Tioga State Forest

Geobox Protected Area
name = Tioga State Forest
native_name =
other_name =
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category_local = Pennsylvania State Forest
category_iucn = Managed Resource Protected Area (IUCN VI)


image_caption = Pine Creek Gorge is a major attraction of Tioga State Forest
etymology_type = Named for
etymology = Tioga River
country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region_type = Counties
region = Bradford
region1 = Lycoming
region2 = Tioga
district_type =
district =
city =
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location =
lat_d = 41
lat_m = 46
lat_s = 37
lat_NS = N
long_d = 77
long_m = 30
long_s = 50
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 2119
elevation_round = 1
area_unit = acre
area_imperial = 160000
area_round = 1
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established_type =
established = 1900
established1_type =
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management_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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free_type = Nearest city
free = Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
free1_type =
free1 =


map_caption = Location of Tioga State Forest in Pennsylvania
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map_first =
website = [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tioga.aspx Tioga State Forest]

Tioga State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in District #16. The main offices are located in Wellsboro in Tioga County, Pennsylvania in the United States.

The forest is located in Tioga County and was named for a tribe of the Seneca, a Native American people, who once lived in the area. The word "Tioga" means 'the meeting of two rivers'.

Prior to the July 1, 2005 realignment of Pennsylvania State Forest Districts, Tioga State Forest included almost all state forest lands in Tioga and Bradford counties and encompassed convert|160000|acre|km2|2. After realignment, the state forest tracts in Bradford County became part of the new Loyalsock State Forest.

History

Tioga 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 the old growth forests for various reasons. The clear cut the forests and left behind nothing but dried tree tops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passing steam locomotives ignited wildfires that prevented the formation of second growth forests. 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's Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Pennsylvania 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.

Most of the land acquired by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was purchased from land holding and lumber companies. The lumber companies had stripped the land of vast stands of old growth Eastern hemlock and white pine during the lumber era that swept throughout the mountains of Pennsylvania during the mid to late 1800s. The harvested timber was floated down Pine Creek and its tributaries to the Susquehanna Boom on the West Branch Susquehanna River near Williamsport. The lumber companies left behind a land that was stripped of most of its trees and was scattered with tree stumps and the dried tops of trees that easily igniting causing wildfires that slowed the growth of the now thriving second growth forest of hardwoods.

The establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt was vital to the recovery of the forests of Tioga State Forest.cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tiogahistory.aspx |title = Tioga State Forest: History |accessdate = 2007-11-25 |publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources] Several CCC camps were scattered throughout Tioga State Forest. The young men of the CCC worked to clear the forest and streams of dried underbrush. They cleared roads and trails throughout the forest and built the recreation facilities found at Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks along the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

Birch trees in Tioga State Forest were used during the mid 20th century in the birch oil industry. Birch stills were built throughout the forest to produce the oil which was used as in industrial lubricant. The last birch still in Tioga State Forest was shut down in 1972.

Neighboring State Forest Districts

The U.S. state of New York is to the north
*Loyalsock State Forest (east and southeast)
*Tiadaghton State Forest (south)
*Susquehannock State Forest (west)

Nearby state parks

*Leonard Harrison State Park (Tioga County)
*Colton Point State Park (Tioga County)
*Hills Creek State Park (Tioga County)

References

*cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tioga.aspx
title = Tioga State Forest
accessdate = 2006-07-14
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.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?Q=443999&A=11
title = DCNR REALIGNING FOREST DISTRICTS
accessdate = 2006-07-14
year = 2005
month = June
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
*cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif
title = State Forest Districts
accessdate = 2006-07-14
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources "Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment"