deidad Yúcahu, que representaba de todo, desde la agricultura, la paz, la tranquilidad y la fertilidad hasta la noción de "bondad" en sí. Yúcahu residía en El Yunque, donde se decía que luchó con el dios del caos y el desorden.

Las Ranas, Los Aves, El Agua, y Más El Yunque es una de las reservas naturales más antiguas del hemisferio occidental, reservada por primera vez por el rey Alfonso XII de España en 1876. Es el hogar de más de 250 especies de plantas nativas y casi 200 vertebrados, muchos de ellos endémicos Del Yunque, incluyendo una de las aves más amenazadas del mundo, el loro puertorriqueño. Al igual que muchos Bosques Nacionales, El Yunque es una fuente crítica de agua, que proporciona casi el 20 por ciento del agua dulce de Puerto Rico.

Photo: US Fish and Game

os Puertorriqueños tienen una fuerte e íntima conexión con el Bosque Nacional El Yunque.

No sólo por sus vibrantes ecosistemas forestales, diversas especies nativas y abundantes oportunidades de recreación, sino también por su geografía. El Yunque se encuentra en el borde oriental de la isla, en las laderas de las montañas Luquillo.

featured forest Se estableció como la Reserva Forestal de Luquillo en 1903 y se convirtió en el Bosque Nacional del Caribe en 1906. Eventualmente, el nombre fue cambiado a su apodo actual. El Yunque siempre ha sido la única selva tropical en el Sistema Nacional Forestal.

El tamaño relativamente pequeño de 28.000 acres del bosque desmiente su importancia como uno de los bosques nacionales más biológicamente diversos del país.

Es el hogar de una deslumbrante diversidad de flora, fauna y ecosistemas, desde sofocantes selvas tropicales de tierras bajas donde se escucha el zumbido y los chirridos de ranas Coqui, hasta bosques enanos fríos y cubiertos de nubes, lo cual proporciona hábitat para cientos de especies animales y vegetales. El Yunque contiene más de 240 especies de árboles nativos, de los cuales 88 son raros y 23 sólo se encuentran en el bosque. Junto con los árboles, El Yunque alberga 50 especies de orquídeas nativas, más de 150 especies de helechos, y 127 especies de vertebrados terrestres.

Las empinadas laderas de las escarpadas montañas de Luquillo se elevan a 3,533 pies y pueden recibir más de 200 pulgadas de lluvia por año en elevaciones más altas. Lo cual proporciona agua a Puerto Rico y ayuda a sostener su notable diversidad.

Protector de la isla y destino recreativo

Photo: USDA

El paisaje del Bosque Nacional El Yunque ha sido valorado durante mucho tiempo por su papel como protector de las islas y por su importancia para la salud y la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos de Puerto Rico. Hoy en día, El Yunque sirve como un motor económico que ayuda a impulsar la economía de Puerto Rico. Los visitantes vienen a Puerto Rico y El Yunque para experimentar bosques tropicales, exuberantes terrenos de montaña y oportunidades de recreación. Cada año, El Yunque recibe alrededor de unos 600.000 visitantes de todas partes del mundo. Esta visita constante hace que El Yunque sea la atracción natural más visitada de la isla.

A pesar de su pequeño tamaño, El Yunque ofrece impresionantes oportunidades recreativas para visitantes y residentes. Desde el Centro de Visitantes el Portal, una pasarela serpentea a través de las copas de los árboles circundantes. Más de una docena de rutas de senderismo cruzan el bosque, incluyendo algunas que van a la cascada de La Mina y al monte Britton, y desde luego senderos que van a la gran altitud del bosque Enano. En la parte sur del bosque, los antiguos petroglifos dejados por el pueblo taíno cautivan a los visitantes modernos. Pabellones de picnic, torres de piedra, ríos, cascadas y un centro de visitantes repleto de exhibiciones interpretativas se suman a las oportunidades recreativas.

Impactos de huracanes y recuperación forestal Los huracanes Irma y María pasaron sobre Puerto Rico en septiembre de 2017 y dejaron una franja de destrucción a través del Yunque. Ya sea abordando el enorme número de árboles derribados o instalaciones paralizadas e infraestructura gravemente afectada. Las operaciones de recuperación en el Bosque han requerido una mayor dedicación y un esfuerzo colectivo comunitario a largo plazo.

El Fondo de Administración El Yunque, el NFF, el Servicio Forestal de los Estados Unidos y los socios comunitarios están trabajando juntos para ampliar los esfuerzos de restauración y a la vez, aumentar la capacidad colectiva de los grupos locales con el fin de atraer una administración práctica y mejoras a la infraestructura recreativa.

Este esfuerzo de la NFF está rehabilitando senderos dañados y reparando las cuencas hidrográficas y los hábitats deteriorados. Todos esto se están haciendo con el propósito de conectar a los ciudadanos y a las comunidades con la tierra a través de la colaboración, oportunidades de voluntariado y aprendizaje. Hasta la fecha, el Fondo de Administración El Yunque ha apoyado trabajos en el Puente y Sendero Angelito, el área recreativa y sendero de Río Sabana, y un pintoresco camino por el bosque. Más información sobre este tema en nationalforests.org/elyunque.

