Lewis and Clark National Forest

Lewis and Clark National Forest
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
Map showing the location of Lewis and Clark National Forest
Location Montana, USA
Nearest city Great Falls, MT
Coordinates 47°11′0″N 111°27′0″W / 47.18333°N 111.45000°W / 47.18333; -111.45000Coordinates: 47°11′0″N 111°27′0″W / 47.18333°N 111.45000°W / 47.18333; -111.45000
Area 1,863,788 acres (754,248 ha)[1]
Established February 22, 1897[2]
Governing body U.S. Forest Service
Website Lewis and Clark National Forest

Lewis and Clark National Forest is located in west central Montana, United States. Spanning 2,800 square miles (7,300 km2), the forest is managed as two separate zones. The eastern sections, under the Jefferson Division, is a mixture of grass and shrublands dotted with "island" pockets of forested areas. Here, cattle leases to local ranchers as well as timber harvesting are the norm. The western Rocky Mountain Division, which straddles the Continental divide, is managed chiefly for environmental preservation, as much of the land has been designated as wilderness. Forest headquarters are located in Great Falls, Montana. Local ranger district offices have been established in Choteau, Harlowton, Neihart, Stanford, and White Sulphur Springs.[3]

The forest lands were defined and established by the federal government in 1897, following its Treaty of 1896 with the Blackfeet establishing their adjacent reservation. This forest is one of the oldest forest preserves in the U.S. The forest is named in honor of the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which passed through the forest between 1804 and 1806 while exploring the Louisiana Purchase for President Thomas Jefferson.

Prior to that, the region was inhabited by various cultures of Native Americans for a period of at least 8,000-10,000 years. When the Lewis & Clark expedition came to this area, different areas of the large forest territory were used by members of the Blackfeet, Sioux, Cheyenne, Flathead and Crow nations for hunting and as an area for their seasonal winter camps. The forests provided shelter from the winter.

Description

Altitudes range from 4,500 feet (1,400 m) to the top of Rocky Mountain Peak at 9,362 feet (2,900 m). The forest is divided into seven separate sections and encompasses eight mountain ranges; the Judith, Big Snowy, Little Snowy, Crazy, Castle, Little Belt and Highwood Mountains. The westernmost section includes portions of the Scapegoat and the Bob Marshall wildernesses, and borders Glacier National Park to the north.

The western Rocky Mountain Division, informally called the Rocky Mountain Front, consists of a dense coniferous forest and has numerous species of spruce, fir, larch and pine. The Jefferson Division is dominated by ponderosa and lodgepole pine which prefer a dryer climate. The grizzly bear and wolf are found in the western sections of the forest, and are especially dense in the designated wilderness areas. In addition, the western section contains much of the wildlife present at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the region. Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, cougars, lynx, wolverines and black bears are most common nearest the Continental Divide. In other sections of the forest, black bears, mule deer and white-tailed deer are the largest mammals found. Throughout the forest, bald eagles, grouse, peregrine falcon and red tailed hawks are increasing in numbers. Lakes and streams are more numerous in the western section due to a higher altitude and more precipitation, and are home to the native westslope cutthroat trout. In the 1,600 miles (2,600 km) of rivers and streams in the forest, rainbow trout, brook trout and northern pike are relatively common. Excellent fly fishing opportunities are plentiful, especially in the Smith River.

The National Forest has 29 vehicle-accessible campgrounds. Two ski areas also operate within the forest. Almost 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of hiking trails provide access to remote locations in the seven different mountain ranges within the Forest. Solitude is most common in the Crazy Mountains and in the wilderness areas near the Continental divide. Summertime average high temperatures are in the 70s °F (20s °C), but the winter can be very cold, especially in the more exposed eastern sections. Snow can linger for up to 10 months of the year along the Continental divide.

The forest lies in parts of thirteen counties. In descending order of land area, they are Lewis and Clark, Meagher, Judith Basin, Teton, Cascade, Pondera, Fergus, Wheatland, Chouteau, Glacier, Golden Valley, Sweet Grass, and Park counties.[4]

History

In the late 19th century, after the end of the Indian Wars, the federal government worked to move Native American tribes on to Indian reservations, requiring them to cede land and extinguish their land claims to large areas of territory. The United States wanted to open the West to settlement and development by European Americans. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation, with members mostly of the Piegan Blackfeet branch, was established by Treaty of 1896 to the east of this forest area and Glacier National Park, bordering the province of Alberta, Canada to the north.

The forest was established on February 22, 1897 as the Lewis and Clarke Forest Reserve under the management of the US General Land Office. On June 9, 1903 the Flathead Forest Reserve was added, and on March 2, 1907 the spelling was changed to Lewis and Clark, and land was added. The forest territory had been transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1906, and was designated by the government as a National Forest.

On April 8, 1932 the entire Jefferson National Forest was added, which itself comprised the former Little Belt, Crazy Mountain, Snowy Mountains, Little Rockies and Highwood Mountains National Forests. Finally, on July 1, 1945, part of Absaroka National Forest was added as the last portion of this forest.[5] The Helena and Lewis and Clark National forests consolidated their administrations in 2014.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Land Areas of the National Forest System" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. January 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  2. ↑ "The National Forests of the United States" (PDF). ForestHistory.org. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  3. ↑ USFS Ranger Districts by State: Montana, US Forest Service
  4. ↑ Table 6 - NFS Acreage by State, Congressional District and County - United States Forest Service - September 30, 2007
  5. ↑ Davis, Richard C. (September 29, 2005). "National Forests of the United States" (PDF). The Forest History Society.

External links

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