YOUR NATIONAL
The Magazine of the National Forest Foundation
Forests for All Abilities ACCESSIBLE DESTINATIONS ON OUR NATIONAL FORESTS
Choreography in the Sky HIGH ELEVATION RESTORATION IN ARIZONA
Engaging the Community NEW TREASURED LANDSCAPE SITE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Winter | Spring 2021
Board of Directors Executive Committee Patricia Hayling Price, NFF Chair President, LiveWorkStrategize, LLC (NY) Lee Fromson, NFF Treasurer COO & CFO Simms Fishing Products (MT) Timothy P. Schieffelin, NFF Secretary President, P.O.V., LLC (CT) Caroline Choi, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Southern California Edison (CA) Robert Cole, Partner, Collins Cockrel & Cole, P.C. (CO) Rob Leary, Former CEO, The Olayan Group (FL) Bob Wheeler, President and CEO, Airstream Inc. (OH)
Board of Directors Michael Barkin, Executive Vice President & CFO, Vail Resorts Management Company (CO)
Donor Advised Funds and Pandemic What's the connection? The coronavirus outbreak has upended almost everything in our lives. Its ripple effect will not be fully understood for some time. Yet, we all are trying to stay the course, and that includes the National Forest Foundation where we are 100 percent committed to our work, even if it looks and feels different. We understand the anxiety that you may be feeling and that you might feel you have to scale down support of your favorite causes, including us. If you have a donor advised fund (DAF), now can be a good time to sustain or even increase your philanthropic support through this vehicle. You’ve already set aside your DAF funds to give, which is great, especially because our forests need help today more than ever. Please consider contacting your DAF administrator today and recommending a grant to the NFF. If your DAF is with Fidelity, Schwab, or BNY Mellon, it’s even easier; just go to nationalforests.org/DAF, and with a couple of clicks you can complete your gift. You may also want to call and let us know about your gift, so we can recognize your generosity. If you have questions, please call Ray Foote, NFF Executive Vice President, at 202.664.4585 or rfoote@nationalforests.org. The pandemic is stretching and stressing all of us in new ways. We will do all we can to stay laser focused on critical conservation projects across the public lands you love. Thank you for helping make it all possible.
Visit nationalforests.org to contribute today. Give confidently: the National Forest Foundation has earned the highest charity ratings available.
Mike Brown, Jr., Founder and Managing Partner, Bowery Capital (NY) Mary Kate Buckley, President, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (WY) Aimée Christensen, Founder & CEO, Christensen Global Strategies; Founder & Executive Director, Sun Valley Institute (ID) Vicki Christiansen, Ex-Officio, Chief, USDA Forest Service (DC) 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 (CT)
welcome
letter
National Forests and Grasslands, Open to All
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s a passionate advocate for our National Forests and public lands, I am especially excited with this issue of Your National Forests.
You will often hear that public lands are open to all. In this issue, we share stories about how individuals with differing abilities are exploring forests. In these pages, you’ll read about adaptive climbing, handcycles, “(st)rolling,” and more. You will meet strong people opening our eyes to new possibilities. Even the smallest modification in recreation can make the biggest impact. For instance, lowering the railings around a fishing pier allows wheelchair visitors to reel in that big one, or at least enjoy the view while they spin their tale about how that fish got away! Short, paved interpretive paths share our forests’ richness with eager visitors who can get up close for the first time. This is also a chance for us to reflect on why such changes have taken so long. But, let’s celebrate it even as we ensure continued progress. It is not unlike the NFF’s work—indeed across the entire conservation community—to continue expanding diversity among public lands users. In this, the 30th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, we can both cheer our progress and commit to more. One reason I love our National Forest so much: they are truly the
people’s lands, available to all. More than 100 years ago, Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief Forester of the U.S. Forest Service, would say forests should accomplish “the greatest good for the greatest number.“ Today, we increasingly understand that must also mean removing barriers (whether physical, cultural, social, or other) to our fellow Americans who wish to be among the beauty and wonder of these peoples lands. Recent years have also brought huge advances in the healing aspects of forests in the form of physiological and mental health, additional reasons to ensure access for all. Our fellow citizens who require different approaches or equipment to ski, hike, or birdwatch are part of a growing community of outdoors-lovers. And, that is great for the future of our National Forests, because the entire system rests on public understanding and support by all Americans. I hope this issue of our magazine sparks some new thoughts for you as it did for me. Together, we can keep working to make our cherished public lands welcoming to every individual. Thanks for reading!
Thank you!
Mary Mitsos President
Winter | Spring 2021
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inside this edition 1
Welcome Letter
3
Where in the Woods
4
Forests by the Numbers
5
Forest Foods
6
Forest News
10
Photos: U.S. Forest Service, Jodi Hausen, Colleen Stinchcombe
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National Forests and Grasslands, Open to All
features
How Well Do You Know Our National Forests?
Urban National Forests
Wild Game Discada
The Upside of Overcrowding The Great American Outdoors Act
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Field Reports
River Stewards on Huron-Manistee National Forests’ Waters Improving Access and Honoring History at Glen Ellis Falls
Unforgettable Experiences
Sugar Maple
Kids and Nature
24
People of Public Lands
26
People of Public Lands
31
Where in the Woods Answer
Restoring Bill Williams Mountain
16
Tree Spotlight
22
Featured Project
From Sit-Skiing to Alligator Watching
What Tree Are You?
AdvenChair Inventor Geoff Babb
Climber Jess Sporte
Did You Know the Forest?
22
On the cover
Featured Forest
Rural Teens Find New Opportunities in the Forest
Cyclist and DREAM Adaptive Recreation athlete, Sirak Akalu Iyassu, recreating in the Flathead National Forest. Photo credit: Swiftwick - The Best Socks You Will Ever Wear, Guaranteed. Sustainably made in the USA. www.swiftwick.com.