Rico en historia, lleno de vida, y único entre nuestros increíbles Bosques Nacionales, El Yunque es un destino cautivador amado tanto por nativos como por visitantes.

Subiendo impresionantemente del mar Caribe, este paisaje escarpado y resistente demuestra que las cosas increíbles vienen en paquetes pequeños.

Mark Shelley es el director de programa del este por el NFF y él conduce los esfuerzos de restauración y la participación comunitaria en El Yunque. Puede encontrarlo a mshelley@ nationalforests.org. Gracias especial a Sandra Patricia Cano Sorenson por esta traducción.

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unforgettable

hether it’s pouring rain, dumping snow, or a bluebird day, something about a rustic shelter surrounded by nature entices wanderlust to the nth degree. National Forests across the country have numerous cabins, lookout towers, and huts to explore, but some National Forests boast intricate hut-to-hut systems connected by hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails. While the topography, time zones and seasonal attractions differ between these National Forests, their hut-to-hut systems share the same wild sense of exploration.

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Rendezvous Huts— Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest On the eastern flank of Washington’s North Cascade Mountains, the Methow Valley has some of the best cross-country skiing in the nation.

Maintained by the nonprofit Methow Trails, more than 120 miles of groomed ski trails span the Methow Valley between the quaint towns of Mazama and Winthrop. For even more adventure, the Rendezvous Huts provide five rustic and warm places to spend the night on this world-class trail system.

Set in the stunning OkanaganWenatchee National Forest, the Rendezvous Huts are located approximately five miles apart and are only accessible in winter by cross-country skis or snowshoes. The huts provide basic accommodations including bed pads, cooking utensils and a

Photo: Appalachian Mountain Club

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experiences

unforgettable

experiences

Photo: Claire Giordano

wood-burning stove with a stack of firewood. Guests can pay for a delivery of water, food and any comfort items like extra rations of hot cocoa or peppermint schnapps.

Skiers can connect all five Rendezvous Huts in a multi-day excursion, with the Heifer Hut being a popular choice to begin this winter-trip-of-a-lifetime. Guests can also book one hut as a basecamp for multiple nights in a row. Huts sleep eight to ten people comfortably, and dogs are welcomed at three of the Rendezvous Huts. Those forgoing the delivery need to pack in their own food and water (or boil snow).

When To Go: The Rendezvous Huts often book a year in advance for winter weekends.

Reservations are available online or over the phone. Mid-week trips have more availability. For more information and an availability calendar, head over to RendezvousHuts.com.

By Brad Lane

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unforgettable

experiences Photo: 10th Mountain

When To Go: The 10th Mountain institutes a lottery system for winter reservations, with members of the Association getting first dibs. For more information on hut availability and how to join 10th Mountain Division Huts Association, check out Huts.org.

Photo: Jake Hinman

The 10th Mountain Division Hut Association oversees 34 backcountry huts connected by approximately 350 miles of trails within the White River National Forest. The name of this Colorado nonprofit pays tribute to the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division who trained at the nearby Camp Hale during World War II. The 10th Mountain Division Huts offer spectacular views of Rocky Mountain skylines and the chance to share in the spirit of fortitude and resilience exemplified by the skiing soldiers.

Elevations of 10th Mountain Huts range from 9,700 ft. to 11,700 ft., and they’re modeled after hut systems in the Swiss Alps. Users can travel hutto-hut or out-and-back from trailheads near Aspen and Vail. Routes to many

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of the huts cross through avalanche terrain, and at least one member of a party needs proper backcountry experience and education.

Although they were built for backcountry skiing, the huts have become popular mountain biking and hiking destinations during the summer. Accommodations at 10th Mountain Huts include wood-burning stoves, cooking utilities and solarpanel electricity. Many huts sleep up to 16 people and are shared by multiple groups each night. Technically, the 10th Mountain Association owns only 14 of these huts, but it oversees reservations for an additional 20 huts in the region including the Alfred A. Braun Huts—Colorado’s first hut-to-hut system.

Photos: 10th Mountain

10th Mountain Division Huts— White River National Forest

unforgettable

experiences

Photos: Appalachian Mountain Club

White Mountain Huts of New Hampshire— White Mountain National Forest Operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), the White Mountain Huts of New Hampshire have been enabling mountain adventures for over 125 years. These eight mountain huts provide a hearty breakfast and dinner with each stay. All the huts are on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and located approximately six to eight miles apart. Meals are only served during the summer, when visitors can expect to meet thru hikers who are often vying for coveted work-for-stay positions at the huts.

The White Mountain Hut System is only accessible by foot, which makes the family-style meals taste that much better. Alongside calories needed to complete a thru hike, every hut provides a wooden bunk with mattress pad, access to potable water and often a camaraderie with other "hike-minded" guests. The “High Mountain Huts” are self-service outside of the summer season, and three of the huts stay open throughout the winter.

