YOUR NATIONAL
The Magazine of the National Forest Foundation
Winter | Spring 2019
Lightning in a Bottle FIREFLIES ON THE ALLEGHENY
Great Lakes, Great Forests FLYOVER COUNTRY? NO WAY!
Got Wildlife? THESE FORESTS DO!
Board of Directors Executive Committee Craig Barrett, NFF Chair Retired, CEO/Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation (AZ) 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) Peter Foreman, Sirius LP (IL)
Board of Directors Michael Barkin, Executive VP & CFO, Vail Resorts Management Company (CO) Mike Brown, Jr., Founder & Managing Partner, Bowery Capital (NY) Coleman Burke, President, Waterfront Properties (NY) Aimée Christensen, Founder & CEO, Christensen Global Strategies; Executive Director, Sun Valley Institute (ID)
SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL FORESTS
Vicki Christiansen, Ex-Officio, Chief, USDA Forest Service, (DC) Colleen Coleman, Merchandising Strategy Manager, REI (WA) Bart Eberwein, Executive Vice President, Hoffman Construction Company (OR)
Double your impact for our National Forests!
Barry Fingerhut, CEO/Owner, Certification Partners, LLC (AZ)
Workplace giving offers a convenient way to support the conservation of your National Forests and Grasslands. Many employers will also match your charitable contributions—doubling or even tripling the value of your donation to the National Forest Foundation.
James K. Hunt (WY)
Check with your human resources department to see if your company provides matching donations to make your contributions go even further! Visit www.nationalforests.org/give to contribute today. The National Forest Foundation is a proud member of EarthShare, 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 www.earthshare.org.
Roje S. Gootee, Co-Owner & Manager, Rush Creek Ranch, LLC (OR)
Allie Kline (CO) Andie MacDowell, Actress & Spokesperson (CA) Thomas McHenry, President & Dean, Vermont Law School (VT) Jeff Paro (NJ) Patricia Hayling Price, President, LiveWorkStrategize, LLC (NY) Mary Smart (NY) Chad Weiss, Managing Director, JOG Capital Inc. (WY) Bob Wheeler, President & CEO, Airstream Inc. (OH)
welcome letter
Amazement and Diversity
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his issue of Your National Forests explores different wildlife that make our National Forests and Grasslands home. From tiny fireflies to massive whales, our forests host an incredible array of creatures that elicit a range of emotions from humans. I often find myself amazed at the diversity of life, at the power of survival, and at the intricate relationships between different species when I think about the wildlife living on our public lands. At the NFF, we work hard to improve all aspects of our National Forests, including habitat for land and water-based wildlife. Yes, we’ve restored nearly 20,000 miles of trail, but we’ve also restored or maintained more than 200,000 acres of wildlife habitat. We’re proud that we’ve engaged or employed 70,000 youth, but we’re also proud that we’ve surveyed or restored more than 7,400 miles of streams, benefitting fish and other aquatic species. This work is important. Our National Forests host 80 percent of the elk, big horn sheep and mountain goat habitat in the nation. These lands provide 12 million acres of waterfowl habitat for ducks, geese and
other birds—that’s roughly the same acreage as Vermont and New Hampshire combined. More than 440,000 miles of streams and rivers course through our National Forests, providing habitat to countless organisms. All told, more than 3,000 species of wildlife and 10,000 species of plants make their homes on our National Forests and Grasslands, including hundreds of threatened and endangered species. We know that wildlife mean different things to different people. For some, just hearing the wavering howl of a wolf is a life goal. For others, diving deeply into the natural history of their backyard forest offers a lifetime of wonder. Yet others spend their time hunting, fishing or photographing certain species. Our National Forests offer all of these opportunities and more, and we don’t rank any one of these pursuits as more important
or valuable than the others. We focus our energy on ensuring the lands and waters on which these wildlife depend are healthy and productive. We hope you enjoy this wildlife-themed issue of Your National Forests. As always, we love hearing about your National Forest adventures and your thoughts about each issue of this magazine. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff with a story or some feedback to share.
Mary Mitsos, President
Winter | Spring 2019
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inside
this edition
1 Welcome Letter
Amazement and diversity
features
Where in the Woods
4
Forests by the Numbers
6
Field Reports
8
Forest News
How well do you know your National Forests?
Wild wildlife facts
NFF improves habitat for frogs and fish
Protecting communities from fire Become a Wild Spotter
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Unforgettable Experiences Pennsylvania’s secret light show
10 Tree Spotlight
Dead trees have value
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20
Kids and Nature
Featured Forest
Taking a long nap
The forests of the Great Lakes
14
Voices From the Forest
24
Unforgettable Experiences
32
Meet Jerry Stritzke, President and CEO of REI
The best forests for watching wildlife
28
Where In the Woods
Conservation Boundaries and buffers
Did you know the answer?
On the cover Two wolves in a snowy forest. Photo: iStock.com.
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Your National Forests
Photos top to bottom: Mark Hendricks, Thomas Spence, iStock
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where in the woods The name of this national forest is based off the French spelling of a Native American word that means “good hunting grounds.” See page 32 for answer. Photo: Kenny Cagle
National Forest Foundation Building 27, Suite 3 Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406.542.2805
®2018 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-in-Chief Greg M. Peters Contributors Zoe Bommarito, Hannah Ettema, Mark Hendricks, Dane Huinker, Ray Foote, Dr. A. Lee Foote, Mary Mitsos, Kerry Morse, Greg M. Peters Graphic Artist Marci Mansfield, Mansfield Communications
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 Kim Carr Director, California Program Rebecca Davidson Director, Southern Rockies Region Sarah Di Vitorrio California Program Manager Karen DiBari Director Conservation Connect Hannah Ettema Communications Manager Robin Hill Controller Ben Irey Conservation Connect Program Manager Adam Liljeblad Director, Conservation Awards Kerry Morse Conservations Programs Officer Luba Mullen Associate Director, Development Emily Olsen Colorado Program Manager Marlee Ostheimer Philanthropy & Partnerships Coordinator Monica Perez-Watkins Tree Planting Coordinator Greg M. Peters Director, Communications Spencer Plumb Arizona Program Manager Lee Quick Accountant Evan Ritzinger California Program Associate Patrick Shannon Director, Pacific Northwest Program Dani Southard Northern Rockies Program Manager Emily Struss Event Planner & Coordinator Mark Shelley Director, Eastern Region Deborah Snyder Development Services Manager Wes Swaffar Director, Reforestation & Partnerships Dayle Wallien Director, Conservation Partnerships
Winter | Spring 2019
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forests by the numbers
10,000+ Species of plants that live in National Forests
WILD WILDLIFE NUMBERS
5,000
500
1,031,000
10,000,000
Number of nesting pairs of bald eagles currently in the lower 48 states after decades of recovery
Number of nesting pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states prior to recovery through the Endangered Species Act
Estimated number of elk in the U.S. as of 2009
Estimated number of elk in the U.S. prior to European settlement
700 lbs
8 Feet Length of a female bald eagle’s wingspan (males are smaller with a 6 foot wingspan on average)
80%
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Weight of an average bull elk
of elk, mountain goat and bighorn sheep habitat National Forests provide in the lower 48 states
Your National Forests
forests by the numbers
3,000+ Species of wildlife that live in National Forests
Weight of an average adult humpback whale that spends its summer feeding in the rich waters of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska
66,000 lbs
2,800 miles in 36 days
1,897,000
Acres of terrestrial and lake habitat the U.S. Forest Service enhanced for birds in 2015
250
Species of neotropical migratory birds that use National Forests
35 mph
Grizzly bear running full speed
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The fastest migration of a humpback whale from Hawaii to Alaska... that we know of
12,000,000 Acres of waterfowl habitat National Forests provide
27 mph Usain Bolt running full speed
million
acres of National Forest in the US
Winter | Spring 2019
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field
reports
NFF Grants Improve Wildlife Habitat Clearing the Way for a Threatened Frog Species
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ike other reptiles, you’ll likely hear the Chiricahua leopard frog (CLF) before you see it. This threatened species has a distinctive call, a one-to-two-second snore that distinguishes it from other leopard frogs.
