Michaux State Forest

{{Short description|State forest in southern Pennsylvania, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Michaux State Forest | iucn_category = VI | iucn_ref =  | image = Michaux State Forest.JPG | image_caption = Long Pine Run Reservoir in Michaux State Forest  | map = USA Pennsylvania | image_map = | map_width = | map_caption = Location of Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania | relief =  | location = Pennsylvania, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|39|54|43|N|77|33|49|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_acre = 85000 | area_ref = | elevation = | elevation_avg = | elevation_min = | elevation_max = | dimensions = | designation =  | authorized = | created = | designated = | established = | named_for = [[André Michaux]] | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | governing_body = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | administrator = | operator = | owner =  | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20040118030256/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michaux.aspx Michaux State Forest] | module = }}

'''Michaux State Forest''' is a [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania State Forest]] in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #1. The main offices are located in [[Fayetteville, Pennsylvania|Fayetteville]] in [[Franklin County, Pennsylvania|Franklin County]], [[Pennsylvania]], USA.

The Michaux State Forest is in several tracts covering more than {{convert|85000|acre|ha|-1}} located in [[Adams County, Pennsylvania|Adams County]], southern [[Cumberland County, Pennsylvania|Cumberland County]], eastern [[Franklin County, Pennsylvania|Franklin County]], and northwestern [[York County, Pennsylvania|York County]]. The [[Appalachian Trail]] also runs through Michaux State Forest.

==History== Michaux State Forest is named for [[André Michaux]], a [[French people|French]] [[botanist]]. He was dispatched in 1785 by King [[Louis XVI]] and his Queen [[Marie Antoinette]] to gather plants for the [[Jardin des Plantes|Royal Gardens]].

Michaux 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 such as [[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. They [[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 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"/>

[[Image:Michaux State Forest.png|thumb|300px|A map of the state forest showing forest boundaries and nearby highways.]]

The land that is now Michaux State Forest was once owned by several large iron companies. The iron companies used the old growth forests of South Central Pennsylvania to fire their [[bloomery|iron furnaces]] such as [[Pine Grove Furnace State Park|Pine Grove Furnace]], [[Caledonia State Park|Caledonia]], and [[Mont Alto State Park|Mont Alto]]. [[Charcoal maker|Colliers]] gathered the wood and created [[charcoal]] by slowly burning the logs in massive charcoal kilns that dotted the landscape of what is now Michaux State Forest.

Michaux State Forest is the location of several "firsts" in Pennsylvania Forestry. The first state nursery was established at Mont Alto in 1902. Rothrock opened the first forestry school in Pennsylvania and the second in the [[United States]] at what is now [[Penn State Mont Alto]]. [[Ralph E. Brock]], the first academically trained African American forester in the United States, supervised the seed nursery at the state forest from 1906 to 1911. Michaux State Forest saw the first wooden [[fire tower]] in 1905 as well as the first steel fire tower in 1914.

Michaux State Forest is now a thriving [[Secondary forest|second growth forest]]. It is open to recreational hunting, fishing, hiking and mountain biking. It is crossed by the [[Appalachian Trail]]. Remnants of the charcoal days can still be seen in the state forest as the land where the kilns burned for so many years has yet to fully recover. Visitors to the park will notice these areas as large grassy meadows that are surrounded by the woods of Michaux State Forest.<ref name ="msfhistory">{{cite web |url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michauxhistory.aspx |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040417075405/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michauxhistory.aspx |url-status = dead |archive-date = April 17, 2004 |title = History of the Michaux State Forest |access-date = 2007-06-17 |publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]}}</ref>

==Neighboring state forest districts== The [[U.S. state]] of [[Maryland]] is to the south * [[Tuscarora State Forest]] (north) * [[Weiser State Forest]] (northeast) * [[William Penn State Forest]] (east) * [[Buchanan State Forest]] (west) [[File:Michaux State Forest sign.JPG|thumb]]

==Nearby state parks== * [[Caledonia State Park]] * [[Pine Grove Furnace State Park]] * [[Mont Alto State Park]] * [[Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center]]

== Natural and wild areas ==

* [[Beartown Woods Natural Area]] * [[Carbaugh Run Natural Area]] * [[Meeting of the Pines Natural Area]] * [[Mount Cydonia Ponds Natural Area]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michaux.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040118030256/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michaux.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 18, 2004 | title = Michaux 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'' {{Commons category|position=left|Michaux State Forest}}

[[Category:Pennsylvania state forests]] [[Category:Protected areas of Adams County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Franklin County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Blue Ridge Mountains]] [[Category:South Mountain Range (Maryland−Pennsylvania)]] [[Category:History of forestry in the United States]]