In addition to the High Mountain Huts, the AMC also operates nearby

mountain lodges like the Highland Center at Crawford Notch that offer similar meals with a view. Guided trips are available through the AMC, including four-day lodge-to-hut hikes.

They also run a hiker shuttle during the summer and fall, a great option for a point-to-point hike that alleviates the need to set your own shuttle. Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, the AMC also manages several backcountry campsites on the Appalachian Trail.

When To Go: Accommodations at the High Mountain Huts include bunkhouses and coed bunkrooms, and many huts can sleep more than 40 people. The Mountain Lodges operated by the AMC also feature bunkrooms, as well as a private lodge rooms with private baths.

Reservations are recommended during the summer season and can be booked online. Head to Outdoors.org for more information and availability.

Find Your Own Place to Stay: Alongside these unique hut-to-hut systems, National Forests across the country are home to hundreds of cabins, yurts and reservable fire lookouts to spend the night. To find your next favorite National Forest getaway, book reservations and research places to stay, visit Recreation.gov.

Brad Lane is a Missoula, Montana-based writer focused on outdoor recreation. This is his second piece for Your National Forests. Find more of his writing at BradLaneWriting.com.

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featured project Photo: AdobeStock.com

RESTORING RESILIENCE to the

TAHOE REGION NFF Drives Diverse Projects

By Jane Braxton Little

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featured project

A

hot saw is buzzing through a crowded stand of saplings, sending snow and pine-scented chips into the Sierra Nevada morning near the Yuba River's north fork. On a nearby south-facing slope, planters are placing seedlings in yawning gaps in the forest cover.

Fifty miles away, just south of the mountain town of Truckee, hand crews are piling brush and small trees to prepare a plot for returning low-intensity fire to the landscape. And in a meeting room somewhere on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, homeowners, ski resort owners and agency officials are wrapping a two-year conversation into a plan designed to protect 60,000 acres of public and private land against drought, climate change and extreme fire.

All this hustle and bustle in the Tahoe region stems from a nearly $13 million grant awarded to the National Forest Foundation. The funding, from the California Climate Investment Forest Health program, is the largest NFF has ever received, according to the organization’s President and CEO Mary Mitsos. An additional $5.2 million in matching funds from a variety of private and public sources brings the total project value to roughly $18 million, she said.

The money is allowing federal and state land managers to accomplish much needed forest health projects.

Working across 10,173 acres of federal lands and 1,360 acres of state and private lands, plans include thinning and reducing fuels on roughly 7,900 acres; igniting 3,600 acres in prescribed fires; and replanting around 240 acres. The funding has also fostered a dizzying diversity of partnerships that include local fire departments, recreation groups, conservation organizations, water agencies and financial entrepreneurs.

Cooperation and Evolution At a time when climate change is forcing land managers to think more critically about forest resilience and to act ever more quickly, these projects and partnerships represent an evolution in the way work is getting done on the ground, explained Eli Ilano, Tahoe National Forest Supervisor.

“Cooperating with other agencies is essentially the best way to be successful—and maybe the only way to be successful in today's world,” he said.

One of the largest projects the NFF is coordinating involves 5,690 acres in Sierra County. Part of the 14,545acre Yuba project on federal land, the work combines traditional restoration practices, such as removing forest fuels and restoring meadows, with new approaches to forest health. One involves harvesting timber and investing the revenue back into projects that enhance forest health.

On a snowy morning in early October, logs in tidy two-story-high stacks are waiting to be hauled to Weaverville, where Trinity River Lumber will mill them into construction materials. This is NFF's first venture into the world of commercial timber sales, noted Matt Millar, NFF's Tahoe-area Program Manager. The NFF is interested in all approaches to restoring forests; creating a vibrant forest community sometimes requires removing some materials with commercial value, he said: "This is a good way for us to see how harvesting fits within our goals as an organization."

Tahoe National Forest

Lake Tahoe

California

Lake Tahoe West Restoration Area

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featured project Photo: USDA

Like most NFF projects, this one works toward forest restoration in several ways. In addition to the modest economic benefits from selling logs, crews removed some trees to improve the habitat for aspens, which were crowded out by the pine overstory. The result is an expanse of widely spaced trees sloping uphill to meet a dense, still crowded stand of Jeffrey pines. Unlike typical Forest Service sales, the revenue from sale of around 4.1 million board feet of lumber will be reinvested back into the Yuba project to support ongoing restoration work. "That helps us keep the timber revenue we generate in the same area for future work," said Millar.

Expanding the Workforce and Leveraging Investments The NFF is tackling projects that have been planned by the Forest Service but were waiting for implementation.

Once Tahoe National Forest officials identify the work to be done – a prescribed burn, for example – the NFF has funding to write the burn plan and hire a crew to cut brush along a perimeter line. Because Forest Service personnel are not always on hand when conditions are appropriate for burning, the NFF may also hire a team to ignite and manage it, explained Ilano.