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Your National Forests
where in the woods This National Forest features sub-tropical grasslands. See page 31 for answer. Photo: Andy Wraithmell
National Forest Foundation Building 27, Suite 3 Fort Missoula Road Missoula, Montana 59804 406.542.2805
®2020 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 Editors Hannah Featherman, Emily Stifler Wolfe Contributors Dodie Arnold, Monette Bailey, Zoe Bommarito Julie Brown, Hannah Featherman, Gil Garduno, Matt Harmon Jodi Hausen, Mary Mitsos, Cassidy Randall, Colleen Stinchcombe Graphic Artist Marci Mansfield, MansfieldCommunications.myportfolio.com
National Forest Foundation Staff
President Mary Mitsos Executive Vice President Ray A. Foote Vice President, Field Programs Marcus Selig Shereé Bombard Administration & Human Resources Director Zoe Bommarito Communications Coordinator Mark Brehl Arizona Program Forestry Supervisor
Colleen Coleman Marketing & Communications Director Darla Cotton Executive Assistant Mindy Crowell Acting Reforestation Partnerships Manager Rebecca Davidson Southwest Region Director & Youth Program Director Sarah Di Vittorio California Program Manager Karen DiBari Conservation Connect Director Hannah Featherman Communications Manager Dania Gutierrez California Program Manager – Southern California Robin Hill Controller Britt Holewinski Reforestation Partnerships Coordinator Ben Irey Conservation Connect Program Manager Joe Lavorini Gunnison County Stewardship Coordinator Adam Liljeblad Conservation Awards Director Hunter Maggs Accountant Jessica McCutcheon Digital Marketing Manager Matt Millar California Program Manager – Tahoe Kerry Morse Conservation Awards Manager Luba Mullen Development Associate Director Katie Neher Development Database Associate Emily Olsen Rocky Mountain Region Director Marlee Ostheimer Conservation Partnerships Manager Monica Perez-Watkins Reforestation Partnerships Manager Spencer Plumb Conservation Finance Manager Allison Powell Agreement Specialist Evan Ritzinger California Program Coordinator – Tahoe Brian Robey California Program Associate – Southern California Trevor Seck California Program Coordinator - Tahoe Patrick Shannon Pacific Northwest Program Director Dani Southard Northern Rockies Program Manager Mark Shelley Eastern Region Director Audrey Squires Umpqua Restoration Program Coordinator Sasha Stortz Arizona Program Manager Briana Tiffany California Program Associate – Tahoe Dayle Wallien Conservation Partnerships Director Leah Zamesnik Partnership Coordinator
Winter | Spring 2021
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forests by the numbers While National Forests provide a sense of a distant escape into nature, they may be closer than you realize. Seven out of 10 Americans live within a two-hour drive of a National Forest. As you look for adventures close to home, make plans to explore your backyard National Forest. Visit nationalforests.org to find a forest near you.
Atlanta
82 miles
1 hour 22 minutes
Chattahoochee National Forest
Boston
119 miles
1 hour 53 minutes
White Mountain National Forest
Chicago
53 miles
1 hour
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Denver
40 miles
54 minutes
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests
Houston
60 miles
1 hour 15 minutes
Sam Houston National Forest
Indianapolis
69 miles
1 hour 35 minutes
Hoosier National Forest
Los Angeles
23 miles
42 minutes
Angeles National Forest
Phoenix
30 miles
32 minutes
Tonto National Forest
Portland
18 miles
23 minutes
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Salt Lake City
15 miles
20 minutes
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Seattle
48 miles
59 minutes
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
St. Louis
94 miles
1 hour 37 minutes
Mark Twain National Forest
10 minutes
Apalachicola National Forest
1 hour 30 minutes
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
Tallahassee Washington, D.C.
5 miles 82 miles
Note: distance is based from city center and travel times may vary for traffic.
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forest foods
Ángel Peña’s Wild Game Discada
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By Gil Garduño
onservationist Angel Peña and his family of four listen attentively for the mournful cooing sounds that signal the presence of doves,
which are ubiquitous in the “bootheel” area of Southern New Mexico. Peña, his wife, and children trace the sounds to a nearby branch, where the unmistakable plump body, pointed tail, and short legs of their meal are perched. It doesn’t take many doves to make a meal the way Peña prepares them on his discada, a wok-like implement his Mexican ancestors fashioned from a converted plow disc. With its wide base, the discada provides even heat as the ingredients simmer. Discada is also the name for the mixed meat dish Peña prepares with a mélange of ingredients that complement the day’s bounty. There’s bacon, chorizo, potatoes, onions, chile, and more, mostly prepared separately before being combined. When done, the medley is scooped into fresh, warm corn or flour tortillas. For the Peñas, discada-made tacos represent the satisfying combination of ingredients, conservation, and family.
Wild Game Discada
• A round 4 cleaned, dove breasts
(if using another size game bird, adjust ingredients accordingly)
• 1 /maybe 2 (wink wink) sticks of butter
• 4 -8 oz. of chorizo • 6 -8 pieces of bacon, fried and diced.
• D iced chile, tomato, onion,
bell peppers, amounts depending on the chef’s preference.
• F or an authentic Southern New Mexican taste, use a healthy amount of diced green chile.
1. To get the party started, melt the butter. 2. Add the dove. 3. Once the dove is browned, add the chorizo and bacon. 4. Cook thoroughly. 5. Add veggies and cook to your desired texture. 6.Throw all that good stuff in a tortilla with your favorite toppings. Add friends, napkins, and cerveza. Enjoy!
Gil Garduño is the creator of Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog, which has nearly 1,200 restaurant reviews. When he's not reviewing restaurants or judging food competitions, Garduño is a programmer analyst at the University of New Mexico. Find him at nmgastronome.com. Jessica Loya and Ray Trejo prepare discada meals during a visit to the Coronado National Forest organized by Nuestra Tierra, the conservation nonprofit where Peña is executive director. The friends and colleagues gathered in this section of New Mexico’s bootheel to enjoy an area that might be compromised by a potential future border wall. Winter | Spring 2021
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forest news The Upside of Overcrowding: National Forests have been overwhelmed by visitors
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during the pandemic. Could that be a good thing?
By Julie Brown
s the COVID-19 pandemic began to surge in the United States this past spring, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order on March 19. The city and county of Los Angeles followed suit and closed the beaches, then the parks.
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Your National Forests
beside trails and other public spaces, said Adrianne Rubiaco, public affairs specialist for the National Forests in North Carolina. “They’re not packing out what they pack in,” Rubiaco said. The increased visitation kept pace all summer. In the Angeles, wildfire risk compounded the stresses, especially when the Forest had to evacuate small,
Photo: U.S. Forest Service
But the neighboring Angeles National Forest stayed open. Forest officials said what happened next felt like a tsunami of visitors, many of them newcomers unfamiliar with the ethics of outdoor stewardship. The Angeles ranges from 1,200 feet to higher than 10,000 feet and encompasses ecosystems that are just as varied, from arid chaparral to pine-covered mountains. With 3 to 4 million visitors a year, it is one of the busiest Forests in the country. Angeles Forest Supervisor Jerome “Jerry” Perez estimated a 200-300 percent increase in visitation that coincided with March’s stay-at-home order. National Forests nationwide saw a similar trend. In the Pacific Northwest Region, cars were parked bumper to bumper at popular trailheads near Seattle and Portland. Officials in the White Mountains National Forest, which spans 800,000 acres in New Hampshire and Maine, closed more than 100 popular trailheads, picnic areas, and recreation sites in April because the rush of visitors made social distancing impossible. At the same time, the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina was scrambling to find personal protective equipment for its employees and increase cleaning services in public spaces. When they closed public restrooms in the interim, visitors dug shallow catholes and left toilet paper
narrow canyons full of people. And yet, Forest officials from North Carolina to the Angeles agreed that a lot of new people visiting National Forests isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “Everyone knows the Park Service, but no one knows the Forest Service,” said Perez from the Angeles. “It was our opportunity to actually provide access to the public.” The hard part, he said, is education. While there are clearly infrastructure and logistical challenges Forests have to meet with increased use, what’s most important is helping these new visitors learn how to become good stewards. Their first visits may end up being a gateway for longer term engagement with National Forests, including developing a sense of ownership and responsibility.
An overcrowded trailhead on the Eldorado National Forest, California.
