Wayne National Forest

Wayne National Forest
U.S. National Forest
Wayne National Forest sign
Named for: Anthony Wayne [1]
Country United States
State Ohio
Counties Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, Scioto, Vinton, Washington
Ranger Districts Athens (Athens Unit), Athens (Marietta Unit), Ironton
Coordinates 39°30′0″N 82°0′0″W / 39.50000°N 82.00000°W / 39.50000; -82.00000Coordinates: 39°30′0″N 82°0′0″W / 39.50000°N 82.00000°W / 39.50000; -82.00000
Highest point Knob near Oliver Run [2]
 - location east of Antioch, Ohio
 - elevation 1,368 ft (417 m)
 - coordinates 39°39′38″N 80°58′51″W / 39.66056°N 80.98083°W / 39.66056; -80.98083
Lowest point Ohio River [2]
 - location north of Millersport, Ohio
 - elevation 523 ft (159.4 m)
 - coordinates 38°33′10″N 82°17′39″W / 38.55278°N 82.29417°W / 38.55278; -82.29417
Area 240,101 acres (97,165 ha) [3]
 - Proclamation Boundary 832,147 acres (336,758 ha) [3]
Established December 1992 [4]
 - Wayne Purchase Unit November 1934 [4]
 - Wayne-Hoosier PU December 1949 [5]
 - Wayne-Hoosier NF September 1951 [4]
Owner US Forest Service
IUCN category VI - Managed Resource Protected Area
Headquarters Nelsonville, Ohio
Location of Wayne National Forest
Wikimedia Commons: Wayne National Forest
Website: Wayne National Forest

The Wayne National Forest is located in the south-eastern part of the US state of Ohio, in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. It is the only national forest in Ohio. Forest headquarters are located between The Plains and Nelsonville, Ohio, on US Route 33, overlooking the Hocking River.

The originally forested land was cleared for agricultural and lumbering use in the late 18th and 19th century, but years of poor timbering and agricultural practices led to severe erosion and poor soil composition. The Wayne National Forest was started as part of a reforestation program.[6]

The forest comprises three administrative and purchase units: Athens, Marietta, and Ironton. Many of the lands included in the forest are former coal-mining lands, and much of this land is owned by the federal government without the mineral rights, those having been retained by former owners.

As of January 2012, the forest has 240,101 acres (972 km2) in federal ownership within a proclamation boundary of 832,147 acres (3,368 km2).[3]

The area of Ohio included within the Forest is based on late Paleozoic geology, heavy in sandstones and shales, including redbeds, with many coal beds. The topography is typically very rugged, with elevation changes typically in the 200–400-foot range.

The North Country Trail passes through several areas of the Wayne, in which it is coincident with the Buckeye Trail and the American Discovery Trail.

References

  1. ↑ "Origin of Eastern Region Forest Names". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Highest and lowest elevations determined using Google Earth Digital Elevation Model and Wayne National Forest boundary data on January 19, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 "Land Areas of the National Forest System" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. January 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "History". Wayne National Forest. Archived from the original on January 19, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  5. ↑ "History". USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region. Archived from the original on January 19, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  6. ↑ Mangus, Michael; Herman, Jennifer L. (2008). Ohio Encyclopedia. North American Book Dist LLC. p. 570. ISBN 978-1-878592-68-2.

External links

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