Unfortunately, the CLF is losing habitat across its native range of southern Arizona and New Mexico due to non-native fish, bullfrogs and crayfish. The spread of a chytridomycete skin fungi to CLF habitat has also impacted the population, making additional habitat that much more important. With support from the NFF’s Matching Awards Program, the Arizona Wilderness Coalition (AWC) restored habitat for the CLF on the Coronado National Forest. Wanting to break out from their standard projects of trail work and monitoring, AWC was excited to
take on a wildlife habitat project. “We wanted to engage our volunteers in a different type of project,” said Brian Stultz, AWC Stewardship Coordinator. “Volunteers enjoyed working on something to support this threatened species.” Over two weekend workdays, AWC hosted volunteers and students from Prescott College to restore habitat at the Hermitage wetland in the Chiricahua Mountains. At this site, a natural spring used to provide necessary water for the CLF, but the channel that flowed from the spring to a pond
Photo: Gary Nafis - www.californiaherps.com
By Hannah Ettema
where the frogs lived had become blocked by native grasses. Volunteers and staff first dug out the old stream channel, removing grasses and dirt that prevented the water from reaching the wetland. During another weekend, 11 students from Prescott College placed river rocks along the stream channel to prevent the grasses from clogging the waterway again. Now, Hermitage wetland offers a large, wide pool that not only provides habitat for the CLF, but also various amphibians and even some bat species.
Left: Volunteers dig out the new stream channel. Right: The crew showing off the new pond and wetlands complex. Photos: Brian Stultz, Arizona Wilderness Coalition
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field
reports
A New Life for Trees in the Streams Photo: USFS
W
hen most of us walk by a stream or river in the forest, we don’t pay attention to the large logs and branches resting in the water.
Photo: The Freshwater Trust
However, these big pieces of wood are critical for the survival of several fish species, including salmon and steelhead. Without downed trees in streams, the water may move too fast for adult fish to swim back upstream to their nesting sites. Large logs and woody debris also provide sheltered rearing habitat for baby and juvenile salmon and steelhead. Prior to logging and human interaction, the Mt. Hood National Forest’s Sandy River and its tributaries were full of large wood. When trees fell from the surrounding old growth forests, they’d naturally accumulate in the river, providing perfect conditions for migrating salmon. Following years of clear-cut logging near the river and a flood in 1964, the Sandy River lost this critical “instream wood.” As part of our Mt. Hood Treasured Landscapes work, the NFF supported The Freshwater Trust (TFT) with a grant to place large wood habitat structures within the stream channels and floodplain of Still Creek, a tributary of the Sandy River. With support from the NFF, TFT constructed 13 large wood
habitat structures in Still Creek by using more than 100 trees. TFT’s scientists and restoration professionals strategically placed the wood in the river in places that will most help habitat for salmon and steelhead. TFT performs thorough monitoring of all of their restoration sites annually through StreamBank, a custom-app that efficiently collects and analyzes data. And collecting the data pays off. Between 1998 and 2016, the number of steelhead spawning in the Sandy River basin increased by more than 350 percent. As the NFF continues to support critical fish habitat on the Mt. Hood National Forest, we’ll look to partners like TFT to help us protect these places for generations to come.
Underwater wood adds complexity to streams and provides habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms.
Hannah Ettema is the NFF’s communications manager. An avid hiker, Hannah is most often found rambling the mountains around Missoula, Montana when she’s not watching the Detroit Tigers or cheering for the Michigan State Spartans. Reach her at hettema@nationalforests.org.
Winter | Spring 2019
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forest news Proactive Forest Management Protects Nearly $1 Billion of Private Property from Colorado Wildfire By Hannah Ettema
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s wildfires become bigger each year, the threat against homes and infrastructure in the WUI, the Wildland-Urban-Interface, grows as well.
The Forest Service spends billions each year and devotes more than 10,000 firefighters to fight and manage these fires, focusing much of that effort on protecting private property and homes. Unfortunately, wildfires don’t obey land boundaries and despite these expenditures, they still impact communities. Fortunately, there are steps the Forest Service and communities can take to reduce the impact these fires have. In fact, this summer, thanks to proactive fire management, one fire didn’t have a chance to burn through two subdivisions. On June 12, 2018 the Buffalo Fire ignited near Silverthorne,
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Your National Forests
Colorado on the White River National Forest. While the source of the fire hasn’t been identified, officials believe it was most likely human-caused. To fight the fire, the Forest Service relied on helicopters, tankers, more than 150 firefighters, and most importantly, fuel breaks developed between the forest and subdivsions of Silverthorne. The Forest Service developed these fuel breaks seven years ago and it paid off. To create these fuel breaks, the agency spent just over $1 million to remove dead lodgepole pine trees that had been killed by mountain pine beetle. Once removed, the resulting 900 acres of 300- to 500-foot wide
C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R The NFF is proud to continue its long partnership with Edison International, focusing on engaging youth and restoring the National Forests of Southern California.
Photo: USFS
Fuel Breaks
open space stood between private property and the forest. The fuel breaks not only acted as a buffer between the homes and the wildfire, but also provided firefighters a safe place to fight the fire as more than 1,400 homes were evacuated. Eight days after it started, the Buffalo Fire reached 100 percent containment with no loss of homes or lives. Data suggests without the fuel breaks, $913 million of homes and infrastructure would have been lost in the path of the fire. “The fuel breaks reduced the number of trees available to burn next to homes; gave firefighters safe spots to aggressively fight the fire; and provided for effective fire-retardant drop zones,” said Bill Jackson, District Ranger, White River National Forest, USDA Forest Service. “Without the proactive forest treatments, we likely would have lost homes.” Over the last ten years the Forest Service has treated more than 12,000 acres to reduce fuels and promote healthy and resilient forests on the Dillon Ranger District alone. Additional projects on the White River and other National Forests are planned for the future. Just as wildfires have changed, so must our technique for protecting our forests and homes.
forest news Get Your Phone: Introducing Wild Spotter— A New Way to Map Invasive Species
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nvasive species threaten ecosystem health on millions of acres of public lands. Their very name suggests why they are problematic.
National Forests participating in Wild Spotter include: • Arkansas: Ozark-St. Francis • Idaho: Nez Perce-Clearwater & Payette • Illinois: Shawnee • Kentucky: Daniel Boone • New Mexico: Lincoln & Santa Fe • Oregon: Wallowa-Whitman & Siuslaw • West Virginia: Monongahela • Wisconsin: ChequamegonNicolet • Wyoming: Bridger-Teton Want to become a Wild Spotter? Join the effort to Map Invasives in America’s Wild Places. Visit the website www.WildSpotter.org for more information.
These plants and animals evolved in very different places from where they now take root, disrupting ecosystems and upending food webs. Think Burmese pythons in the Everglades or quagga and zebra mussels in the Great Lakes—all are invasive species, have no natural predators and are devastating local ecosystems. Identifying and mapping these infestations is critical for land managers to adopt strategies for prevention, control and eradication. In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Georgia, Wildlife Forever has launched a new public awareness and volunteer initiative to map invasive species on America’s public lands and wild places. Twelve National Forests have been established as pilot programs where Wild Spotter will engage citizen science volunteers and outdoor recreational groups in mapping and reporting invasive species. Ultimately, the project will grow to include all 174 National Forests and Grasslands. “It is impossible for agencies like the U.S. Forest Service to monitor all of their lands. Reaching the public, who are in these specific areas across the country, is a solution to help find new infestations before they spread,” said Chuck Bargeron, associate director of UGA’s invasive species and ecosystem health center. The Wild Spotter program utilizes a free mobile mapping app for Apple and Android devices that provides people with the tools they need to help locate, quantify, map and report these invasive species infestations. “As many new partners and groups scrambled to join this effort, we quickly realized the potential this program had to rapidly accelerate citizen-science support nationwide to address the invasive species threat. We have designed the program to benefit everyone across the landscape and boost citizen science capacity while raising public awareness and action,” said Mike Ielmini, National Invasive Species Program Manager for the USDA Forest Service. —This Forest News story is courtesy of Dane Huinker from Wild Spotter.