Julie Brown is a freelance journalist based in Reno, Nevada.
forest news The Great American Outdoors Act
By Monette A. Bailey
The landmark legislation will fund conservation, recreation, and infrastructure improvements on public lands
#RECREATE RESPONSIBLY Know Before You Go Check the status of the place you want to visit. If it is closed, don’t go. If it’s crowded, have a back up plan.
Practice Physical Distancing Keep your group size small. Be prepared to cover your nose and mouth and give others space. If you are sick, stay home.
Plan Ahead Prepare for facilities to be closed, pack lunch, and bring essentials like hand sanitizer and a face covering.
Play It Safe Slow down and choose lower-risk activities to reduce your risk of injury. Search and rescue operations and health care resources are both strained.
Explore Locally Limit long-distance travel and make use of local parks, trails, and public spaces. Be mindful of your impact on the communities you visit.
Leave No Trace Respect public lands and waters, as well as Native and local communities. Take all your garbage with you.
Build An Inclusive Outdoors Be an active part of making the outdoors safe and welcoming for all identities and abilities. Visit recreateresponsibly.org to learn more.
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assage of the Great American Outdoors Act this summer created tangible opportunities to connect people to their public lands.
The late Senator John Lewis (D-GA) first introduced the bill as the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) resubmitted it with amendments in March 2020. The act, which passed this summer with broad bipartisan support, permanently provides $900 million annually to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), supporting habitat protection and expanding public access to the outdoors. It also allocates $9.5 billion over the next five years to address the significant backlog of deferred maintenance on federally owned public lands. The LWCF is funded by royalties from offshore oil and gas drilling, and the new maintenance program will receive 50 percent of annual energy development revenues generated on federal lands and waters. The 56year-old fund has supported protection of National Forests, state parks, wildlife refuges, National Parks, and more in all 50 states. The U.S. Forest Service receives 15 percent of the $9.5 billion, which equates to $285 million annually, said Jeff Vail, U.S. Forest Service Deputy Director for Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources. “[We hope to use it] to improve the quality of the visitor experience,” said Vail, also mentioning plans for better informational displays in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska, which is the nation’s largest and is home to the popular Mendenhall Glacier. The money will help whittle down a $5.2 billion backlog that includes upgrading campgrounds, trails, roads, and visitor centers, improving access to recreation like hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting. “Growing up in West Virginia, some of my best memories are hunting, fishing, and exploring with my dad and grandfather,” said Senator Joe Manchin III (D-WV), a longtime advocate of the LWCF and a co-sponsor of the bill. Manchin’s state is home to one of the nation’s most ecologically diverse National Forests, the Monongahela. The act will engage the public in ways beyond recreation, said Vail, who hopes that nonprofits, businesses, and communities will participate in this federal investment by submitting project ideas to the Forest Service, either through their district offices or headquarters. “It could be a local business that sees how restoring a [nearby] campsite could impact their business,” Vail said. “The number of opportunities is unlimited.”
Monette Bailey is an organizational development specialist in the Washington, D.C. area. She spends many of her off hours among trees, often sharing those spaces with others as a volunteer leader with Outdoor Afro, a national not-for-profit dedicated to connecting Black people to nature.
Winter | Spring 2021
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field
reports
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River Stewards on Huron-Manistee National Forests’ Waters
ichigan summers, with nearly-guaranteed high humidity, can be unbearable. Luckily, our National Forests provide visitors with plenty of waterways for swimming, tubing, paddling, and more.
Your National Forests
Photos: Matt Harmon
If you floated down the rivers in the Huron-Manistee National Forests during the hotter months in 2020, you may have seen some friendly faces in brown U.S. Forest Service uniforms. With support from REI and the REI Foundation, the NFF partnered with Trout Unlimited to establish the River Stewardship Program in the Huron-Manistee National Forests. These recreation interns visited popular sites along the Pere Marquette, Pine, Manistee, and AuSable Rivers every weekend, greeting guests and reminding them of responsible recreation practices to keep rivers clean and healthy. Gliding under the green hues of the forest, kayak paddles rippling in the water, the interns described themselves as the “faces of the river.� As they passed visitors on the water they were met with positive affirmations from the visitors on ways to recreate responsibly.
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By Matt Harmon
Trout Unlimited estimates the interns had 10,000 different conversations with users on the river during the summer. The interns spent four days a week for two months interacting with visitors and removing trash from the waterways to maintain river health. For every empty can, lost sunglasses, used food wrapper, and more, the interns stopped their kayak and removed the trash. While interns enthusiastically dove out their kayaks to grab litter, the program also brought the community in on river cleanup efforts too. Through community outreach days organized by the interns, visitors helped maintain the rivers they love for future generations.
Matt Harmon was the Marketing and Communications Intern at the NFF this past summer. He is also a journalist, a playwright, and is currently serving as a Green School Coordinator with the EcoWorks Youth Energy Squad in Detroit, Michigan.
field
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Improving Access and Honoring History at Glen Ellis Falls
reports
By Hannah Featherman
Photos: Klementovich Photography
ew Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest is steeped in history. Nearly 100 years ago, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) developed the Glen Ellis Falls Scenic Area with the now distinctive stone and masonry work. This popular Scenic Area provides access to Glen Ellis Falls, one of the state’s highest waterfalls at 64 feet, as well as two additional trailheads and scenic views of the surrounding area. The U.S. Forest Service closed the Scenic Area for three months in 2020 while Northwoods Stewardship Center and Forest Service trail crews got to work on some much-needed improvements. Crews widened the trail from the parking area for some 200 feet to enable visitors of all abilities to enjoy the historic trail as well as views of the Wildcat Mountains and the Ellis River. Builders ensured these improvements not only met Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG) but also maintained the historic style of the original rock work done by the CCC. When the crews excavated the existing trail to make these changes, they discovered a few hidden surprises, including a historic retaining wall that had been buried over time. “It was like finding buried treasure,” said Ally Scholtz, Assistant Project Manager for the White Mountain Trail Collective. They were able to uncover and refurbish the retaining wall to match the historic style.
Farther up the trail, crews made significant improvements to stone walls, steps, and viewing areas. HistoriCorps provided a two-week training at the start of the project to instruct the crews on how to use historically accurate mortar and stones to match the style. Throughout the project, crews also addressed drainage issues and eroded trail surface. They installed drainage piping beneath the first 40 feet of trail to protect the trail surface and prevent excess sediment from going into the river. Scholtz is pleased with the outcome. “This was a great project with great people. In a year when many things could have gone wrong, everything went right and we were able to learn a lot and restore a popular area for years to come.”
Hannah Featherman is the NFF's Communications Manager. Reach her at hfeatherman@nationalforests.org.