"Working with NFF just expands the workforce available and allows us to get so much more work done on the ground," he said.

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Meadow restoration in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Above: dense conifer growth near South Lake Tahoe.

Below: eight months after conifer removal and prescribed fire.

featured project Photo: Anthony Cupaiuolo

In this fire-prone area, reducing forest fuels is a key goal across many of the NFF’s projects. Fuels reduction projects are expensive, so the NFF teamed up with a local co-generation facility that utilizes the culled trees—three to ten inches in diameter and too small to be viable as lumber— to create electricity. The Big Jack East project near Truckee is expected to yield nearly 5,000 tons of biomass, Millar said.

In addition to leveraging commercial timber harvests and biomass sales to support more meadow restoration and fuels reduction, the NFF’s projects are a unique combination of private and public monies. One of the beneficiaries of the Yuba project is Yuba Water Agency, which provides drinking water and flood protection to local residents. Blue Forest Conservation, an innovative financial startup, convinced Yuba officials that avoiding intense wildfires and improving watershed health would be in their long-term interest. Yuba Water invested $1.5 million in the Tahoe National Forest projects. Blue Forest funneled that money through NFF, which hired the contractors. The water agency will be repaid for its investment over the next several years, Ilano said.

A Collaborative Approach One of the most ambitious projects, still in the planning stages, is Lake Tahoe West, a comprehensive, collaborative effort to address looming pressures on the landscape.

Since 2016, agencies that manage natural resources in the Tahoe Basin have been meeting with recreation, homeowner, conservation, fire protection, local business and government leaders to develop a strategy for landscape restoration and resilience that addresses everything from community safety to how fires move across landscapes. The group is working with a science team to understand how the region is likely to change over time in response to climate change and management.

The project encompasses a total of 60,000 acres from the west shore of Lake Tahoe to the Sierra Nevada peaks in Granite Chief and Desolation Wilderness Areas. Home to 65,000 people, the Lake Tahoe area attracts over 6.4 million visitors to swim, kayak, ski and hike in one of the nation's most iconic panoramas. Forest managers have known they need to be thinking about the larger landscape and how it is responding to climate change, wildfire risk, drought and insect outbreak, said Sarah Di Vittorio, the NFF's Northern California Program Manager. She is coordinating Lake Tahoe West using a $1.2 million grant from California Tahoe Conservancy and $400,000 in Forest Service funds. The partners have completed a Landscape Resilience Assessment and Restoration Strategy, and have launched a new phase pinpointing specific projects for specific locations.

Di Vittorio is also working with Truckee Trails Foundation to build and enhance several multiple-use trails in the Truckee area using funding from donors that include REI Co-op Mastercard cardholders. Along with supporting the regional recreation-based economy, they protect streams and wildlife impacted by user-created trails.

Despite all of the benefits of trails, habitat restoration and reintroducing fire, the projects likely to have the most immediate impact on Tahoe residents are those that reduce fuels in their backyards. At a cul de sac near Truckee circled by carefully tended homes, Jeff Dowling studied the half-grown conifers, sage and bitter brush that litter the land as it slopes away from the 1,400-house development. Dowling, a professional forester recently retired from CalFire, envisions fire racing uphill right toward the houses. Next spring, the Truckee Fire Protection District plans to use funds provided by the NFF to remove these ground fuels, making the Glenshire-Brockway communal recreation area more resilient to wildfire.

"This isn't a panacea. It won't get you out of jail free, but it's a start," Dowling said.

None of the NFF projects is going to restore the Tahoe region’s forests individually. Together, however, they represent a decisive start toward a goal embraced by land managers, business and homeowners alike: healthy forests.

Jane Braxton Little, an independent journalist based in California's northern Sierra Nevada, writes about science and natural resources for publications that include Scientific American, National Geographic, Discover, Yale E-360 and Audubon. This is her second piece for Your National Forests. Find her at janebraxtonlittle. com and @JBraxtonLittle.

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people of public lands

Bryan Iguchi Talks Roadless

Parks were the focus back then and Guch’s talent caught the eye of Burton and other sponsors. His rise to prominence culminated with appearances in snowboard films, a second-place win in the World Half Pipe Championships in 1992 and as a bronze medalist in 1997’s X Games. In 1995, Iguchi moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a world away from the SoCal park riding that launched his career.

Today, Iguchi is a patriarch in the snowboarding community and a pioneer of free riding, a snowboarding discipline that focuses on riding big mountains in an artistic, free-flowing way. His authenticity, generosity, and love for wild places has earned him the respect and friendship of some of the most influential snowboarders in the sport, including Jeremy Jones and Travis Rice.

