Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
It’s National Forest Week! July 8-14, the U.S. Forest Service partners with the National Forest Foundation to celebrate this special week every year. This year’s theme is, “Forests are AWEsome.” Fitting for the awe and wonder national and local forests and parks provide throughout the world.
Did you know that around 70% of Alabama is covered in forests? Not all of the 70% national forests are just used to camp, hike and use recreationally. These forests provide raw material for a $20 billion dollar forest industry in the state of Alabama.
These local forests also provide tranquil day-getaways and a way to be awe-struck by nature without venturing too far from home.
A nationwide way to celebrate National Forest Week is with the National Forest Foundation, by submitting your own AWEsome photos and videos in the National Forest Week Photo Contest. The photos are broken up into different categories such as landscapes, recreation, just for fun and so much more.
For contest details and requirements check out the National Forest Foundation website.
“Forests are vital to our environment. They help to provide clean air, protect and shelter wildlife, serve as a form of recreation and are a lucrative business for private landowners when selling their timber. It’s a huge industry in our state as well as Autauga County. Residents can be good stewards of local forests by keeping them clean and litter free,” Autauga County Extension Coordinator Darrue Sharpe said.
According to the Alabama Extension website, 78% of Alabama forests are owned by families holding less than 100 acres. It’s their careful stewardship that has significantly increased the Alabama forest acreage and productivity over the past several decades.
Wildlife populations have increased from an estimated 16,500 deer and 11,000 wild turkeys in the 1940s, to about 1.5 million deer and 450,000 turkeys in Alabama today, according to the Alabama Extension website.
“There’s Cherokee Ridge in Wetumpka, and Lanark in Millbrook. There’s a lot of places with activities to go outside in nature. There’re also programs held each year for landowners that work with prescribed and controlled burning, this helps to kill of competing elements for the trees,” Elmore County Extension Coordinator Katrina Mitchell said.
Both Sharpe and Mitchell said to get in touch with a forestry agent for your respective county to learn more about opportunities near you.
There are four National Forests in the state of Alabama. The Conecuh, Talladega, Tuskegee and William B. Bankhead National Forests. These National Forests encompass nearly 668,000 acres across 17 counties in the state of Alabama.
There are also three wilderness areas within the National Forests in Alabama. Sipsey Wilderness is approximately 25,000 acres in Bankhead, Cheaha Wilderness is approximately 7,400 acres in Talladega, and Dugger Mountain Wilderness is approximately 9,000 acres also in Talladega.
Wilderness areas are some of the most pristine lands in the US due to little influence from people. These lands by law are undeveloped federal lands that are protected and managed in order to preserve their natural conditions.
Some ways to get involved locally are to follow your local county Extension Office. Both Elmore and Autauga County Extension offices are great resources for everything from how to can vegetables, grow a healthy garden or how to stay safe while hiking locally.
A great spot to celebrate National Forest Week is the Wilderness Park/Bamboo Forest in the Prattville Area, and Fort Toulouse – Fort Jackson in Wetumpka. Both are great for a day between the trees. While they may not be a National Forest, both and many other local spots are a perfect way to celebrate.
Also be on the lookout for the 2024 fee free days, with no entry fee into any National Forest or National Park, nationwide. The days for the rest of 2024 include National Public Land Day, Sept. 28,20204, and Veterans Day, which is November 11, 20204.
The Forest Service manages 193 million acres of national forests and grassland that offer stunning places vistas, majestic mountains and great expanses of land to explore. Clear skies and a clear mind. Psychologists say that time spent outdoors improves mood and reduces stress. You can find places to clear your mind in recreation areas nearby.