C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R Did you know that the NFF has many generous partners through the 1% for the Planet network? These companies commit to giving 1% of their sales to environmental causes. We are proud that so many choose the NFF. From major tree-planting partners like Caudalie and Boxed Water to smaller partners like Hike for Beer, these companies are making a real difference for our National Forests while also demonstrating their own corporate commitment to a healthier planet. — NONPROFIT PARTNER —
Winter | Spring 2019
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tree spotlight
By Monica Perez-Watkins
Why Wildlife Need Dead Trees Too
An event that disrupts the configuration of an ecosystem, community, or population, and changes resource availability and the physical environment. Many species of wildlife are adapted to disturbances. Disturbances can be minor or catastrophic, including anything from a single falling tree to a mega wildfire, and ensuing changes can provide habitat complexity, support diversity, and influence the ways ecosystems function. For instance, wildfire can enhance nesting and foraging opportunities for several birds, such as the black-backed woodpecker, which can more easily snatch wood-boring beetle larvae out of burned trees. Disturbances also create new habitat, like “snags.� Snags are standing dead trees or living trees with dead sections, created by
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Your National Forests
Photo: iStock.com
snagtastic
tree spotlight events such as a strong windstorm, lighting strike, or wildfire. Snags and fallen snags, or logs, are important for many types of wildlife, and they’re essential for some species. When a snag is created, the tree’s tissue is damaged and the decaying wood is soon colonized by insects and fungi, excellent food for woodpeckers and other animals. Woodpeckers, like the hairy woodpecker, are “primary” excavators that use their beaks to drill hollow cavities in the hard heartwood during nesting and courtship displays. When the hard wood decays further and softens, soft-wood loving primary excavators, nuthatches, for example, lightly chip away new cavities in search of their prey, creating larger cavities in the snag. Cavities built by primary excavators are then used by “secondary” cavity nesters. These animals cannot build their own cavities but depend on them for nesting, roosting and other essential activities. Primary excavators are thus keystone species since they create necessary habitat for other types of wildlife. Secondary cavity nesters can include owls, small falcons, ducks, northern flying squirrels, several species of bats and more. Reptiles, amphibians and some mammals, including black bears, porcupines and rodents, use snag and stump cavities opportunistically as nesting habitat and cover from predators. Larger animals, like bears, use large cavities made from decay or wildfire, as bird-built cavities are too small. But prey species beware! Predators, like snakes, also use snags and cavities to find their quarry. Snags and woody debris also add complexity to aquatic habitats, and in nature complexity is beneficial. When trees or logs fall into streams and rivers, they create dams and pools, important for young fish. Logs and branches also provide protection and shade, cooling water temperatures. Some species of amphibians, such as the redlegged frog, loosely deposit egg masses on twigs and woody debris, allowing eggs to withstand water level changes and not dry out. And others, such as the northern spring salamander, deposit eggs under logs and twigs in flowing water. Secured logs in open water give turtles a warm basking spot and floating logs can provide safe roosting sites for mammals like beavers and minks. Near the water’s edge, birds like osprey and bald eagles use snags as lookouts to find and catch aquatic prey. Back on the forest floor, snags and logs provide additional benefits. The organic, decomposing wood and leaves aid the growth of fungi, lichen, and mosses—all food sources for many herbivores like deer. And log decomposition adds nutrients to the soil, providing fertile ground for new seedlings to regenerate. Snags and logs provide innumerable benefits for a wide range of wildlife, from bears to salamanders, and offer a platform for forest renewal. Through their many uses and benefits, it’s clear that dead trees nurture life across our National Forests.
If snags are so important, why do our National Forests need 50 million new trees? Snag-forming events are an integral part of forest ecosystems, but disturbances like wildfire, pests and diseases are expected to increase with our changing climate. Impacts may be sweeping and result in extensive changes to our forests, such as shifts to non-forest habitat. Replanting areas of our National Forests that cannot regenerate naturally helps restore critical wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and enhance our forests’ resilience to future disturbances. Currently, the reforestation need on our National Forests is more than one million acres, about twice the size of Rhode Island! We think 50 million trees is a good start.
Want to help us plant 50 million trees? Visit nationalforests.org/ 50million to learn more and plant trees today.
Looking for another way to help? Start your own tree-planting fundraiser! Visit nationalforests.org/50million-trees-in-5-years to create your own online fundraiser and raise critical tree-planting dollars for our National Forests.
Monica Perez-Watkins is the NFF’s tree-planting coordinator. She lives in Missoula, Montana with her husband, dog and three cats. Reach her at mperezwatkins@nationalforests.org.
Winter | Spring 2019
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kids and nature
By Zoe Bommarito
hrough the Winte ping T r on ou e e l r Natio ls S nal a m i For n est A e s v Fi Illustrations: VectorStock.com
What is Hibernation? During your winter adventures on our National Forests and Grasslands, you might notice that you see far fewer animals than you do during the warmer months. That’s because many animals cannot survive in extreme temperatures and weather conditions. During the winter, animals are less likely to find the food they need. To survive, some animals, such as birds, migrate south where the weather is more moderate.
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Others, including many mammals, go into hibernation to stay alive. For these animals, hibernation is much like going into a deep sleep for months at a time (sometimes that sounds really nice doesn’t it?). Their metabolism slows and their body temperature drops. To prepare for this process, animals feed heavily in the warmer months to bulk up and store essential body fat to sustain themselves during the winter.
kids and nature
Five Animals that Hibernate
Humans and Hibernation
Many mammals that live in cold, northern habitats hibernate through the most frigid months of the year. Here are some surprising facts about five animals that spend their winters hibernating in our northernmost National Forests and Grasslands.
Unlike other mammals, humans do not hibernate during the winter months. The human body is not capable of hibernation—if our body cools to below about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, our heart cannot function and pump blood. Plus, with conventional heating and food storage, we do just fine surviving during cold, winter months! So, what does all this mean for you? Even though you may miss seeing some of our forest friends, winter is still a great time to get outside and enjoy all that this season has to offer! Here is checklist of things YOU can do to stay active and explore our National Forests this winter:
• Bears While spending months hibernating in their dens, bears can lose 25-40% of their body weight during hibernation. • Groundhogs Also known as woodchucks, these animals are best known for their starring role in Groundhog Day each February. Groundhogs decrease their body temperature to as low as 38 degrees Fahrenheit during winter. • Bats Don’t let this flying mammal fool you: unlike many birds, they do not migrate south for the winter. During hibernation, a bat’s heart rate can drop as low as 10 beats per minute. • Queen Bees Unlike the rest of the colony which dies off during the winter, the queen bee stays alive and can hibernate for up to nine months or about three-quarters of their lifespan!
• Snowshoeing • Skiing—Cross Country or Downhill • Sledding • Hiking • Ice Fishing • Hunting • Build a Fort/Snowman • Stargazing
• Garter Snakes Garter snakes that reside in cold weather regions hibernate in dens, oftentimes in large groups of up to 8,000 (imagine finding that den- yikes!). Studies show that garter snakes will travel long distances to reach these communal dens.
Zoe Bommarito is the NFF’s communications associate. Reach her at zbommarito@nationalforests.org
Winter | Spring 2019
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treasured landscapes
Eleven Questions with Jerry Stritzke, President and CEO of REI
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EI partners with the NFF to support recreation stewardship projects on National Forests across the country. From building and repairing trails to getting youth out onto our forests, these projects are making a tremendous impact on our National Forests.