This past fall, the trio—Iguchi, Jones, and Rice—starred in a new film by Teton Gravity Research. Roadless, directed

by Jon “JK” Klaczkiewicz and Steve Jones, follows the three iconic riders on a ten-day human-powered expedition through one of the most remote places in the lower 48 states—the Teton Wilderness. This half-million-acre swath of wild country is located in the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and is within the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The confluence of the Thorofare and Yellowstone Rivers, located in the Wilderness, is the farthest from a road one can get in the continental U.S. This remote and wild country is not simply the setting of Roadless, it’s also a character unto itself, pushing these elite athletes to their limits as they hike deeper into its wild heart.

The NFF recently caught up with Guch to discuss Roadless, snowboarding, wilderness, and the role that wild forests play in his life.

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Photo: Ming T. Poon

B

ryan Iguchi, “Guch” to his friends and fans, has pretty much seen it all. Born and raised in the LA suburbs, he came to snowboarding from a surfing and skating background in the sport’s early days.

people of public lands NFF: How did this project get started? How different is Roadless from other film projects you’ve been involved with?

BI: The idea started in a conversation over dinner with “JK” (Jon Klaczkiewicz). I feel Roadless is different because it shares a more personal look into our approaches to snowboarding and how our paths have come together over time.

NFF: The Teton Wilderness is one of the most remote and inaccessible places in the country. Even in the summer, it’s hard explore. You spent ten days there in the middle of winter, moving under your own power, which must have been incredibly challenging. Was it as hard as one might suspect?

BI: It was challenging for sure. We walked for two full days before we were able to get into some snowboarding, but we were blessed with good snow, mild temps and sunshine for most of the trip. That made things a lot easier than they could have been. Once we got into the rhythm of the “ups and downs” of the mountains, it seemed like the riding created its own energy… lifting our spirits. It’s funny how time dilutes the struggles we experience, my memory of the trip has been edited down to the blissful moments.

NFF: Many of our readers aren’t familiar with how one travels self-supported through a remote winter landscape for ten days. Can you share some details about how you all actually moved through the mountains? In other words, what the heck is a split board?

BI: It’s basically a snowboard that transforms into a ski touring set up… The snowboard is designed to split into two sections (picture a long skinny snowshoe on each foot), and the bindings turn 90 degrees which allows the rider to hike with the sections attached to his or her foot. We use “skins” on the bottom for traction—synthetic coverings that stick to the bottom of the snowboard and allow for uphill traction when hiking. For snowboarders, it’s the most efficient way to travel on snow. We also pulled small toboggans loaded up with all our camping gear and food we’d need for the trip.

It’s a really efficient way to move through the mountains.

NFF: Why the Teton Wilderness? This team could have traveled anywhere in the world to make a film, so why focus on this little-known corner of Wyoming?

BI: This raw, unique landscape has cultivated curiosity for us over the years. It’s close to home, but because it doesn’t have roads or allow mechanized access, it feels really remote. It’s close but far at the same time. Even though it’s an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and it’s bordered by both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National

Parks, it’s not well-known. The Bridger-Teton National Forest is an incredible landscape and the Teton Wilderness is its wild core. It’s a place we feel connected to and by, so we wanted to spend some real time there.

NFF: Your early success was through park and half pipe competitions like the X Games, but you gave all that up to spend your time riding at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and in the backcountry. Why? What draws you to wild spaces and, particularly, the National Forests around Jackson Hole?

BI: The years I spent as a competitor were really taxing, both physically and mentally. I was young, but I was feeling super beat up. I suffered injuries and was mentally drained from the park and competition scene. I moved to Jackson hoping to learn about the mountains and get into backcountry riding. It was a big change for me. I felt a new sense of freedom exploring my new surroundings.

I found moments of solitude and had time to process life, discovering a sense of peace that gave me a chance to heal and grow.

NFF: You have two young kids; how are you connecting them to public lands and sharing your love of wild spaces with them?

BI: It’s the way of life around here; pretty much everything we live for is done outdoors… snowboarding, hiking, biking, paddling our canoe, camping, observing wildlife, etc. It’s a joy to share it all with them.

NFF: You recently had an art show at a gallery in Jackson Hole. How does your art fit into your focus on mountains and nature?

BI: Living in the mountains and connecting to nature is where I find inspiration; it comes to me in waves, cloud formations, and swift river currents… the feeling that riding a storm brings to life. My paintings are a reflection of this feeling of flow.

NFF: What’s next for you?

BI: I’m not really sure, I’ll leave it up to my imagination…

C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R Forests are part of the company’s founding story, and Black Forest understands the value of forests as a place for families to connect and rediscover nature. On Love a Tree Day 2019, Black Forest committed to planting 100,000 trees in 2020 to restore U.S. forests impacted by wildfire.

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people of public lands

Gabrielle Dickerson Reaches for New Heights

When did you start to notice that your experience outdoors was different from other climbers at the local crag?

G

abrielle “Gabby” Dickerson doesn’t fit traditional stereotypes. She is an African- American rock climber and outdoor adventurer who lives in decidedly non-outdoorsy Baltimore, MD. She is a social media influencer with more than 18,000 Instagram followers and an athlete ambassador for brands like Marmot and Dueter, while also speaking out about racism, lack of diversity, and sexism in outdoor spaces.

