The Allegheny National Forest (ANF), Pennsylvania’s only National Forest, is approximately 517,000 acres and includes land in Elk, Forest, McKean and Warren counties in the northwestern corner of the State. About 463,000 acres are forested, 42,000 acres are non-forest, and 11,000 acres are covered by water (primarily the Allegheny Reservoir). The ANF is administratively divided into two Ranger Districts: Bradford and Marienville.
The Forest Service brought new concepts in forest management to the Allegheny Plateau -- multiple benefits and sustainability. The Organic Act of 1897 introduced the National Forest mission: to improve the forest, provide favorable conditions for water flows, and furnish a continuous supply of wood to meet people's needs. On these lands, seedlings for tomorrow's forest are the focus of forest management activities. Watersheds are managed to ensure clear water for fisheries like trout and clean drinking water for all.
The man said “The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to keep all the parts. “ The man was Aldo Leopold who lived in the mid-twentieth century. It was he who proposed that people were not merely users of the land but an integral part of the environment. When Aldo Leopold wrote his essays that became the classic Sand County Almanac the industrial age was in full swing and the technology age was just on the horizon.
By far the one attribute that made America a mighty nation during those early years was the blending of nations into one location, people from faraway lands who came to this country with varied dreams and varied creative talents. It was and is the diversity of people’s cultural backgrounds and creative thinking which formed the backbone of these United States. To mirror that thought in the natural world is a statement that foresters are fond of. That is . . .”Diversity is the key to stability”.
Ginseng populations on the Allegheny National Forest are sparse. As such, collection for both personal and commercial use is prohibited. Ginseng is listed as an Allegheny National Forest Regional Forester Sensitive Species, which is defined as: those species identified by a Regional Forester for which population viability is a concern as evidenced by a significant current or predicted downward trend in numbers and density. Visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/eastern/index.php for a complete listing of plants on the Regional Forester Sensitive Species list.