The NFF recently chatted with REI’s CEO and president, Jerry Stritzke, about REI and our National Forests. NFF: You’ve had a long career running retail companies, first with Limited Brands, Inc. and then with Coach, Inc. before moving to REI in 2013. The retail industry has changed markedly in the last few years, but REI has continued to grow and expand. What makes REI different from other retail brands? JS: REI is a member-owned co-op, meaning we’re accountable to our members and society, instead of traditional shareholders. Being a co-op means we approach business differently. Our view of success has a quadruple bottom line, looking at the health of our employees, our members, our society and the business. We view our business in service of broader society, not vice versa. That’s why we annually give nearly 70 percent of our profits back to the outdoor community. It’s why we invested more than $8.8 million in 400 nonprofits this year. And it’s why now, in our 81st year, we’re looking at how we can shape the next 80 years. NFF: You’ve talked a lot about the values REI has as a company. How do these values set REI apart from other outdoor retailers and how do you put those values into practice? JS: We believe a life outdoors is a life well lived. Everything we do as a business ties back to getting
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people outside. Whether it’s providing our members with quality gear, hosting outdoor classes and events, fighting for public lands, or investing in local communities—all of these efforts support a life outside. NFF: Through its “Force of Nature” campaign and other efforts, REI has been highlighting women and diversity in the outdoors. Why is this important? JS: Force of Nature began from this belief that the outdoors is the world’s largest level playing field. When you’re climbing a mountain, it doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, or where you’re from, we all have to put one foot in front of the other to reach the summit. But when we take an honest look at the outdoor stories we tell and the heroes we typically herald, we see that as an industry, we are not championing everyone equally. And as the saying goes, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” NFF: Americans clearly love their public lands. Visitation to National Parks is at an all-time high and National Forests visitation has also steadily risen in recent years. What differences do you see in recreational use of our parks vs. our forests? JS: I see our National Parks and National Forests as complements. In this country, we are lucky to have so many outdoor places that create space for so many different types of activities. This lets people find their “thing” to do outdoors and make many different types of memories. I see National Parks as
treasured landscapes having a mission to preserve and protect some of the country’s most iconic natural vistas and places to get out. Since National Forests are managed for recreation but also other commercial purposes, permitting issues and other restrictions sometimes make accessing our National Forests harder. Given how many acres of forests we have, it’s incredibly important to see them as an essential part of our recreation infrastructure. Many people are shocked when they learn that our National Forests have so much opportunity. The Forests’ 193 million acres are more than twice the amount of space in our National Parks. There are also more than 150,000 miles of trails to hike—that’s six times around the Earth’s circumference. There are more than 4,400 miles of Wild and Scenic rivers to float down in National Forests. That’s a lot of opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature. NFF: In 2017, REI launched a major partnership with the NFF, donating $1 million the last two years to support recreational stewardship work. Why is this important to your customers? JS: National Forests are important in supporting outdoor recreation. Many of the trails, campgrounds, and waterways our members enjoy touch National Forests. This investment supports vital efforts to restore trails and campgrounds after natural disasters, and improve others so they are more sustainable as more people enjoy them. NFF: How does REI engage its members in stewarding public lands? JS: In 2017, we invested $8.8 M in over 400 organizations that help steward over 1,000 outdoor places. We also help take care of the places with our own hands and sweat. We invite our employees, members, vendors and partners to join us in stewardship days. Our partnership with NFF has allowed for us to co-host many stewardship projects around the country. This is just what it means to be the nation’s outdoor co-op. NFF: National Forests are managed for multiple uses (wildlife habitat, water provision, recreation, timber production, mining, grazing, etc.), with no particular use ranking higher than any other. Do you believe that this mission should change to be more focused on recreation?
amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run.” This is still true. One thing we need to recognize is that our Forests’ different benefits can and do shift with time. For instance, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis recently found that outdoor recreation of all types contributes 2.2 percent to GDP. Americans love to get outside and recreate more than ever, and this creates jobs, new businesses and tax revenue, especially in gateway communities. As we look at how to balance multiple uses, yes, more space should be made for shifting demands on National Forests. NFF: What do you think is the most pressing issue facing our National Forests today? JS: Climate change. NFF: I read on REI’s website that you annually summit a Colorado 14er. Which one is your favorite? Which one is next on your list? JS: If I had to pick just one, it would be Mount Yale via the Ridge Route. I plan to summit Mount of the Holy Cross next. NFF: What is a favorite memory you have from being out on a National Forest? Why is it special? JS: I have fond memories of the San Juan National Forest in Colorado. It’s where I spent a lot of time hiking, hunting and climbing with my father. NFF: What’s the favorite piece of gear you’ve ever owned? Do you still use it? JS: The one piece of gear that I seem to keep accumulating is knives. They’re useful, unique and I keep them all. Jerry joined outdoor retailer REI in 2013 as president and CEO. Over the past five years, he has led the co-op to share record returns—more than 70 percent of profits— with members, employees and nonprofit partners. An outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys hiking, skiing, fly fishing and rafting, and annually summits one of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountain peaks, as well as a Washington peak with REI employees.
JS: Gifford Pinchot—the first Chief of the Forest Service—once said that our management of National Forests should be “to provide the greatest
Winter | Spring 2019
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unforgettable experiences
P E N N S Y L VA N I A’ S S E C R E T By Mark Hendricks
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orthwest Pennsylvania holds a secret; it is a firefly wonderland. The deciduous woodlands and watersheds on the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) offer some of the best locations to experience the magical showing of bioluminescence that defines summer evenings in the Appalachians. For many of us who grew up east of the Mississippi, no summer evening was complete without going out and catching “lightning bugs.” Their fanciful golden glow was mysterious, wonderful, and oh so beautiful. While commonly thought of as a fly these beloved insects are actually a type of beetle. Photo: Mark Hendricks
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unforgettable experiences
LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT More than 2,000 species of fireflies are thought to exist worldwide with 125 found in North America. Over 15 make their home in the ANF. There’s the Photuris versicolor, or the Chinese lantern, which as its evocative name suggests, hypnotically “floats” near the Forest’s Tionesta Creek. Imagine tiny galaxies wafting in the night breeze. Then there’s the orange flicker of Pyractomena angulate as well as the recognizable Photinus pyralis, the most widespread of the eastern fireflies. Additionally five species found in the Forest are diurnal and do not glow at all. However, one species is particularly special and was only confirmed in the Forest in 2012. “Late one night in the summer of 2011, a group of campers in the Kellettville area of the Allegheny National Forest had let their campfire burn low when they noticed unusual flashing fireflies near their campsite,” says Bruce Parkhurst, who serves on the board of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Firefly Festival. The display of these fireflies was unusual, as it was a complex pattern of pulsed flashes that occurred over multiple intervals, similar to the famous synchronous fireflies found in the Smoky Mountains. A year later the Firefly International Research & Education (FIRE) team visited the ANF where they could conduct extensive field research. “Fortuitously, they chose to stay at the Black Caddis Ranch Bed and Breakfast whose three-bay garage became the site of an improvised entomology lab,” explains Parkhurst. The follow up report, authored by noted naturalist Lynn Faust, confirmed that there were “abundant and widespread” synchronous firefly populations in the ANF.
