Tioga 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 = Tioga State Forest | iucn_category = | iucn_ref =  | image = Tioga State Forest Framed.jpg | image_caption = Babb Creek Canyon, Tioga County, as seen from the Mid State Trail at Gillespie Point.  | map = | image_map = Tioga State Forest Locator Map.PNG | map_size = | map_caption = Location of Tioga State Forest in Pennsylvania | relief =  | location = Pennsylvania, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|41|46|37|N|77|30|50|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_acre = 164,975 | area_ref = | elevation = {{convert|2119|ft|m|abbr=on}} | elevation_avg = | elevation_min = | elevation_max = | dimensions = | designation =  | authorized = | created = | designated = | established = 1900 | named_for = [[Tioga River (Chemung River)|Tioga River]] | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | governing_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | administrator = | operator = | owner =  | website = [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/tioga.html Tioga State Forest] | module = }} '''Tioga State Forest''' is a [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania State Forest]] in District #16, in the [[Allegheny Plateau]] region within [[Tioga County, Pennsylvania]].

The main offices are located in [[Wellsboro, Pennsylvania|Wellsboro]] in [[Tioga County, Pennsylvania|Tioga County]], [[Pennsylvania]] in the [[United States]].

The state forest was named for the Tioga [[tribe]] of the [[Seneca nation|Seneca]], a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] people, whose homeland was in the region. The [[Seneca language]] word "Tioga" means 'the meeting of two rivers' in English.

Prior to the July 1, 2005 realignment of Pennsylvania State Forest Districts, Tioga State Forest included almost all state forest lands in Tioga County and [[Bradford County, Pennsylvania|Bradford County]], and encompassed {{convert|160000|acre|-1}}. After realignment, the state forest tracts in Bradford County became part of the new [[Loyalsock State Forest]]. Currently, the forest is mostly located in Tioga County and only includes small areas within Bradford and [[Lycoming County, Pennsylvania|Lycoming]] Counties.

==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 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 harvested the [[old-growth forest]]s, [[clearcutting]] the forests and leaving 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"/>

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 [[Tsuga canadensis|Eastern hemlock]] and [[Eastern white pine|white pine]] during the lumber era that swept throughout the mountains of Pennsylvania during the mid-to-late 19th century. The harvested timber was floated down Pine Creek and its tributaries to the [[Susquehanna Boom]] on the [[West Branch Susquehanna River]] near [[Williamsport, Pennsylvania|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 [[Secondary forest|second growth forest]] of [[hardwood]]s.

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.<ref name="history">{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tiogahistory.aspx | archive-url = https://archive.today/20040302195746/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tiogahistory.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 2, 2004 |title = Tioga State Forest: History |access-date = 2007-11-25 |publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]}}</ref> 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 State Park|Leonard Harrison]] and [[Colton Point State Park]]s along the [[Pine Creek Gorge|Pennsylvania Grand Canyon]].

[[Birch]] trees in Tioga State Forest were used during the mid-20th century in the [[betulin|birch oil]] industry. Birch stills were built throughout the forest to produce the oil, which was used as an industrial lubricant. The last birch still in Tioga State Forest was shut down in 1972.<ref name="history"/>

==Neighboring state forest districts== The [[U.S. state]] of [[New York (state)|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)

== Natural and wild areas ==

* [[Black Ash Swamp Natural Area]] * [[Pine Creek Gorge Natural Area]] * [[Reynolds Spring Natural Area]] * [[Asaph Wild Area]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/tioga.html Official website] *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tioga/ | archive-url = https://archive.today/20140305010048/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tioga/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 5, 2014 | title = Tioga State Forest | access-date = 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 |access-date=2006-07-14 |date=June 2005 |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070724231552/http://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?Q=443999&A=11 |archive-date=July 24, 2007 }} *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif | title = State Forest Districts | access-date = 2006-07-14 | 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'' *[https://archive.today/20140305010048/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tioga/ Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Nature−DCNR.pa: official '''Tioga State Forest''' website]

[[Category:Pennsylvania state forests]] [[Category:Protected areas of Tioga County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Allegheny Plateau]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1900]] [[Category:1900 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Civilian Conservation Corps in Pennsylvania]]