Winter | Spring 2021
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tree spotlight
A Keystone Species Under Threat By Dr. Dodie Arnold
Among them were the Algonquian-speaking Ojibwe/Chippewa, Algonquin, Ottawa, Mississauga, and Nipissing tribes. Today, the sugar maple industry is worth a combined $500 million between the U.S. and Canada, and the tree’s beautiful hardwood is an important source of lumber for flooring, furniture, and musical instrument manufacturing. Beyond its value as an economic resource, the sugar tree, which thrives in cool, moist climates, plays a critical role in our National Forests. As a keystone species, it has a tremendous impact on the health of surrounding plants and animals, essentially holding an ecosystem together. But over the last several decades, disease and climate change have threatened these trees. Research shows that extreme weather events, changes in soil moisture, highway deicing salts, insect damage, root disease, and injury from management activities are some of the contributing factors to sugar maple declines. With data showing expected rising temperatures due to climate change, we can anticipate continued sugar maple losses. Experts suggest reduction and eventual disuse of fossil fuels, as well as deicing alternatives like sand, as interventions to help protect these invaluable trees and the ecosystems they support.
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Your National Forests
Photos: Shutterstock.com
L
ong before Europeans colonized North America, Indigenous tribes who lived in what is now the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada gathered sap and made syrup from the sugar maple tree.
tree spotlight
Species in a snapshot Range: Cool, moist climates from New Brunswick to southeastern Manitoba, and south to Tennessee and eastern Iowa. Name: Acer saccharum (in Latin), inina'tig (Potawatomi word for use as food), and, kisinamîc (Potawatomi word for use as medicine), sugar maple (in English). Height: 60-75 feet. Circumference: Trunk 10-17 inches diameter with a foliage spread of 40–50 feet at maturity. Life Span: 30-200 years, depending on location; sugar maples grow at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of roughly 1-2 feet per year. Wood: Straight-grained, fine-textured, hard, strong.
Foliage: Dark green leaves have five lobes and are roughly eight inches long and wide. Because the sugar maple is deciduous, its leaves change color in the fall with shades ranging from yellow to bright red and orange. Seeds: Trees 10 years and older produce winged paired seeds called samaras. When blown by the wind, the seeds act like little helicopters dispersing them far from the parent tree. Bark: Gray brown and deeply furrowed. Teas made from the inner bark of the tree have expectorant properties and have been used to treat coughs.
Dr. Dodie Arnold is a biologist, epidemiologist, freelance writer, and founder and executive director of Arnold CR, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental stewardship, outdoor inclusion, and building wellness and capacity within systematically oppressed communities and organizations that serve them. Learn more at arnoldcr.org, and follow her on Instagram @arnoldcrorg.
Winter | Spring 2021
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featured project
Restoring
Bill Williams Mountain By Cassidy Randall
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Your National Forests
featured project Photos: U.S. Forest Service
A new fuels reduction project will reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and flooding, and protect Phoenix’s water supply.
U
nder the crisp blue of an autumn sky, a man in a hard hat stands amid a tangle of fallen trees on a breathtakingly steep slope. The pile of deadfall is topped with neatly stacked branches cut by the chainsaw crews who went over this rugged ground the day before. To the tune of thwopping helicopter blades, the man shades his eyes against the sun, tracking the enormous metal hook hanging from a longline the machine angles toward him. In one smooth movement, he plucks the hook from the air and slings it through a tether on the ground. Then he turns and runs, high-stepping through the downed timber littering the rocky slope. The helicopter lifts the load, and the dead trees rise for a moment as if resurrected before the line lifts the bundle into the air. It flies to a landing area far downslope, deposits the cargo, and banks to repeat the process. On the ground, people and machines spring into action. They remove limbs from trunks, mulch wood, and arrange timber on trucks, clearing the zone for the helicopter’s next load. This choreographed dance is not a standard logging operation. From research to planning to implementation, the Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project in Northern Arizona is the most complex restoration undertaking most of its diverse stakeholders have ever taken on. But the goal is simple: remove hazardous fuels built up from 100 years of 20th-century fire suppression to save both the town below and major infrastructure downstream from catastrophic destruction. In 2017, Coconino County conducted a study on fire and flood risk to its citizens that determined Bill Williams Mountain, in the Kaibab National Forest above the small town of Williams, was at high risk for extreme fire. In addition to destroying the communication and power infrastructure on the mountain's summit, the study found that if the mountain burned, the area’s seasonal monsoon rains would submerge Williams, a gateway to the Grand Canyon, in up to six feet of floodwater and debris, and
If the mountain burned, the area's seasonal monsoon rains would submerge Williams in up to six feet of floodwater and debris.
Winter | Spring 2021
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featured project
[to] see how much collaboration it takes to get things done is really impressive.
Bill Williams Mountain
FLAGSTAFF
PHOENIX METRO AREA
Before
After
Above: A hazardous, dense forest on the north facing slopes above Williams, Arizona. September 2019. Below: A year later after restoration. Reduced fuel loads and stand density, greatly improving forest and watershed health, and resiliency to wildfire. September 2020.
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present a serious risk to human lives. Such an event would also shut down the BNSF Railroad and Interstate 40 and close the Grand Canyon Railway indefinitely. And because Bill Williams Mountain is the apex of six subwatersheds, flooding would jeopardize drinking water supplies locally, while impacting water quality all the way to downtown Phoenix, 160 miles away. In total, experts estimated the economic impact of such a post-fire flood event at between $300 million and $700 million, on top of the impossible-to-quantify social and emotional toll on residents. All of this lent tremendous urgency for removing hazardous fuels from overgrown forests on Bill Williams Mountain. But that proposition was problematic, because the top of the mountain—the likeliest ignition point for fire and subsequently the most ruinous starting point for floods—is incredibly steep, rocky, and hard to access. It’s also protected habitat for the federally threatened Mexican Spotted Owl, which means there’s only a narrow window in the fall to conduct work.
Photos: U.S. Forest Service
VERDE RIVER WATERSHED
featured project And although Coconino County knew it needed to move on solutions here to protect its communities, and the Kaibab National Forest had completed an environmental review for restoring the mountain, neither alone had the entirety of resources needed to complete such a multifaceted treatment operation. “Steep slope forest restoration is incredibly costly and complex,” said Rebecca Davidson, National Forest Foundation’s Southwest Region Director. “Funding and partnerships, then, were the missing pieces to make this project come together.” For the previous five years, the NFF had worked through its Northern Arizona Forest Fund to reduce fire risk and restore watersheds across the Salt and Verde watersheds on the region’s five National Forests, including in the Bill Williams area. Since its inception, NAFF investments and projects gained momentum and scale, allowing the organization to forge partnerships it could then build on to fund and manage larger, more complex projects, including the Bill Williams restoration effort. Starting in 2019, the NFF leveraged funds and partnerships with Coconino County, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, and the Arizona Water Protection Fund, as well as private foundations, to support implementation needs. Restoration
work began on the steep slopes of Bill Williams Mountain in the fall of 2019 and is expected to run through 2024, with NFF-led treatment spanning 1,000 acres of the hardest to access and most costly to treat. “Building a partnership with the NFF is critical for the District as we contribute funding for forest restoration work on the steep slopes of the mountain,” said Jay Smith, Forest Restoration Director with Coconino County Public Works. “Catastrophic wildfire and postwildfire flooding continues to be the number one public safety threat to communities within Coconino County.” NFF Arizona Program Manager Sasha Stortz spent the past decade in collaborative natural resource management, so she knows what it takes to convene stakeholders to approve and support a project. “To be on the implementation side of things on Bill Williams and see how much collaboration it takes to get things done is really impressive,” said Stortz, giving examples like funding, communications and outreach, and the relationship to the contractor doing the work. “There’s a lot of players—county, Forest Service, state agencies, private foundations—all working together to get this done.”