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unforgettable experiences More specifically, the team verified that the Allegheny hosted populations of Photinus carolinus, which is responsible for one of nature’s most incredible light shows. While their famous cousins in Asia light up the environment with continuously synchronous flashes while perched on trees, the display of Photinus carolinus is a much more complex showing of patterns while in flight. What appears to the untrained eye as whimsical bursts of light is actually a well-crafted communication tool used in search of a mate. Males of the species display what researchers dub a “flash train.” Thousands of males will produce these flash trains of, on average, six flashes followed by six to eight seconds of darkness. This continues for several hours into the darkness of night. For the synchronous firefly, it is akin to a Christmas light display deep in a forest full of towering hemlock and beech. It is stunning and mesmerizing to observe, and be forewarned, it may change how you feel about nighttime in the forest forever. After all, this is the same rhythmic flicker that attracts thousands upon thousands of tourists to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Firefly tourism has become so popular that the
Park has implemented a lottery system for parking passes in recent years. In the ANF, managers are following suit: a reservation system has been put in place by festival organizers for the past two summers to keep attendance within sustainable limits. While eye witnessing the display of synchronous fireflies may be an uncommon natural phenomenon, fireflies are not designated as a species of special concern federally or within the commonwealth. “The Forest Service does not actively manage specifically for the synchronous firefly, but does provide a diversity of habitats inclusive of those suitable for fireflies in general and the synchronous firefly in particular,” says Collin Shephard, Forest Ecologist, Allegheny National Forest. “One of the goals of the Forest Plan [the 2007 management plan that outlines how the Forest is managed] is to maintain and enhance the distribution and diversity of plant and animal species by providing a diversity of high-quality habitats across the landscape.” To better raise awareness to the synchronous firefly, as well as other species found within the ANF, a small group of local residents, spearheaded by the owners of the Black Caddis
Ranch, celebrated the discovery by forming the PA Firefly Festival, which held its first annual event in 2013. It features firefly exhibits, live music, food, and, you guessed it, guided firefly walks to see the synchronous fireflies and other species along Tionesta Creek. The Forest Service has been an annual exhibitor at the Festival since its inception. With firefly fever reaching ever-increasing heights, public education is key to protecting the synchronous firefly and their habitat because the ANF is currently the only location within the National Forests with confirmed populations of this fascinating beetle. “The Forest Service has coordinated with Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff to learn from the National Park Service’s experience with managing their firefly event and resource concerns,” says Shephard. One concern is the increased likelihood of off-trail foot traffic. “Given female synchronous fireflies are much more stationary than the males and spend much of their time on the ground, they are at risk of getting stepped on. Also prone to this fate are the pupae that haven’t yet emerged as adults given the transition from pupae to adult doesn’t all
The five most recognized subfamilies of fireflies:
If you live in North America, these are the fireflies you’re probably most familiar with. Photinus fireflies produce yellow-green light. Phausis reticulata—also known as blue ghost firefliesdo not flash but glow with an eerie blue or green light. Pyractomena fireflies produce a yellowamber flicker that looks a bit like a spark from a campfire.
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2. Cyphonocerinae Cyphonocerinae are one of the most primitive living lineages of fireflies. Native to North America, Pollaclasis bifaria is a daytime flyer found flying low to the ground. It’s recognizable by its double branching antennae and tiny 5-9 mm size. Unlike other fireflies, it has no light organs but instead uses pheromones to find a mate.
3. Lampyris (genus) Sometimes referred to by taxonomists as a “catch-all” genus classifying fireflies that don’t quite fit into other groups, Only the male Lampyris fly; the females are larviform, and only they glow. Females crawl onto blades of grass and low vegetation at dusk and emit a yellow-green continuous light to attract mates. Their vernacular name is “glow worm.”
Illustrations: Smithsonian Libraries
1. Lampyrinae
unforgettable experiences happen at the same time during the display period,” says Shephard. “Keeping recreationists in general, and firefly viewers specifically, to established trails and footpaths is key to limiting impacts to synchronous fireflies as well as other resources.” Additionally, certain species of fireflies are vulnerable to light pollution and other forms of artificial light, especially the synchronous. Worldwide there is evidence that some firefly species are on the decline due to habitat loss and outdoor light pollution. Because they evolved to communicate in total darkness, this artificial light hurts their ability to find a mate. “Increasingly we make long term plans shaped by a wish to conserve the habitat where fireflies thrive and build awareness of the ways people can make a difference in improving their local environment. This includes minimizing over-used night lighting, reducing pesticide and herbicide use, and other measures,” Parkhurst explains. Since receiving nonprofit status in 2014, the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival continues to work with the Forest Service to raise awareness of the fireflies. Additionally, the group was recently awarded the “Champions of Conservation” award from the
Pennsylvania Wilds Cooperative Center. In the coming year they hope to unveil a firefly app for mobile devices. Initial funding for this project came through the Forest Service. “It has sections on firefly basics, life cycle, habitat, characteristics of different life stages, but is largely focused on local fireflies of Western PA,” adds Parkhurst. Now that the secret is out, firefly tourism will undoubtedly continue to grow as well as opportunities for scientific research such as the PA Firefly Festival’s summer internship program, which just completed its fourth year. For the firefly (and forest) enthusiast, it’s a great way to observe fireflies with far less commotion than in the Great Smoky Mountains. Firefly tourism also helps support the local community surrounding the ANF. Finding such incredible displays of bioluminescence, especially those of the synchronous firefly, is becoming rare in an increasingly developing world. The fireflies found in the ANF provide an indelible link to nature that is lost with increasing urbanization, something not lost to Bruce Parkhurst: “In 2018 we held more firefly events in the Allegheny National Forest than ever before in our history.”
4. Photurinae
5. Luciolinae
Photuris fireflies are large—almost an inch long—and produce a darker green light. Female Photuris often mimic mating flashes from female Photinus fireflies to attract and eat Photinus males. Because of this, Photuris species are sometimes called “femme fatale” fireflies.
This is the largest subfamily of fireflies, scattered throughout Eurasia, Europe, East Asia, and Australia. The fireflies within this subfamily all produce light. In Japanese traditional culture, Luciola are believed to represent the souls of the dead. Subfamilies text excerpted from Ben Pfeiffer – Firefly.org.
Firefly Observation Tips • Make sure to cover your flashlight/headlamp with red cellophane, as this is less likely to disrupt the fireflies during their display. When walking to the display area point the light towards the ground and be sure to turn it off when you arrive. • Go for a night paddle. The edges of still lakes make suitable habitat for many fireflies. It’s a different, fun, and unique way to observe fireflies while minimizing your impact. • Do not collect fireflies. • Synchronous firefly season is brief, lasting roughly two or three weeks. Peak showing is different every year, but it seems to be related to temperature and soil moisture. Late June is a good time to plan a visit to the Allegheny National Forest to view the display. Visit pafireflyfestival. org for more information on the Festival.
Mark Hendricks is an award-winning photographer and writer based in the Chesapeake Bay area. His writing and photography have been featured in Earth Island Journal, National Parks Traveler, Africa Geographic and other publications. This is his first story for Your National Forests. Learn more at markhendricksphoto.com.
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featured forest Photo: Monika Soltysik
By Kerry Morse
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he Great Lakes are one of the wonders of North America, and the National Forests that edge them offer some of the region’s best wildlife, scenery and recreation. The Ottawa, Huron-Manistee, Hiawatha and Superior National Forests showcase the region’s diverse landscapes and abundant activities. Each contains unique and beguiling features, from ancient sand dunes to sprawling jackpine forests, historic lighthouses to dramatic ice-age remnants.
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featured forest These National Forests are, perhaps, most picturesque in the fall when their stands of deciduous trees are ablaze with reds and yellows. But fall colors aren’t the only draw; these forests also provide a wealth of sights and outdoor recreation year round. Skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are popular in the winter, while hiking, camping and boating top the list of summer activities. While the Great Lakes themselves are obvious highlights, thousands of other lakes and miles of streams provide world-renowned opportunities for canoeing and fishing throughout the four forests. The region’s crown jewel, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness within the Superior National Forest in Northern Minnesota, is one of the most visited Wilderness Areas in the country. All four forests are joined by the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT). The NCT is the nation’s longest National Scenic Trail, winding 4,600 miles through six states bordering the Great Lakes before crossing Minnesota and ending in North Dakota. The trail’s various segments make for popular section hikes for residents who don’t have the time to tackle the entire length. Each of the forests offers its own highlights and draws visitors from around the country looking to find their own glimpse of what makes this region so great.