She teaches climbing at a Baltimore climbing gym and she is a Cybersecurity and IT Compliance engineer pursuing a master’s degree in the field.

Where did your love of the outdoors and particularly, rock climbing, get its start?

My love for the outdoors started in my grandmother’s “backyard” as a child with my sisters. My grandmother

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I noticed immediately that my experience as a black woman at the crag was different than other climbers who are a part of the majority. My first big trip climbing outside was to the New River Gorge in West Virginia (located on Moneton ancestral land). I remember hearing what my climbing partner’s mother had said before we left and compared it to how my parents reacted. My climbing partner on that trip was a white male and his mother basically just drilled us about safety, making sure we wore our helmets, and anything else you could think of that a concerned mother would say. My parents had those same concerns and said those same things to me, but they also shared their concerns and warnings about my being a black woman heading to the backcountry of West Virginia.

Your advocacy focuses on educating people about the racism and sexism you see in climbing and on inspiring and empowering others to create their own connections to nature despite the challenges that BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) face while outdoors.

How do you balance those?

I believe that I balance it in the education I try to provide on my platforms, while also trying to do my part within the community through instruction, introducing friends to climbing and the outdoors, engaging in Brown Girls Climb events and meetups, and helping in whatever I can to enable access. Sometimes it can get overwhelming and sometimes I don’t think I’m balancing it well or doing enough, but then I remember to relax and remind myself that I’m doing the absolute best that I can.

What is an “affinity space” and why are they important for BIPOC looking to deepen their connections to natural spaces?

Formally, an affinity space is a space or group where people with shared interests or who possess things in common, come together to engage in conversations and activities. In climbing, affinity spaces such as Brown Girls Climb have been integral in my connecting to the land and

Photo: Miaribel Wong

Shaking up the Climbing World:

had a fair amount of land and a lot of that land was in the woods. Our imaginations ran wild out in that backyard and we spent every waking moment back there. My love for the outdoors was strengthened when I started rock climbing outside. My absolute love for rock climbing, and my connection to the outdoors through it, came from the friends and community I became immersed in. I became friends with such strong and amazing women who really supported me when I was at a low point, and also got me connected with Brown Girls Climb.

people of public lands exploring my passion of climbing outdoors. I was able to intentionally connect with a group of people who looked like me and shared similar experiences. I was able to just be. I was able to tell about my encounters outdoors and how I felt isolated without the fear of being gaslighted, told I was too sensitive, or told that I was overthinking it.

Additionally, events that Brown Girls Climb put on helped me to meet and connect with new friends that became my climbing partners. Brown Girls Climb has been integral in inviting brand new BIPOC climbers to the gym and making climbing accessible by providing free climbing shoes, free belay classes, and free instruction. We’ve taken new climbers out to the crag for their very first time and deconstructed the many barriers that have often kept us from the outdoors. But also, BIPOC have been exploring outdoors since the beginning of time, and we make sure to recognize that, educate others about it, and represent it constantly—something many companies in the outdoor industry fail to do.

When you first started climbing, you noticed you were often the only African-American woman at the crag. Now your Instagram feed is full of photos of women of color climbing with you. Are things changing?

I wish my answer was an absolute yes, but it is not. I have been so blessed to meet and connect with amazing women of color through climbing, and that is due to the labor of BIPOC who create affinity spaces, have meetups to bring more BIPOC into the gym, and create a more inclusive space in the gym.

A lot of this also comes with pushback from the outdoor community or gyms that hold this space. I can’t express enough how often I’ve seen hateful things written online when an affinity space shares a climbing meetup they are about to have, or heard of climbing gyms shutting down meetups or simply not allowing affinity groups to reserve gym space at all.

What I would like to see change is that the labor and work is not all on the backs of BIPOC. Many of my friends who’ve never been climbing, hiking in the backcountry, or camping share the same experiences of how historical barriers have been generational and have decreased our access to this kind of recreation. The uncertainty, the fear of being the only one, and just a lack of representation across the outdoor industry has held many of us back.

Those of us who have been privileged enough to climb and engage in other outdoor recreational activities have worked hard to open these gates. We offer our time and labor to provide free instruction, mentoring, and so much more to ensure our family and friends get through. We provide access.

But I’d like to see the big corporations within climbing and the outdoor industry who have the money and resources commit to this labor. This means consistent education on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI), dismantling barriers

that have stemmed from systemic racism and oppression through proper education and intersectional approaches, valuing the voices and opinions of indigenous communities whose land we recreate on, and more.

The seriousness of these actions, the increased access and positioning of BIPOC in leadership positions in the outdoor industry, and the intentional sharing of resources focused on JEDI initiatives are the changes I hope to see.

You spend a lot of time in National Forests. When and how did you first learn about National Forests and how has your understanding of them changed as your climbing progressed?