Cassidy Randall spends as much time as possible outside in the places she writes about, tracking down the most compelling stories on adventure, travel, the environment, and intersections between. Find her at cassidyrandall.com
Wood For Life
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n November 2019, the Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, shut down, along with the Kayenta Coal Mine that supplied it. With those went a major energy source for the Navajo and Hopi nations, which both relied on the free or low-cost coal for heat and cooking. With most Hopi and Navajo homes unequipped for utilities like electricity or gas, people traveled farther to source coal or gather firewood. When COVID hit, fuel gathering became even more difficult due to social distancing measures and curfew-limited travel, further stretching family resources. At the time, the NFF’s Northern Arizona Forest Fund had excess small-diameter wood from fuels reduction projects across National Forests in the region. So, tribal governments, the NFF, and the Forest Service partnered to start the Wood for Life Tribal Fuelwood Program, a long-term partnership connecting wood from forest restoration projects to Tribal communities. Although only in its first year of operation, the group has delivered over 400 cords of wood, including from the Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project, to help meet energy needs in Hopi and Navajo households.
The NFF thanks the elected leadership and all the people of Coconino County for their strong participation in the Bill Williams Mountain conservation project. The county’s funding for this work has been a major building block of our efforts, and we look forward to ensuring the health and resiliency of this critical forest land for the benefit of all. Thank you Coconino County!
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From Sit-Skiing to Alligator Watching Finding Wheelchair-Accessible Recreation in National Forests
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By Jodi Hausen
efore Dave “Madman” Poole broke his back in 2006, he was an avid hunter, angler, cyclist, and skier. “That was my passion,” said 35-year-old Poole, who lives in Bozeman, Montana. He says spending time outdoors, particularly in National Forests, shaped his life.
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Photo: Jodi Hausen
Desperate to get back outdoors, Poole signed up with Eagle Mount, a Bozeman-based nonprofit offering programs for people with physical or intellectual challenges. While downhill skiing with its Bridger Bowl program, he rediscovered the independence he thought he’d lost. Six years after the accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down, Poole embarked on a game-changing backcountry trip. His friends were planning their annual hike to Hidden Lake in the Big Belt Mountains in HelenaLewis and Clark National Forest. Having spent the summer mountain biking, Poole’s resolve was as strong as his arms and, with help from his friends, he wheeled to the mountain lake, camping gear strapped to his handcycle. “That experience just made everything possible,” Poole said. “It was like, ‘Wow, we made it back here, you guys. I want to go more places now. I want to find out where else I can go.’” Photographer Peter May, though less intrepid than Poole, is no less passionate about the National Forests. A modern-day John James Audubon, May, 64, illustrates birds in pixels rather than paint. A Stetson University biology professor, he has a spinal cord injury and uses a wheelchair for mobility. Although the Ocala National Forest near May’s home in Florida has myriad wheelchair-accessible amenities, he mostly cruises the Forest’s backroads, shooting photos from his driver’s seat. It can take him three contemplative hours to drive three miles. “I get so completely focused on a warbler or thrush … that time stops,” he said, describing those experiences as therapeutic. “Everything else disappears. I need that.”
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Six Accessible Forests National Forests across the country provide facilities for people with mobility challenges. The following highlight a range of activities and ecosystems. Lifetime Interagency Access Passes are available at no cost to people with permanent disabilities, allowing free or reduced rates for campgrounds, day-use areas, and programming on federal public lands. Photo: U.S. Forest Service
Fish and Birdwatch on the Au Sable River, Michigan
Located on the Lower Peninsula between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, Huron-Manistee National Forests feature hardwood forests, pristine rivers, and thousands of lakes, providing habitat to more than 600 wildlife species. Don’t miss the 22-mile River Road National Scenic Byway along the magnificent Au Sable River. If you’ve come for the famed steelhead or salmon runs, you can fish from several accessible piers at Whirlpool River Access, Foote Dam, or Cooke Dam Hydroelectric Plant. Discover area history at wheelchair-accessible interpretive sites portraying stories of logging, river rats, hydroelectric power, canoe racing, local geology, and wildlife. Or take the self-guided Jack Pine Wildlife Viewing Tour, which passes through areas managed for rare Kirtland’s warblers.
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featured forests Photos: U.S. Forest Service
Hunt the Talladega Mountains, Alabama
(St)roll and Swim at Juniper and Alexander Springs, Florida
Ocala National Forest is the remains of a 25-million-year-old island chain that existed before the ocean retreated. Today, this sand pine scrub ecosystem has more than 600 lakes, rivers, and springs. Two of its freshwater springs, Alexander and Juniper, have accessible facilities including paved trails, swimming, and camping. Wheel from the parking area at Juniper Springs to the bathhouse or crystalline waters of the swimming area. Or follow the accessible interpretive Nature Trail, which parallels the spring outflows and winds through lush, sub-tropical forest. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles, alligators, snakes, lizards, wading birds, and deer. The accessible Timucuan Trail boardwalk at Alexander Springs follows the creek where interpretive signs depict the Indigenous people who once lived there. A paved sidewalk leads to a sandy beach and the springs, which remains a constant 72 degrees. The more courageous can snorkel, scuba dive, or even explore an underwater cavern.
C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R The VF Foundation has provided more than $400,000 to the NFF to launch and support the Colorado Front Range Strike Team. This project provides urgent trail stewardship, promotes volunteerism, creates jobs, and engages youth. Thank you VF Foundation!
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Set in mountains and grassy meadows about an hour from Birmingham, Talladega National Forest is home to a unique wheelchair-accessible area. In the Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area, Big Oak Hunting Camp offers backcountry experiences for hunters with limited mobility. The 1,700-acre facility has accommodations for primitive camping and hunting, and is known for its whitetail deer, wild turkey, bobwhite quail, and other small game. The camp is part of Alabama’s Hunting and Fishing Trail for People with Disabilities, a statewide network of around 50 camps with accessible fishing, hunting, shooting, and archery.
featured forests Photo: United States Adaptive Recreation Center
National Forests across the country provide facilities for people with mobility challenges. Ski or Paddle the San Bernardino Mountains, California
Only an hour or two from Los Angeles, the San Bernardino National Forest abounds with adaptive activities. Take the 110-mile Rim of the World Scenic Byway through dazzling high-mountain passes to Big Bear Lake or Lake Arrowhead, where you’ll find a host of outdoor activities. In winter, the United States Adaptive Recreation Center offers adaptive ski and snowboard instruction at Big Bear Mountain Ski Resort, while Rim of the World Special Athletes Foundation does the same at Snow Valley Mountain Resort. Both organizations provide warm weather activities including water skiing, kayaking, sailing, water biking, fishing, and paddle boarding on nearby lakes. USARC also offers backcountry downhill cycling using "chariots" outfitted with four-wheel suspension and disc brakes, and RSA's other activities include golf, hiking, and biking.