Superior National Forest Lake Superior
Ottawa National Forest Hiawatha National Forest
Minnesota
Huron-Manistee National Forest Wisconsin
Lake Huron Lake Michigan
Lake Ontario
New York
Michigan Lake Erie
North Country National Scenic Trail Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Hiawatha National Forest
Photo: USFS
The 894,000-acre Hiawatha National Forest, also known as the “Great Lakes National Forest,” bridges Michigan’s famed Upper Peninsula. The Hiawatha includes one hundred miles of shoreline and is the only National Forest to border three Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan and Huron. The Point Iroquois Lighthouse stands high above the waters of Lake Superior in the Hiawatha National Forest at the entry to St. Mary’s River, the only water connection between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes. It served passing sailors by marking the narrow channel between the shallow sand beaches and shoals of Point Iroquois and the rocky reefs of Gros Cap on the Canadian side of Whitefish Bay. Today, it houses a museum. The west side of the Hiawatha National Forest saw heavy timber harvest in the area’s logging heyday, and was subsequently
replanted by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Now it’s home to a variety of wildlife species, including moose, grey wolves, black bear, coyotes, bobcats, beavers, river otters, Canada lynx, golden eagles, sandhill cranes and wild turkeys. The Forest lies on the leeward side of Lakes Superior and Michigan and receives nearly 200 inches of snow annually from the powerful “lake effect.” A true winter wonderland, the Forest’s cross-country ski trail system offers nearly 90 miles of world-class skate and classic ski trails. Hundreds of snowmobiling trails connect with an impressive statewide system. If skiing or snowmobiling aren’t your bag, snowshoeing, ice fishing and dog sledding are great backcountry winter options. And for those more drawn to a crackling wood stove, two log cabins are available for rent.
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featured forest
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Your National Forests
Photo: Aaron Borowski
The Ottawa National Forest is famed for its waterfalls. Given that the forest climbs from 600 feet of elevation on the Lake Superior shoreline to more than 1,800 feet in the Sylvania Wilderness, it’s no surprise that there are dozens of cascades to seek out. Copper Creek and its parent, the Presque Isle River, include eleven waterfalls, seven of which occur within the Ottawa. Likewise the Wild and Scenic Black River forms a series of seven waterfalls as it runs from Copper Peak towards Lake Superior. At more than 900,000 acres, the Ottawa offers nearly endless opportunities for waterfall enthusiasts to discover a hidden cascade deep in the thick woods. The Ottawa is generally a boreal forest, clad in pines, spruces and other coniferous trees well adapted to the snowy winters. It’s also a landscape that shows the wear of extensive glaciation over several Ice Ages. The most dramatic changes are found near Lake Superior where exposed bedrock and steep bluffs provide homes for cliff-nesting Peregrine Falcons.
Photo: USFS
Ottawa National Forest
nests in this distinct habitat, is one of the many species that call the Forest home. The 540,000-acre Manistee, on the western side of lower Michigan, has extensive shoreline on Lake Michigan. In addition to being popular for fishing, camping, hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, the Manistee is a destination for ultra-endurance mountain bikers competing in the Lumberjack 100, an annual 100-mile mountain bike race. The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness, on the east shore of Lake Michigan, is one of the few Huron-Manistee National Wilderness Areas in the U.S. with Forests an extensive lakeshore dunes The Huron and Manistee National ecosystem. Most of the dunes are 3,500 to 4,000 years old, and some Forests, though not contiguous, stand hundreds of feet above are managed as a single entity. the lake. The Nordhouse Dunes The Huron, which covers more is unique because it includes than 430,000 acres, lies on the forested areas with juniper, jack western shores of Lake Huron. Characterized by sandy soils and a pine and hemlock, in addition to dune grass and interspersed jackpine-dominated environment marshes. The beach is wide and the Forest has evolved to be sandy, excellent for long walks dependent upon seasonal forest fires. The Kirtland’s warbler, which and sunset viewing.
featured forest Superior National Forest
Photo: Thomas Spence
At nearly four million acres, the vast Superior National Forest is the size of the three other Great Lakes National Forests combined. It touches Lake Superior but its most well-known attraction, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, is nestled along the U.S.-Canada border. The “Boundary Waters” covers the northern third of the Superior. Visitors to the Boundary Waters find solitude and primitive recreation opportunities. Established in 1978, the Wilderness has changed little since the glaciers melted. The area contains nearly half a million acres of old growth forest. Roughly 250,000 visitors explore this life-list destination per year, so permits are required and special regulations apply to all overnight camping. With over 1,500 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 designated campsites, more than 1,000 lakes and streams, and historic portages once used by European explorers, fur traders, and Native American tribes, it is no surprise that the Boundary Waters is one of the most visited Wilderness Areas in the United States. The Superior National Forest contains both true boreal forest and the “North Woods” mixed conifer-hardwood forest. A profusion of lakes and streams (more than 445,000 acres or 695 square miles of the Forest are surface water) have long drawn visitors, and the Forest boasts a colorful cultural history. The Forest also includes the highest point in Minnesota, 2,300-foot Eagle Mountain. In addition to seeing bald eagles, moose and other wildlife on the Superior, you’re likely to hear the wavering howl of a wolf. The region is home to the largest
population of grey wolves in the lower 48 states, with an estimated 300-400 wolves residing within the boundaries of the Forest. With 155 different nesting species, the Superior has the greatest number of breeding birds of any National Forest. In short, the Superior is as wild a landscape you can find this side of Alaska.
While some may consider America’s Midwest as “flyover country,” the National Forests of the Great Lakes prove this region is well worth a visit. What these forests lack in snowcapped peaks and wide-open expanses, they more than make up for with year round recreation activities, abundant wildlife and shimmering lakes.
Kerry Morse is the NFF’s conservation programs officer. When she’s not working with the NFF’s incredible grantees, she can be found playing the fiddle and exploring Montana’s National Forests. Reach her at kmorse@nationalforests.org.
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unforgettable experiences All photos: iStock.com
W il d l i f e ? t o G By Greg M. Peters
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owling wolves? Breeching whales? Lumbering grizzlies? Soaring eagles? Too-cute-to-be-true otters? America’s National Forests have them all, and more.
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Sure, National Parks tend to grab the attention of dedicated wildlife watchers and for good reasons. Yellowstone’s grizzly bear population is unrivaled outside of Alaska; the Everglades hosts pastel pink flamingos, bright white egrets and even crocodiles; and managers are using trained dogs to keep Glacier’s mountain goats from getting too close to visitors. But if you’ve ever spent an hour waiting for a “bear jam” to clear out or been surrounded by camera-toting tourists on the board walk at Logan Pass, you’ll be pleased to know there are twice as many acres of National Forests as National Parks. And they’re teeming with equally impressive wildlife viewing opportunities.
unforgettable experiences Wolves The American West is synonymous with wolves, and parks like Yellowstone and Glacier can be good spots to catch sight of these elusive canines. But wolves also haunt the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota—between 300 and 400 of them in fact. These wolves survived extirpation efforts that removed wolves from the rest of the country, and for that reason the region is considered the last stronghold of the gray wolf in the lower 48 states. While recolonization efforts in Yellowstone have rebounded wolf populations throughout the northern Rockies and into Washington, Oregon and even California, the wolves of the Superior National Forest have been present for thousands of years.
Whales National Forests may be better known for sprawling forests than for aquatic mammals. But Alaska’s Tongass National Forest has it all: glaciated mountains, old-growth trees, and whales, otters and sea lions. Covering a massive 17 million acres, the Tongass includes a lot of ocean, which teem with humpback and orca whales. Sea lions and sea otters also ply these rugged coastlines, searching for salmon, crustaceans and other prey. Alaska’s Chugach National Forest offers plenty of whale watching too, especially throughout Prince William Sound. In both forests, sea-bound visitors can glimpse minke whales, beluga whales, gray whales, and even the biggest of the big—blue whales. Numerous whale-watching companies operate out of seaside towns that border both the Tongass and the Chugach, and those interested in piloting their own craft can rent sea kayaks or join a tour to get an up close and personal view of these denizens of the deep.
Bats Bats get a bad rap. But these flying mammals are critical to farmers and foresters and therefore to all humans. They consume millions of insects each night, helping prevent damage to crops, trees and other valuable resources. While Carlsbad Caverns may be one of the best-known locations to view bats, National Forests like Arkansas’ Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita host populations of some of the most imperiled bat species in the country. The Ozark-St. Francis hosts 13 caves critical to bats, including the Bonanza Cave, home to 15 percent of the total known gray bat population, a whopping quarter million bats. This cave is remote and difficult to access without local knowledge, but another cave on the Ozark-St. Francis, Blanchard Springs Cavern, is accessible to people and houses a few different bat populations. Organized tours provide a glimpse into the Cavern, and bat fans can post up outside of the cave’s “natural entrance” at twilight to see the bats emerge in mass for their evening hunting. An on-site visitor center offers information and tours, and nearby campgrounds round out the experience. Unfortunately, White-nosed Syndrome has severely affected bat populations across the eastern U.S., so many caves have been closed to prevent the spread of the disease. Please respect all cave closures and talk with local Forest Service officials about any rules or regulations governing caves you want to visit.