To be honest, I always knew what a National Forest was as a formal definition but didn’t truly understand them and what they offer to the outdoor community until I started climbing outdoors. Growing up in Southern Maryland there was not a National Forest anywhere near us, and we never went out backpacking, camping, or hiking in one. It wasn’t until I started making road trips to the crag and passing the “Entering 'Such and Such' National Forest” signs that I really learned what National Forests were. When I started learning trad climbing at Seneca Rocks in Monongahela National Forest, I truly understood the importance and impact National Forests have not only on my experience in climbing, but for their capacity to increase access to public lands.

What is your favorite place to climb and where would you go if you could choose any climbing destination in the U.S.?

Currently, my favorite place to climb is at the New River Gorge in West Virginia. It’s got everything; traditional climbing, bouldering, and sport climbing, but it’s also a great place to hang out at if you’re not a climber or just want to change things up from climbing. I often take friends who have never climbed before to the “New” for its easy access to climbing, but we could also hike, or swim, or do other fun things too. If I could choose any climbing destination in the U.S., it would be any crag in Utah.

Follow Gabby Dickerson on Instagram at @gabbyplainandsmall.

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kids and nature

Fun and Easy Ways You Can Enjoy National Forests

M

By Hannah Featherman

any people visit our National Forests to get active and spend their time hiking, camping, paddling or skiing. But just as our public lands feature diverse landscapes, there are endlessly fun and creative ways to enjoy National Forests that don’t involve an epic adventure or a long journey. If hiking for miles or skiing in frigid temperatures aren’t your idea of a fun time, there are plenty of other ways you can experience our public lands.

Build a Snowman and Fort Did winter just dump a bunch of snow in your area? Have a snow day from school?

Bundle up and see how big a snowman or snow fort you can build and settle in to your personal winter wonderland.

Experience the Thrill of Sledding Good for some laughs and exercise, sledding is a fun way to enjoy a cold winter day. Be sure to find a safe hill away from hazards like trees.

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Your National Forests

kids and nature Geocache and Have a Scavenger Hunt

Play Your Favorite Yard Games

Bridge the digital and natural worlds through geocaching – a real-world treasure hunt that matches items hidden or “cached” in certain places with their GPS locations so folks can navigate to the location and find the item. Search for local geocaches online and then grab a compass, GPS unit, and a map and head out into the woods. You’ll be surprised at the treasures you can find hidden in your local National Forest. No caches nearby? Create one of your own!

Don’t have a big backyard or no backyard at all? Visit a picnic area, recreation area or campground and play your favorite yard game.

Channel your competitive side as you play bocce ball or corn hole among the trees.

Press Flowers and Leaves Gather your favorite wildflowers, leaves or other natural elements in nature and press them in a big heavy book or flower press. Then, make cards or other craft projects from the preserved pieces!

Stay Up Late and Catch a Night Sky Event Check the forecast for the next meteor shower or even the northern lights and take a late-night trip to your backyard forest. The darker the sky, the better you will see the stars. National Forests are great “wild places” to escape civilization and light pollution and experience the majesty of the night sky. Learn more about where you can find the darkest skies (hint: many are on our National Forests) through the Dark Sky Association at darksky.org.

Look for Animal Tracks in the Snow While it can sometimes be hard to see wildlife in the winter, it’s often easier to see their tracks! After just a short walk in the woods you may be surprised at just how many different tracks you find.

Hannah Featherman is the NFF's Communications Manager. When not hiking throughout Western Montana she is often planning her next adventure or baking endeavor. Reach her at hfeatherman@nationalforests.org.

Winter | Spring 2020

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forest foods

Morel Mushrooms: Spring’s Finest Forest Bounty

By Charlotte Austin Morels are one of the most highly desired wild mushrooms in the world. While many of the mushrooms we see in grocery stores (cremini, portobello, oyster, etc.) are commercially produced, morels are almost never farmed (those that are lack the flavor of wild morels). White, or blond, morels are rarer than black morels and are found in riparian areas across the country. Black morels are commonly found following forest fires, though they do grow in non-fire-affected forests as well. While scientists don’t know the exact relationship between fires and morels, they flush by the thousands each spring in areas burned the prior season. This makes National Forests one of the best spots to find morels. Be sure to check with your local Forest Service office for the most up-to-date information on foraging for morels. Also be aware that fire-affected forests can be dangerous.

For those disinterested in hunting for morels, they are widely available in farmers markets, local co-ops, and grocery stores when in season. With just a little work they're incredibly easy to prepare and cook. They don't need much to be at their best—just an easy sauté with minced shallot, garlic, butter, and a couple flavor-enhancing secret ingredients can create a party-ready delight.

Try this simple recipe over an omelet, grilled chicken breast, or perfectly cooked steak: Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon avocado oil • 8-12 ounces morel mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and split in half lengthwise • 1 small shallot, minced • 1 medium clove garlic, minced • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 teaspoon soy sauce • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 1/4 cup chicken stock • 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (suggestions: chives, thyme, or parsley) • Sea salt, black pepper Directions: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally until well browned (roughly 5-7 minutes).