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The 800,000-acre White Mountain National Forest is renowned for its fall foliage, when the brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows of maple, oak, birch paint the region’s rugged mountains. But the scenery is breathtaking any time of year. Spend a day cruising the 27-mile Kancamagus Scenic Byway and choose from accessible hiking, camping, fishing, or picnicking at sites like Albany Covered Bridge and adjacent Covered Bridge Campground. For alpine adventurers, drive to Mount Washington’s 6,288-foot summit, the highest peak in Northeastern U.S. where you’ll find expansive views and a well-appointed wheelchair-accessible visitor center. Be prepared for the mountain’s fickle weather with record-breaking winds and where 70-degree days can deteriorate quickly into raging winter whiteouts.
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Photos: left-Patrick Hummel, below-U.S. Forest Service
Cruise to Covered Bridges and High Mountain Peaks, New Hampshire/Maine
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Photo: right-Frank Kovalchek, below-U.S. Forest Service
Fish and Drive to 10,947 Feet on the Beartooth Highway, Montana/Wyoming
A few miles from the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park, the Clarks Fork Picnic Area has accessible accommodations including an interpretive trail, picnic site, and fishing platform over the Broadwater River. Spend the morning angling for arctic grayling and brook trout, then prepare for a thrilling drive along the Beartooth Highway, the spectacular 68-mile All American Road that reaches 10,947 feet between Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana. Skirting the 950,000-acre Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, you’ll pass through both the Custer Gallatin and the Shoshone National Forests, prime habitat for elk, moose, bear, wolves, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. Jodi Hausen is a Bozeman-based freelance writer and photographer whose award-winning work has appeared in national and regional publications. Jodi is working on several book projects, including one about people with so-called disabilities. Find more of her work at potentportrayals.com.
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kids and nature
Instructions: read each question and choose which answer you like best.
What do you like to do on vacation? a. Take a scenic drive through the forest B. Hike in the mountains C. Visit a unique landmark D. Mountain bike on a beautiful trail E. View wildlife in a rainforest
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how would you describe yourself? a. Sweet and kind B. Confident and strong C. Unique and unforgettable D. Vibrant and active E. Friendly and caring
kids and nature describe your ideal weather forecast. a. Mild temperatures and partly cloudy B. Snowy and cold C. Sunny and warm D. Mix of sunshine and rain E. Wet and rainy
Mostly as
Sugar Maple Found throughout eastern North America, sugar maple is notable for its production of maple syrup in the spring.
choose your favorite forest animal. A. Whitetail deer b. Grizzly bear c. Fox d. Mountain bluebird e. Sea Otter
what is your favorite color? A. Red B. Orange C. Green D. Yellow E. Blue
Mostly bs
Ponderosa Pine Found in the western U.S., ponderosa pine has deep taproots and can adapt to high elevation in the mountains.
Zoe Bommarito is the NFF’s Communications Coordinator. Reach her at zbommarito@nationalforests.org.
Mostly cs
Giant Sequoia Found in California, giant sequoias can grow to over 250 feet tall. Some longstanding sequoias are documented to be more than 3,000 years old.
Mostly ds
Aspen Found throughout the National Forest System, aspen grow in clones and are known for their vibrant fall colors.
Mostly es Western Hemlock Found in the coastal Pacific Northwest region, western hemlock thrives in wet, temperate rainforest environments.
C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R Bears in the woods? You bet. Black Forest Gummy Bears, to be precise. Maker Ferrara Candy Company is planting 1.5 million trees on National Forests across the U.S. as part of the NFF’s 50 Million For Our Forests campaign. We appreciate and salute this major partner for its significant commitment to healthy forests full of clean water, abundant trees, happy campers—and yes, bears.
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people of public lands
Interview by Hannah Featherman
A
fter surviving two near-fatal strokes in the last 15 years, Geoff Babb is more determined than ever to enjoy the outdoors. Babb and his team have developed the AdvenChair—a modified wheelchair with bigger tires, high-grade aluminum components, and a design that enables a small team to guide a rider through steep terrain. Today, Babb is continuing to refine the design and hopes to attract investors so more people with disabilities can access and enjoy the outdoors beyond paved surfaces. wheel was super light and bent almost immediately. We changed the wheel What inspired you to develop the size and used a stronger frame. AdvenChair? After that modification, we also After my first stroke in 2005, I realized angled the wheels to provide more stability. Once we changed the wheel that wheelchairs were not made angle, we modified the seat so it could for the outdoors and I wanted to be be wider as well. active. My family tried to take me outside in a standard wheelchair with What’s next for AdvenChair? little success. I wanted to help others have access to the outdoors like they We hope to make a lightweight and otherwise would; that meant having “lighter duty” chair to be used in more a chair that could be easily pulled and urban settings or in the front country. pushed by others. We also hope it can be less expensive. What modifications have you made to the AdvenChair during development? Initially we envisioned a lightweight chair with a front wheel that could easily be stowed when indoors. However, we quickly realized, coming out of the parking lot actually, that the
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We may also explore building a chair that incorporates fat tires for traveling on snow and sand. However, one important design criteria is that the chair needs to be less than 32 inches to fit through a door. Fat tires would make it too wide. Part of the whole design process is give and take:
make it lighter, it won’t be durable; make it wider, it won’t easily go through doors. What are other improvements in the industry that you hope to see in the future to make public lands and outdoor recreation more accessible for all? I would like to see more durable chairs with wider tires that allow a team to be able to help you. Currently there are several off-road hand cycles that rely on people being able to propel themselves. Whereas the AdvenChair can be pushed and pulled by a team or family. Equipment like the AdvenChair enables families to continue to have shared experiences outdoors.
Photo: Geoff Babb
Creating an AdvenChair for the Outdoors
people of public lands
Photos: right-Pat Addabbo, bottom-Geoff Babb
Geoff in the original prototype of the AdvenChair at the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon provided an experience that inspired the current chair. The chair broke less than two miles onto the trail... it made us rethink our design. What might surprise readers about your own outdoor experiences? I ride a horse about once a week at the Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center. I’ve also been a downhill skier for ten years with Oregon Adaptive Sports where I like to ski at Mt. Bachelor on the Deschutes National Forest. I continue to participate on the boards of local organizations that enable users of all abilities to experience the outdoors. What are some of your favorite National Forests to visit and explore? I am surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest and near the Newberry National Volcanic Monument which we frequently explore. We have plans to hopefully visit the Willamette and Mt. Hood National Forests. Not a National Forest, but the Grand Canyon provided an experience that inspired the current chair. The chair broke less than two miles onto the trail. That was the best thing that could have happened; it made us rethink our design and pushed us to use mountain bike parts for today’s successful model.
C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R Vail Resorts is a founding member of our Ski Conservation Fund. Last year, Vail and its guests provided more than $600,000 toward conservation projects on Colorado’s White River National Forest. The NFF salutes Vail, one of our longest and most generous corporate partners, and it thousands of customers who have joined in this mission!
Geoff Babb is the creator of the AdvenChair and lives with his family in Bend, Oregon. Visit advenchair.com to learn more.
