- Gallitzin State Forest
Geobox Protected Area
name = Gallitzin State Forest
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category_local = Pennsylvania State Forest
category_iucn = Managed Resource Protected Area (IUCN VI)
image_caption =
etymology_type =
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country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region_type = Counties
region = Bedford
region1 = Cambria
region2 = Indiana
region3 = Somerset
district_type =
district =
city =
city1 = =
location =
lat_d = 40
lat_m = 12
lat_s = 30
lat_NS = N
long_d = 78
long_m = 42
long_s = 29
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 2402
elevation_round = 1
area_unit = acre
area_imperial = 15336
area_round = 1
area1_imperial =
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management_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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free_type = Nearest city
free =Altoona, Pennsylvania
free1_type =
free1 =
map_caption = Location of Gallitzin State Forest in Pennsylvania
map_locator =
website = [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/gallitzin.aspx Gallitzin State Forest]Gallitzin State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #6. The main offices are located in Ebensburg in Cambria County,
Pennsylvania in theUnited States .The forest is located on convert|15336|acre|km2|2 in two tracts. The largest tract of convert|13482|acre|km2|2 is the 'Babcock Division' in northern Somerset and northwestern Bedford Counties. The other, smaller tract of convert|1854|acre|km2|2 is in northern Cambria and Indiana Counties. District #6 also includes Blair County.
Gallitzin State Forest was named to honor
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin . Gallitzin was aRoman Catholic priest and is called The of the Alleghenies for his pioneering mission work in the area in the early nineteenth century.History
Gallitzin State Forest was formed as a direct result of the depletion of the forests of Pennsylvania that took place during the mid to late 1800s. Conservationists like Dr.
Joseph Rothrock became concerned that the forests would not regrow if they were not managed properly. Lumber and Iron companies had harvested theold growth forest s for various reasons. The clear cut the forests and left behind nothing but dried tree tops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passingsteam locomotives ignitedwildfire s that prevented the formation ofsecond growth forest s. The conservationists feared that the forest would never regrow if there was not a change in the philosophy of forest management. They called for the state to purchase land from the lumber and iron companies and the lumber and iron companies were more than willing to sell their land since that had depleted the natural resources of the forests. cite web |url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/valleyforgehistory.aspx |title = History of the William Penn State Forest |accessdate = 2007-08-29 |publisher =Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ] The changes began to take place in 1895 when Dr. Rothrock was appointed the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, the forerunner of today'sPennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . ThePennsylvania General Assembly passed a piece of legislation in 1897 that authorized the purchase of "unseated lands for forest reservations." This was the beginning of the State Forest system.Neighboring State Forest Districts
*
Moshannon State Forest (north)
*Rothrock State Forest (east)
*Buchanan State Forest (southeast)
*Forbes State Forest (southwest)
*Clear Creek State Forest (northwest)Nearby State Parks
*
Blue Knob State Park
*Laurel Ridge State Park References
*cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/gallitzin.aspx
title = Gallitzin State Forest
accessdate = 2006-07-12
publisher =Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources "Note: As of July 2006, this web page has not been updated to reflect the Pennsylvania State Forest Districts realignment."
*cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif
title = State Forest Districts
accessdate = 2006-07-12
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources "Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment"
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