Reduce heat to medium-high and add shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, and chicken stock or water and cook, swirling pan, until liquid reduces and morels are coated in a creamy sauce, about 1 minute.

Stir in herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

For more information on harvesting and identifying fungi, check out Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora. For recipes and inspiration, browse Shroom: Mind-Bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms by Becky Selegut.

Charlotte Austin is an adventure writer and international mountain guide who lives in Seattle, Washington. In the past two years she has climbed Mount Everest, earned her extra-class ham radio license, and discovered the joys of foraging for mushrooms in our National Forests.

To learn more, check out charlotteaustin.com.

Photo: iStock

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Your National Forests

where in the woods This National Forest is home to the nation’s first designated Wilderness Area.

Answer from page 3: Gila National Forest, New Mexico Photo: Ethan Alexander

N

ew Mexico’s Gila National Forest stretches across a whopping 3.3 million acres of the state near the border of Arizona.

Many visitors come to the Gila to experience iconic Wilderness Areas such as the Gila (the nation’s oldest Wilderness Area), Aldo Leopold and Blue Range. But the Gila also offers some fantastic front country options.

Stay at the Cosmic Campground, an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and see the stars like never before. Walk through the Catwalk Recreation Area, featuring a catwalk bridge system through Whitewater Canyon built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Whether you’re deep in a sprawling Wilderness watching the stars or hiking through history, your trip to Gila will be “out of this world.”

C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R Salt River Project has been one the NFF’s longest and most consistent supporters. We’ve been working together to restore Arizona’s watersheds and forests for the past decade.

We are honored to recognize this long-term partner who is so committed to our National Forests and quality of life across Arizona.

Winter | Spring 2020

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2019 has been a monumental year for the NFF’s tree-planting campaign. In this second year of our 50 Million for Our Forests campaign, we planted twice the amount of trees as 2018, and connected with more individuals and partners than ever before.

Thanks to our strong supporters, we were able to amplify our work on our National Forests, planting for wildfire recovery, wildlife habitat enhancement, watershed health, insect and disease restoration, and more—all while increasing our forests’ resilience to climate change and improving these public lands for all.

Our Record Growth

Thanks to our generous donors, small business partners, and corporate partners, we beat our own record each year!

Like the rings in a tree, we grow each year 2017 1.8 M Trees

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2018 2.6 M Trees

2019 5M Trees

44

Tree Species

18,000

Acres Reforested

18 States

Get involved & plant trees now!

Every dollar plants a tree.

Visit nationalforests.org to get started.

Your National Forests

Photo: Dave Gardner

50 Million for Our Forests

2019 Impact Report

35 Projects

Thanks to you,

More than

we planted 5 million trees Your Support in Action

in 2019!

Photos clockwise from top left: Patagonia, Dave Gardner, USDA, USDA

2019 Projects:

Forest..................................... #Trees Angeles NF, CA.......................32,200 Modoc NF, CA.........................76,300 Lassen NF, CA........................144,200 We welcomed support from new leading partners Black Forest and Cerveza Patagonia, and are grateful for renewed support from stalwart partners like Caudalie, Boxed Water, Lands’ End, and many others.

We met our US Forest Service partners at the Lolo Peak reforestation site on Lolo National Forest in Montana to learn more about post-wildfire planting. Read about the visit on our blog.

Klamath NF, CA.......................42,648 Gifford Pinchot NF, WA...........20,238 Okanogan-Wenatchee NF, WA....................................224,212 Malheur NF, OR ......................293,579 Deschutes NF, OR...................197,300 Boise NF, Idaho.......................91,449 Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, MT....................................29,100 Lolo NF, MT.............................134,500 Bitterroot NF, MT....................64,847

Our projects span the country, covering a broad geographic range and focusing on priority landscapes, such as this longleaf pine forest on DeSoto National Forest, Mississippi.

Our California Wildfire Reforestation Fund provided critical recovery support during the 2019 and 2020 planting season.

33 National Forests

Flathead NF, MT......................28,000 Kootenai NF, MT.....................266,400 Shoshone NF, WY...................27,529 Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison NFs, CO.............138,000 Coconino NF, AZ.....................50,000 Apache-Sitgreaves NF, AZ ....................................71,442 Cibola NF, NM.........................50,000 Superior NF, MN......................600,000 Chippewa NF, MN....................628,082 Chequamegon-Nicolet NF, WI.....................................151,000 Hiawatha NF, MI......................144,527 Monongahela NF, WV..............51,108 Multiple NFs in NC...................176,940 Ozark-St. Francis NF, AK....................................300,000

•• •

Multiple NFs in MS..................225,590

Number of trees planted: < 100K 100K - 300K >300K

DeSoto NF, MS........................267,525 Multiple NFs in AL...................396,419 Multiple NFs in FL...................263,656

Become a Friend of Public Lands Today

Join the hundreds of thousands of Americans who help care for our National Forests. Find out where to play, stay up-to-date on conservation news and receive insider tips.

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