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people of public lands
Interview by Hannah Featherman
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ess Sporte embodies her last name (pronounced just like sport). She has played wheelchair basketball, sled hockey, and tennis, and three years after moving to Colorado, Jess found a new community in climbing and Paradox Sports. While her body may look different, her climbing experience is like anyone’s: it’s about finding the next move.
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When Jess was four months old, her leg was amputated due to a tumor. Thanks to supportive parents, Jess wasn’t held back from experiencing the world like everyone else. Today she is a Program Lead for Paradox Sports, where she helps people of all abilities experience climbing. What are some of the best things about climbing? I love the inclusion of the sport. Every other adaptive sport I’ve played, I’ve had to have adaptive equipment to participate: wheelchair, monoski, etc. Even for swimming, I have to customize and sew my bathing suit. This is the first sport that I could show up and rent the exact same gear as everyone else. The other aspect of inclusion is that with climbing, everyone is struggling with something and has to figure out their own strengths and weaknesses in order to send (finishing a route without stopping).
Photos: Jesse Sporte
Finding the Next Move with Jess Sporte
people of public lands How is climbing outside different than in a gym? First, the views! I love climbing outdoors for the views. Second, climbing outdoors is both more challenging and easier! When I climb outdoors everything is “on.” I can use whatever I can reach which makes it much easier as I’m 4’10” and can’t always reach the holds the 6’ tall route setters make. On the other hand, I feel the risk of climbing when I’m outside which makes climbing in general much more heady. What might surprise people about your experience climbing and time you spend outside? I actually have spent more time outdoors due to climbing than I would have if I didn’t climb. Also, it is easier for me to climb than it is for me to hike! What would you like people to know about being an athlete with a disability? Athletics are for everyone. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you don’t have a drive to win. Don’t patronize me. If I’m climbing a 5.7 warm-up, there’s no need to congratulate me. In our Adaptive Climbing Initiative courses (teaching facilities and facilitators how to host adaptive climbing), we really drive the Stoke Factor. The stoke factor is reading the stoke of the participant. If the participant is super stoked to have climbed the 5.7 then, yes, be stoked. But often, beginner grades are not the project for adaptive climbers. What are some of your favorite National Forests to visit and explore? Climbing is what has really brought me outside and to our public lands. Because I only started climbing when here in Colorado, I’ve spent the most time in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. What tips do you have for beginners who want to start climbing? It’s important to treat beginner adaptive climbers the same as beginner able-body climbers. If you are worried about safety, we have a lot of adaptive climbing groups across the nation! Check out the USA Paraclimbing Facebook page that is filled with resources and you can find someone who will climb similar to you. Regardless of your abilities, climbing is exhilarating and provides a great sense of accomplishment.
Jess Sporte is a Program Lead for Paradox Sports based in Golden, Colorado where she is an active athlete and also enjoys reading and crafting. Follow her on Instagram at @sporteadventures.
C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R Thor Industries has made a major commitment to the NFF’s conservation mission, and has pledged to plant 500,000 trees beginning this year on our National Forests. In addition to in-kind support, Thor also shares the NFF’s work widely through its communication networks. Thank you, Thor Industries.
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Rural Teens Find New Opportunities in the Forest By Colleen Stinchcombe
Photos: Colleen Stinchcombe
New Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences site connects communities and ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest
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hayla Henry holds out a red-tinged fungus she’s harvested off the forest floor. “It’s a lobster mushroom!” she says.
It’s an early October morning on the Squire Creek Trail, 90 minutes north of Seattle, in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. A few years ago, fungi foraging wasn’t even on 18-year-old Henry’s radar. Now she can identify several species of mushrooms, trees, ferns, and berries, and wants to pursue a career outdoors. That shift is thanks to the Glacier Peak Institute (GPI), a nonprofit based in the former logging town of Darrington, Washington, that hires local teenagers to build campgrounds, clear trails, and learn about forest management. Henry’s GPI summer season is over, but she’s volunteering today while visiting home,
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and is teamed up with another crew employed for the season. GPI’s executive director, Oak Rankin, grew up in Darrington, population 1,400, and spent his 20s and early 30s traveling the world. Things changed for Rankin after a 2014 landslide killed 43 people in Oso, 20 miles east of his hometown, and buried a mile of State Route 530, isolating Darrington for weeks. He’d already been feeling frustrated and helpless about the poverty, limited opportunity, and underfunded schools plaguing his childhood home. “I have seen classmates die from suicide, driving under the influence,
homicide, overdoses and falling asleep at the wheel,” he said. “[The landslide was] like a cherry on top of the sundae in the destruction of [my] community.” Through GPI, he aims to change all of that. Named after an active volcano southeast of Darrington, the organization works with local schools and other partners including the National Forest Foundation to bring science education and outdoor adventure to local youth. The goal is to empower them to build a resilient community and environment. “We’re trying to save lives and ecosystems,” Rankin said. Darrington has a grocery store, a gas station, thrift shops, and a burger joint, but job openings are rare. Plus, transportation can be an issue for many kids, Henry said, and GPI offered van rides to and from trailheads (a practice the pandemic has paused). The program helped Henry see how her
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We're trying to save lives and ecosystems. choices affect her future, something she’d never considered. Henry’s crew was funded primarily by the NFF’s Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences program, which helps a selected National Forest accomplish its goals each year. Starting in 2020, the program will provide over $2 million worth of funding and project management to the 540,000-acre Darrington District in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie. Known for its glaciated peaks and old-growth forests, this spectacular region is home to threatened river runs for steelhead and salmon, and is the ancestral land of tribes including the Stillaguamish, Tulalip, Sauk-Suiattle, Upper Skagit, and Swinomish. The Darrington Ranger District, which receives heavy use from Seattle and Everett, was a clear place to focus in part because of the Mountain Loop Highway. This National Scenic Byway on the west side of the Cascade Range is a partially-paved 55-mile road connecting Darrington to Granite Falls. It provides access to popular sites including the ice caves at Big Four, the crystal-clear alpine waters of Lake Twenty-Two, and the Boulder River’s year-round waterfalls. More than 275,000 visitors access the highway each year, and visitation is growing. Michael Schlafmann, Public Services Staff Officer for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, said the District hasn’t seen much recreational improvement for over a decade. Most of the highway was built for logging, or during an era when trailheads saw only 20 cars on busy weekends, but now some trails see nearly 40,000 summer visitors. The trails themselves get pummeled by the sheer number of feet, causing erosion
Shayla Henry and Glacier Peak Institute's youth forestry crew hike toward a crop of alder trees after spending the morning clearing the overgrown Squire Creek Trail.
