Susquehannock State Forest

{{Short description|State forest in Pennsylvania, United States}} {{For|the [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania state park]]|Susquehannock State Park}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Susquehannock State Forest | iucn_category = VI | iucn_ref =  | image = Fall Preview (2).jpg | image_caption = Susquehannock State Forest, Potter County, as seen from Little Lyman Vista  | map = USA Pennsylvania | image_map = | map_size = | map_caption = Location of Susquehannock State Forest's headquarters in PennsylvaniaLocation Map of Susquehannock State Forest Holdings | relief =  | location = Pennsylvania, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|41|46|26|N|78|01|07|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | 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/20150923220319/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/susquehannock/ Susquehannock State Forest] | module = }}

'''Susquehannock State Forest''' is a [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania state forest]] in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #15. The main office is located in [[Coudersport, Pennsylvania|Coudersport]] in [[Potter County, Pennsylvania|Potter County]], [[Pennsylvania]] in the [[United States]].

Susquehannock State Forest is located chiefly in [[Potter County, Pennsylvania|Potter County]], with small tracts in [[McKean County, Pennsylvania|McKean]] and [[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton]] Counties. The forest is named for the [[Susquehannock]]s, a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribe who once lived in the [[Susquehanna River]] basin. [[Forrest H. Dutlinger Natural Area]] and [[Hammersley Wild Area]] (the second largest roadless area in the state<ref name="audubon">{{cite web | url = http://pennsylvania.sierraclub.org/moshannon/OTT/OTT02-05Hammersley.pdf | title = Road-Less Wild Area in Pennsylvania | publisher = Pennsylvania [[Audubon Society]] | date = May 2002 | access-date = 2009-04-29 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720204100/http://pennsylvania.sierraclub.org/moshannon/OTT/OTT02-05Hammersley.pdf | archive-date = 2011-07-20 }}</ref>) receive extra protection. The state forest hosts [[Susquehannock Trail System|the Susquehannock Trail System]], an {{convert|83|mi|adj=on}} loop [[hiking trail]] almost entirely on state forest land.<ref name="backpack pa">{{cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Jeff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=whUI4-fytYEC&pg=PA149&dq=hammersley+wild+area#PPA149,M1 |title=Backpacking Pennsylvania: 37 Great Trails |publisher=Stackpole Books |year=2005 |isbn=9780811731805 |pages=149–151 |access-date=2009-04-29}}</ref><ref name="kta">{{cite web |title=Susquehannock Trail |url=http://www.kta-hike.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146&Itemid=65 |access-date=2009-04-28 |publisher=[[Keystone Trails Association]]}}</ref>

==History== Susquehannock 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. [[Conservation movement#Origins of the modern conservation movement|American 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. They [[clearcutting|clear cut]] the forests and left behind nothing but dried tree tops and rotting stumps. The situation was exacerbated as often 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— such as those measures which had been for some years [[Conservation movement#Origins of the modern conservation movement|making news in Europe and India]]. Knowledge of Forest management practices among the well-informed, then being long in place in France and Germany added impetus to pay attention to the changes signaled by Great Britain's legislative actions. The American leaders across many states began calling for their states to purchase land from the lumber and iron companies. In the day in Pennsylvania, the lumber and iron companies were more than willing to sell their land since they 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> more commercially valuable iron mines were providing ores, and selling the lands eliminated the annual need to pay property taxes. These demands of this [[political|movement]] were later recognized by sociologists and historians as one earmark of the [[Progressive Era]] in United States politics and social reorganization. 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"/>

==Nearby state parks== Seven Pennsylvania State Parks are in or near Susquehannock State Forest: *[[Cherry Springs State Park]] *[[Denton Hill State Park]] *[[Lyman Run State Park]] *[[Ole Bull State Park]] *[[Patterson State Park]] *[[Prouty Place State Park]] *[[Sizerville State Park]]

==Neighboring state forest districts== The [[U.S. state]] of [[New York (state)|New York]] is to the north *[[Tioga State Forest]] (east) *[[Tiadaghton State Forest]] (southeast) *[[Sproul State Forest]] (south) *[[Elk State Forest]] (south) *[[Cornplanter State Forest]] (west)

{{wide image|Susquehannock State Forest panorama.jpg|800px|Panoramic view of the forest from Cherry Springs Vista. The level horizon is typical of a [[dissected plateau]], here the [[Allegheny Plateau]]}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/susquehannock/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220319/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/susquehannock/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 23, 2015 | title = Susquehannock State Forest | access-date = 2006-07-25 | 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 = 2006-07-25 | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060515050052/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif  |archive-date = 2006-05-15}} ''Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment'' {{Protected Areas of Pennsylvania}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Pennsylvania state forests]] [[Category:Protected areas of Clinton County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of McKean County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Potter County, Pennsylvania]]