C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R The NFF salutes Busch Beer’s commitment to our National Forests. This year, Busch is supporting the planting of 175,000 trees to help ensure the health of our public lands for all. In addition, through its creative communications, Busch has helped the NFF reach tens of millions of Americans with a message about healthy forests, clean water and the importance of reforestation.
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unforgettable experiences Birds
Bears Wild, unpredictable, dangerous and smart, bears are the reigning kings and queens of wild landscapes across America. The Tongass and Chugach host robust populations of bruins, but you don’t have to fly all the way to Alaska to see bears. The National Forests that surround Glacier (Flathead) and Yellowstone (Custer-Gallatin, Shoshone, Bridger-Teton and Caribou-Targhee) offer some of the best grizzly bear viewing opportunities in the lower 48. When camping and hiking in these forests, follow all food storage regulations and carry bear spray at all times. These simple rules help ensure your safety and the bears’ safety. Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear. Black bears are more widespread than their larger, brown cousins and inhabit forests across the country. One unlikely hotspot for bears is Florida’s Ocala National Forest. The Ocala is home to Florida’s largest population of black bears; a 2016 statewide estimate noted that the area around the Ocala supports roughly 1,200 bears with the highest density in the Forest itself. Statewide, officials estimate Florida has more than 4,000 bears, meaning the Ocala, which represents less than one percent of Florida’s landscape, hosts more than quarter of the state’s bear population. The Black Bear Scenic Byway is a fun, and safe, way to see wild bears. The 60-mile route connects Silver Springs to Ormond Beach and runs straight through the Ocala. The Florida Wildlife Festival (previously the Florida Black Bear Festival), held each fall in Umatilla, Florida, offers families a chance to learn about black bears and even take a field trip into the Ocala with local experts. Bears are regular visitors to Ocala campgrounds, so food storage and clean campsites are required across the Forest. With black bear populations increasing in forests across the country, these rules are good to follow anywhere.
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Bird nerds unite! Across the country, National Forests provide some of the best habitat for resident and migrating birds. But a few National Forests stand out. In the White Mountain National Forest, a rare thrush makes its home on the windswept peaks that stretch across the Forest. The Bicknell’s thrush is a small, gray bird that favors the high-elevation and stunted forests found throughout the Whites. The Forest Service claims that the Whites provide the largest block of breeding habitat for this life-list bird in the northeast. A world away on the El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, birders can find the Puerto Rican parrot. It’s the only extant parrot endemic to the Puerto Rican archipelago—in other words, it’s the only parrot still found in Puerto Rico that existed prior to European colonization. Mostly green in color, the bird has a bright red spot on its forehead and its flight feathers are a brilliant blue. The parrot is a secondary cavity nester (see Tree-Spotlight in this issue to learn how animals utilize snags), requiring mature forests for breeding and rearing its young. As such, habitat degradation has affected parrot populations, which reached a low of 13 individuals in 1975. Recovery efforts have helped the population rebound, and prior to hurricane Maria in 2017, 56 parrots lived in the El Yunque. Since 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has operated Iguaca Aviary (iguaca is the native Puerto Rican name for the parrot) on the El Yunque Forest in partnership with the Forest Service. This facility maintains a captive breeding program that has helped the population recover. Captive-bred birds are trained and conditioned to live in the wild, and the Forest Service tracks parrots with radio transmitters for a year after release. Fortunately, the majority of the captive birds held at this facility and one other aviary on the island survived 2017’s devastating hurricanes and are poised to help the species continue its long recovery. Every fall, birders and photographers flock to Lake Coeur d’Alene in the Idaho Panhandle to watch America’s mascot, the bald eagle, gorge on the lake’s Kokanee salmon population. National Forest
unforgettable experiences trailheads and campgrounds dot the lake’s shoreline, offering prime spots to check out this seasonal wonder. It’s not uncommon to see a dozen or more eagles at any one time, especially near the Mineral Ridge Trailhead, on the lake’s north east shore.
Giant Salamanders In the pristine headwaters of Appalachia, a giant amphibian lives as it has for millions of years. Known colloquially as “snot otters,” “mud devils,” “Allegheny alligators,” or “lasagna lizards,” (I swear, I’m not making this up) the Crytobranchus alleganiensis, or hellbender salamander, is the third largest salamander in the world and a unique resident of the rushing streams and rivers that drain the rolling mountains of the eastern U.S. Hellbenders live in clear, cool water streams that are found on National Forests in Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Because they breathe through their skin, they are particularly susceptible to siltation and sedimentation that happens when roads, development and other human activities impact their habitat. Fortunately, the streams in these National Forests have recovered from century-old logging efforts and provide suitable habitat for these threatened, ancient creatures. Long-lived, hellbenders can reach 50 years of age and adults generally measure about two-feet long and weigh up to five pounds. Handling these critters is illegal unless accidentally caught by anglers or by collectors with special permits. Your best bet is to use a snorkel and mask to peer into their underwater realm (be careful when floating down stream). Guided tours on the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest’s French Broad River are specially designed to glimpse hellbenders during their fall mating season, when males grab each other and alligator roll to determine nesting site dominance.
Mountain Goats The Pacific Northwest is a mountain goat stronghold. High peaks and abundant alpine habitat host thousands of these rock-climbing ungulates. Mountain goats are native to the Cascade Mountains in central Washington, but a non-native population on the Olympic Peninsula has become well established following introduction efforts in the 1920s. Now, due to overpopulation (and the fact that they aren’t native to the Olympic range), the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service are removing mountain goats from the Olympics and transporting them via helicopter to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in central Washington. The program started in 2018 and officials expect to relocate roughly 350 of the 700 goats that live in the Park proper. For an easy hike that almost guarantees mountain goat viewing, check out the Ptarmigan Ridge hike on the Okanogan-Wenatchee. In addition to truly spectacular views of Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker, there are roughly 200 mountain goats living in this area. As with all wildlife viewing, be sure to give the goats plenty of space; they are attracted to salt and can harass humans in the hopes of licking the mineral from clothes, hiking poles and even pools of urine. Of course, this is but a glimpse of the wildlife that live on our National Forests. From (native) antelope to (invasive) zebra mussels, there are more than 3,000 species of wildlife living in these public lands. So, grab your binoculars, bear spray and camera and get out there. Share your wildlife photos with us for our Instagram page (nationalforests.org/Instagram).
Greg M. Peters is the NFF’s Director of Communications. His spirit animal is the pack rat, as evidenced by the current state of his office. Reach him at gpeters@nationalforests.org.
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conservation Photo: iStock.com
Lines Drawn, Lines Ignored By Ray A. Foote and Dr. A. Lee Foote
T
erritorial wolves enforce it. Fort Knox gold depot practices it. Urban planners use it, and Trumpeter Swans are aware of it. The “it� in each of these cases is the spatial phenomenon of buffer areas or transition zones. These zones are also an important facet of our public lands.