as people wander off-path. “They’re not really functioning in the current climate,” Schlafmann said. With projects slated in the Darrington District through 2025, the NFF will help address many of these issues through its own work, as well as through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and local tribes. In addition to GPI, the NFF will partner with the environmental leadership
program EarthCorps to improve recreation areas. It also anticipates working with the Stillaguamish Tribe and the Tulalip Tribes to restore culturally-significant species including elk and huckleberries. This is one of this Treasured Landscapes project’s main goals: to diversify and increase the number of people stewarding the land. Henry and the crew of GPI teens are living, walking, trail-clearing proof
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Darrington Mt. BakerSnoqualmie National Forest
that progress toward that last goal is already underway. After a mid-morning break, their crew leader Christaldo Rodriguez, 24, quizzes the teens on tree and berry species. Henry is full of both questions and answers. Rankin, who joined the crew for the morning, helps her identify chanterelles, milk caps, and oyster mushrooms. The group hikes farther to the site of a smaller 2013 landslide. Dizzying stripes of white-barked alder trees offer a break from the dense forest, the warm yellow of autumn light trickling through. Rankin tells the group these trees are one of the first species to populate a disturbed area. A symbiotic relationship with bacteria in their root nodules means they can capture nitrogen from the air, pulling it back into the ground, in time allowing other species to grow. As proof, surrounding the group are patches of sword fern, red cedar, and Douglas-fir saplings blooming in the undergrowth. Rodriguez wants the kids to relate the forest to their lives—to make the forest personal. “I see myself as one of these young trees, with barely enough nutrients to get by,” he says. Henry chimes in. “It sounds like you’re saying you can’t blame yourself if you don’t have the right environment to grow.” Rankin hopes to help GPI’s participants solve these problems, and tells them about careers in wildland firefighting, forest management, recreational guiding, science, fisheries, and Forest law enforcement. Henry says she still gets emails from
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Photo: U.S. Forest Service
Seattle
I know I want to be outdoors... I'm eager to keep learning about it.
him with job ideas. One former crew member went on to study agroforestry at Western Washington University, and Henry hopes to follow a similar path. In 2019, she joined Job Corps, a live-in educational and vocational training program run by the U.S. Department of Labor. She specifically sought a location offering a forestry
conservation and wildlife firefighting curriculum. Between the pandemic and a knee injury, she’s spent the last few months at home, but she’s keen to return. “I know I want to be outdoors, but what do I want to pursue outdoors?” she says. “I'm eager to keep learning about it.”
Colleen Stinchcombe is a writer and photographer covering the environment, health, and outdoor recreation. She lives in Edmonds, Washington. Find her at colleenstinchcombe.com.
where in the woods This National Forest features sub-tropical grasslands. Answer from page 3: Apalachicola National Forest, Florida.
Photo: U.S. Forest Service
F
lorida’s Apalachicola National Forest spans more than 500,000 acres between Tallahassee and Panama City on the Gulf of Mexico. As the largest National Forest in Florida, the Apalachicola offers countless ways to enjoy the landscape and discover a rich history.
Visitors can explore up to 67 miles of the Florida National Scenic Trail that runs through the Forest or take a drive on the Apalachee Savannahs Scenic Byway to take in one of the largest remaining blocks of longleaf pine and wiregrass communities. The Leon Sinks Geological Area includes five miles of trails to explore features such as sinkholes and disappearing streams created by eroded limestone. Take a step back in time and visit the Prospect Bluff Historic Sites to learn more about two forts and the role they played in the early nineteenth century. From waterways to byways and more, the Apalachicola is not to be missed when visiting the Sunshine State.
C O R P O R AT E P A R T N E R Water replenishment is a priority for Intel, and the NFF is proud to work with them on projects on the Tonto National Forest near Phoenix. Intel is making major restoration possible in the Lower Salt River valley, promising ecological and social benefits for years to come.
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2020 Impact Report In a year unlike any other, our 50 Million For Our Forests campaign continued to address critical reforestation needs on our National Forests. We began the year with an extraordinary commitment to plant nearly 8 million trees. Despite a handful of delays and cancelations caused by the pandemic, there are now more than 5.6 million trees growing across our National Forests—the most we’ve ever planted in a single year. Each tree will have ripple effects on the ecosystems they inhabit—restoring watersheds, improving wildlife habitat, mitigating the impacts of climate change —extending to the communities and cities beyond the forests.
As the trees grow, they can sequester 2.8M Metric tons CO2e, equivalent to removing approximately 600,000 cars off the road for a year!*
5.6 Million
Trees Planted in 2020 More than
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Tree Species More than
18,000 *Metric tons CO2e based on the average sequestered per tree over a 100 year lifespan; EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator (Vehicles) available at epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
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Acres Reforested
Tree planting campaign projects Local conservation projects
Learn more about 50 Million For Our Forests at nationalforest.org/50million Your National Forests
Replanting After Wildfire
Participating in 1t.org
2020 Projects:
Wildfire is an important component of many forest ecosystems, but fire suppression and climate change are fueling more intense, frequent fires. Now more than ever, it is critical to replant the right trees in the right places. In 2020, more than half of our campaign projects supported wildfire recovery.
In an effort to collaborate around the global tree growing movement, we joined the U.S. chapter of the trillion trees platform, 1t.org. Launched by the World Economic Forum, 1t.org aims to conserve, restore, and grow one trillion trees by 2030.
Corporate Partners Taking Action
Small Businesses Making Big Impacts
We welcomed new partnerships with Subaru and Salesforce, and are grateful for recurrent leading partners Black Forest, minuteKEY, Boxed Water, Caudalie, and Patagonia Cerveza, among others, that continue to make monumental gains on our forests and propel our campaign.
Our small business partners are important to the success of our campaign. This year alone, they planted nearly 170,000 trees. Small business partners, like candle company Begonia & Bench and printing products company TypeHaus, support reforestation efforts with every sale.
Projects Across
•• •
Number of trees planted: < 100K
20 States
National Forest...................... #Trees Tongass, AK............................9,000 Multiple NFs in Alabama..........757,272 Ouachita, AR...........................214,500 Ozark-St. Francis, AR..............130,000 Coconino, AZ..........................30,050 Coronado, AZ..........................22,884 Tonto, AZ................................87,500 Angeles, CA ...........................70,500 Lassen, CA.............................275,000 Multiple NFs in Northern California.................2,254 Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison, CO...................140,068 Multiple NFs in Colorado.........612 Chattahoochee-Oconee, GA...131,850 Idaho Panhandle, ID................772,818 Boise, ID.................................543,740 Sawtooth, ID...........................12,700 Kisatchie, LA..........................102,115 Superior, MN...........................20*** Mark Twain, MO ......................349,000 Desoto, MS.............................221,000 Beaverhead-Deerlodge, MT..... 34,802 Flathead, MT...........................95,100 Kootenai, MT..........................7,500 Lolo, MT.................................298,728 Multiple NFs in North Carolina........................169,460 Deschutes, OR........................145,963 Malheur, OR............................31,975 Ochoco, OR.............................4,500 Willamette, OR........................180,260 Mt. Hood, OR...........................425 Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, OR........96,406 Francis Marion-Sumter, SC.....168,900 Multiple NFs in TX...................308,640 Dixie, UT.................................19,250 Fishlake, UT............................5,000 Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, UT......600 Gifford Pinchot, WA................120,000 Multiple NFs in Western Washington..............4,250 Shoshone, WY........................63,840 Caribou-Targhee, WY/ID.........1,450
100K - 300K >300K
*** Projects in the Western Great Lakes region experienced significant COVID delays
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