Tuscarora 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 = Tuscarora State Forest | iucn_category = | iucn_ref =  | image = | image_caption =  | map = USA Pennsylvania | image_map = | map_size = | map_caption = Location of Tuscarora State Forest's headquarters in PennsylvaniaLocation Map of Tuscarora State Forest Holdings | relief =  | location = Pennsylvania, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|40|20|14|N|77|30|38|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_acre = 91165 | 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/20040226005906/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tuscarora.aspx Tuscarora State Forest] | module = }} '''Tuscarora State Forest''' is a [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania state forest]] in [[Pennsylvania]] Bureau of Forestry District #3. The main office is located in [[Blain, PA|Blain]] in [[Perry County, Pennsylvania|Perry County]], [[Pennsylvania]] in the [[United States]].

Tuscarora State Forest contains {{convert|91165|acre|ha}} in several tracts and is located in [[Cumberland County, Pennsylvania|Cumberland]], [[Franklin County, Pennsylvania|Franklin]], [[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon]], [[Juniata County, Pennsylvania|Juniata]], [[Mifflin County, Pennsylvania|Mifflin]], and [[Perry County, Pennsylvania|Perry]] counties.

==History== Tuscarora 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. 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 these companies were more than willing to sell their land since they had already 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"/>

The forest is named for Tuscarora Mountain, which is within the state forest boundaries. The mountain was named for the [[Tuscarora (tribe)|Tuscarora]], a tribe that joined the [[Iroquois]] Nation around 1714 following the [[Tuscarora War]] in [[North Carolina]].

Tuscarora State Forest was originally part of the Rothrock Forest Reserve. It was merged with the Pennypacker and McClure reserves to form what is now Tuscarora State Forest. Much of the land was acquired from lumber and iron companies who had used the [[old-growth forest]] of [[Tsuga canadensis|hemlock]], [[American chestnut|chestnut]] and [[oak]] to produce lumber and [[charcoal]] to fire the many iron furnaces that dotted the Pennsylvania landscape. Dr. [[Joseph Rothrock]] was an early pioneer in Pennsylvania [[forestry]]. In his position as commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, he led the statewide effort to acquire lands that had been [[clearcutting|clear cut]] and left barren. Land was purchased from the lumber companies at minimal cost to the state, just a few dollars per acre.<ref name="tsfhistory">{{cite web |url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tuschistory.aspx |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040302204003/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tuschistory.aspx |url-status = dead |archive-date = March 2, 2004 |title = History of the Tuscarora State Forest |access-date = 2007-06-17 |publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]}}</ref>

The newly purchased land was largely barren. This was due to the widespread [[wildfire]]s that swept over the hills and through the valleys when the sparks cast off by passing [[steam train]]s would ignite fires in the dried tree tops that were left behind by the lumbermen. The founding of the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] during the [[Great Depression]] was vital in creating the thriving [[Secondary forest|second growth forest]]s that make up Tuscarora State Forest today. The young men of the CCC cleared the forests and streams of dried brush. They lived in one of six camps spread throughout Tuscarora State Forest. In addition to clearing brush they also built roads, bridges and trails in the forests and constructed many of the recreational facilities still in use today at several [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|state parks]] in the Tuscarora State Forest area.<ref name="tsfhistory"/>

==Natural and wild areas== *[[Hemlocks Natural Area]]: {{convert|120|acre|ha}} of [[Old-growth forest|old-growth]] [[Eastern Hemlock]] forest in a narrow ravine. *[[Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Natural Area]]: {{convert|10|acre|ha}}; contains a [[Box Huckleberry]] over 1,300 years old. *[[Frank E. Masland Jr. Natural Area]]: {{convert|1270|acre|ha}} of old [[secondary forest]]. *[[James C. Nelson Wild Area]]: {{convert|5345|acre|ha}} of old secondary forest.

==Nearby state parks== Four Pennsylvania State Parks are contained within Tuscarora State Forest: * [[Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area]] * [[Colonel Denning State Park]] * [[Fowlers Hollow State Park]] * [[Little Buffalo State Park]]

==Neighboring state forest districts== *[[Bald Eagle State Forest]] (north) *[[Weiser State Forest]] (east) *[[Michaux State Forest]] (southeast) *[[Buchanan State Forest]] (southwest) *[[Rothrock State Forest]] (west)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tuscarora.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040226005906/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tuscarora.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 26, 2004 | title = Tuscarora 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.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'' *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/FORESTRY/stateforests/tuscwild.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040226043034/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tuscwild.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 26, 2004 | title = Natural and Wild Area of the Tuscarora State Forest | access-date = 2009-01-21 | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources }}

[[Category:Pennsylvania state forests]] [[Category:Old-growth forests]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1902]] [[Category:Protected areas of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Franklin County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Juniata County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Perry County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:1902 establishments in Pennsylvania]]