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Your National Forests
conservation Lines on a Map
Park almost entirely. The concept of the “Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” is firmly entrenched and Humans love to draw their lines. We are very widely understood throughout the region. And in good as delineating land according to ownership, the East, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park management regimes, and other human-centered is anchored into its Appalachian setting by the measures. Yet nature pays no heed. Gravity pulls Nantahala-Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests. water downhill from a National Forest into state These settings provide essential ecosystem continuor county parkland. Animals migrate in patterns ity for the parks, enhancing habitat for wildlife and established millennia before “public lands” even recreational opportunities for humans. existed as an idea; they adapt their movements to Because national park systems in both the U.S. signals from their environments. and Canada attempt to minimize disturbance and America’s public lands are literally defined by land use change, they are places where natural lines on maps, markings that are crucial for planprocesses dominate and human influences are ning, conservation protocols, budgeting federal minimized. These landscapes attempt to give dollars, and allowing or denying access. Because us glimpses of a world quite different from our of these demarcations, we know for instance that everyday lives while also providing a window into National Forests total 193 million acres, and that a previous era. Their lack of alteration makes precisely 562 National Wildlife Refuges dot the them valuable benchmarks against which human map of the U.S. impacts can be measured, but to execute that presOf course, natural systems have boundaries as ervation mission requires space, sometimes more well: a ridgeline that divides watersheds, a canyon space than our human-drawn boundaries offer. that marks transitions in landforms (and may That’s why National Forests that function as bedevil land-based transit), or even changes in soil buffer zones, like those in the Pacific Northwest, composition that support widely varying plant and Yellowstone and Appalachia, are so important. animal communities. Yellowstone is known for its wildlife—elk, grizzly Often, natural bears, bison and, of course, boundaries form the wolves. Certainly, these Yellowstone’s vast herds basis for our lines on the animals don’t recognize map; for example, in New wouldn’t exist without the when they’ve crossed Hampshire, the White from Yellowstone Park to Mountain National Forest additional habitat provided by the Custer-Gallatin, the corresponds very closely Bridger-Teton or any of the to the highest elevations the bordering forests. other National Forests that in the region, topping out surround Yellowstone. But with Mt. Washington at 6,288 feet. The Cascade Yellowstone’s vast herds wouldn’t exist without Mountains divide Oregon’s and Washington’s the additional habitat provided by the bordering wet (western) and dry (eastern) zones with their forests. For example, there are currently about 105 radically different landforms, flora, fauna and wolves in Yellowstone Park. If you add in the wolves weather systems. But sometimes, our humanthat live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the drawn lines bear no relation to these natural number doubles. This allows for critical genetic or geographical boundaries. exchange and for new populations to establish and thrive, all of which helps ensure a stable population Essential Continuity of wolves (and elk and bison and other animals) in the park proper. Where resources (prey, gold, housing, wildlife, etc.) In contrast to National Parks, National Forests need protection and active defense, transition operate under a goal of conservation, which is zones play an important role. In the public use-oriented. Fundamentally different from preserlands realm, the phenomenon of parks ringed vation, conservation implies human beneficial use. by forests is striking. At the northern end of the Gifford Pinchot, the “father of the National Forest Cascade Range lies North Cascades National Park, System,” frequently stated the goal of conservation hemmed in by the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Mt. is “the greatest good to the greatest number for the Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests. Four different longest time,” an ethos that remains to this day National Forests encircle Yellowstone National
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conservation National Forests Northern Cascades National Park
Federal Land Ownership (Including Alaska) Total Acreage: 640M Acres Forest Service
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Okanogan-Wenatchee
National Parks
Washington
Bureau of Land Management Wildlife Refuges Other
Yellowstone National Park
Montana
Custer-Gallatin Idaho
within the U.S. Forest Service. Forests are sometimes referred to as “working lands” because of the timbering, grazing, and even mining that occurs on them. Over time, society has layered on to the role of National Forests a growing expectation of sustainability so the wildlife, trees, water supply, biological diversity, and many other attributes are not overly diminished by human use.
Shoshone Bridger-Teton
Caribou-Targhee
Wyoming
Great Smokey Mountains National Park Cherokee Virginia
Pigsah Cherokee
North Carolina
Tennesee
South Carolina
Cherokee Nantahala Georgia
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Your National Forests
Getting to Scale Scale is a critical factor in how our public lands function, and their relative scale can be surprising. In fact, National Forests occupy a far larger footprint in the United States than do National Parks. Excluding Alaska, there are just under 30 million acres of National Parks versus 169 million acres of National Forests. Bureau of Land Management and Wildlife Refuges (again, excluding Alaska) add a whopping 251.3 million acres to these totals. And, such scale matters because many ecological functions, whether wildlife or carbon sequestration or water cleansing, require immense space. The concept of buffer zones is not new. In the 1800s the African railways put a preserve area for one mile on either side of their railway lines, a de facto park, surrounded beyond by hunting and harvesting areas. Certain First Nations hunting societies set aside no-go areas, sometimes at the territorial boundaries between tribal hunting grounds, and these served as park-like source areas for wildlife production. American public land managers have come more recently to recognize the deep ties between their respective lands. In recent decades, broader system-type thinking has led to concepts of “landscape level conservation” that actively seek out the advantages of adjacency and scale. Starting in 2009,
conservation Photo: Sarah Berry
the word paradise. We crave an exit from the federal officials explicitly began managing forest human-built environment of carpeting, cement, restoration (especially with wildfire) with an “all climate control, and cellophane-wrapped “nutrition” lands” approach spanning ownership and taking at arm’s reach. But how far a more holistic view. away do we wish to go to Such holistic thinking meet satisfy this craving? In contrast to National Parks, bodes well for our public Maybe a city park, maybe a lands. As these lands National Forests operate under National Forest campground, face rising threats from possibly, immersion in a climate change, larger and a goal of conservation, which or designated wilderness area more frequent wildfires, essentially unchanged for fragmented wildlife is use-oriented. centuries. What’s remarkable habitat, invasive species, is that we can access these and stresses on the water cycle, greater cooperation ancient landscapes, in part, because they are and synergy offers new hope for both public lands protected by laws and policies, but largely because preservation and conservation. they are preserved by sprawling buffers zones. What does this mean to the members of the Such places are good for wildlife, water, and public who want to use these lands? It means that much more. Including us. destinations like North Cascades, Yellowstone and Great Smoky Mountains exist in their “preserved state” precisely because they are ringed by forests that provide the scale needed for such preservation. Ray A. Foote, based in Washington, DC, is the It also means we can have the best of both worlds: Executive Vice President of the National Forest a dispersed campsite outside of a developed (and Foundation and an avid hiker and photographer busy) campground, mushroom gathering, fishing with a special interest in public lands. Reach Ray or hunting on a National Forest, or easy wildlife at rfoote@nationalforests.org. viewing, ranger-led interpretive programs and iconic vistas on a National Park. Ironically, because the Dr. A. Lee Foote is a Professor in the DepartNational Parks have actively marketed themselves ment of Renewable Resources at University of for a century as “destinations,” it can be harder to Alberta (Canada) and Director of the University’s find solitude and quiet than in National Forests Botanic Garden. The authors’ shared love of the which draw fewer visitors. outdoors traces back to their Louisiana upbringing of camping, Scouting, hunting, and survival Nature represents the ultimate Garden of Eden skills necessary in a family of six boys. or the Para diza of the Persian Empire that yielded
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where in the woods The name of this national forest is based off the French spelling of a Native American word that means “good hunting grounds.” Answer from page 3. Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas and Oklahoma Photo: Danny Owens
O
riginally known as the Arkansas National Forest when established in 1907, today’s Ouachita National Forest spans more than 1.8 million acres in central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma.
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Your National Forests
The Ouachita features stunning old growth forest that escaped logging efforts, especially in the Black Fork Mountain Wilderness Area and the Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness Area. Many visitors experience the Forest on the Talimena Scenic Drive, a National Scenic Byway that provides stunning vistas and day-hiking opportunities. For a longer hike, check out the Ouachita National Recreation Trail which stretches 192 miles across the Forest.
C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R One of the NFF’s first major tree-planting partners, Lands’ End has been committed to improving our National Forests since 2012. Since that time, Lands’ End has helped the NFF plant more than one million trees on our National Forests, improving wildlife habitat, helping provide clean water, and ensuring beautiful forests for generations to come.
HELP US PLANT 50 MILLION TREES
It’s so simple. Every dollar plants one tree. But the impacts are anything but simple.
Every tree we plant: Restores Wildlife Habitat Protects Watersheds and Clean Drinking Water Absorbs and Stores Carbon
What impact will you make? nationalforests.org/50Million
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