Cornplanter State Forest

{{Short description|State forest in Pennsylvania, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox protected area | name = Cornplanter State Forest | iucn_category = VI | iucn_ref =  | image = | image_caption =  | map = USA Pennsylvania | image_map = | map_width = | map_caption = Location of Cornplanter State Forest's headquarters in PennsylvaniaLocation Map of Cornplanter State Forest Holdings | relief =  | location = Pennsylvania, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|41|52|27|N|79|09|08|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_acre = 1585 | area_ref = | elevation = | elevation_avg = | elevation_min = | elevation_max = | dimensions = | designation =  | authorized = | created = | designated = | established = | named_for = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | governing_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | administrator = | operator = | owner =  | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20040226042916/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/cornplanter.aspx Cornplanter State Forest] | module = }} '''Cornplanter State Forest''' is a [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania State Forest]] in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #14. The main office is located in [[Warren, Pennsylvania|North Warren]] in [[Warren County, Pennsylvania|Warren County]], [[Pennsylvania]], in the [[United States]]. It is named for [[Cornplanter|Chief Cornplanter]] of the [[Seneca Nation]], one of the [[tribe]]s of the [[Iroquois Confederacy]].

The forest is found on {{convert|1585|acre|ha}} in [[Crawford County, Pennsylvania|Crawford]], [[Forest County, Pennsylvania|Forest]], and Warren Counties.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cornplanter State Forest |url=https://www.dcnr.pa.gov:443/StateForests/FindAForest/Cornplanter/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources |language=en-US}}</ref> The district also covers [[Erie County, Pennsylvania|Erie]] and the northern part of [[Venango County, Pennsylvania|Venango]] Counties.

==History== Cornplanter State Forest was formed as a direct result of the depletion of the forests of Pennsylvania that took place during the mid-to-late 19th century. 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 forest]]s for various reasons. The [[clearcutting|clear cut]] the forests and left behind nothing but dried tree tops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passing [[steam locomotives]] ignited [[wildfire]]s that prevented the formation of [[Secondary forest|second 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.<ref name="vfsfhistory">{{cite web |url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/valleyforgehistory.aspx |title = History of the William Penn State Forest |access-date = 2007-08-29 |publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070823033728/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/valleyforgehistory.aspx |archive-date = 2007-08-23 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="vfsfhistory"/>

==Neighboring state forest districts== [[Lake Erie]] is to the north and the [[U.S. state]] of [[Ohio]] is to the west * [[Susquehannock State Forest]] (east) * [[Elk State Forest]] (southeast) * [[Clear Creek State Forest]] (south)

==Nearby state parks== No state parks are found within the state forest, but five are found within District #14: *[[Chapman State Park]] (Warren County) *[[Erie Bluffs State Park]] (Erie County) *[[Oil Creek State Park]] (Venango County) *[[Presque Isle State Park]] (Erie County) *[[Pymatuning State Park (Pennsylvania)|Pymatuning State Park]] (Crawford County)

==Natural areas== *[[Anders Run Natural Area]]: a {{convert|96|acre|ha|adj=on}} natural area protecting {{convert|50|acre|ha}} of [[old-growth forest]].

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/cornplanter.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040226042916/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/cornplanter.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 26, 2004 | title = Cornplanter State Forest | access-date = 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 |access-date=2006-07-12 |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515050052/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif |archive-date=2006-05-15 |url-status=dead }} ''Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment''

[[Category:Pennsylvania state forests]] [[Category:Protected areas of Forest County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Crawford County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Warren County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Erie County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Venango County, Pennsylvania]]