Clear Creek State Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clear Creek State Forest |
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IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
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Location of Clear Creek State Forest in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 16,716 acres (67.65 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,808 ft (551 m) |
| Established | 1919 |
| Named for | Clear Creek |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Clear Creek State Forest |
Clear Creek State Forest is a large natural area in Pennsylvania, United States. It used to be called Kittanning State Forest until August 2007. The main offices for managing the forest are in Clarion, which is in Clarion County.
This state forest covers about 16,716 acres (6,765 hectares). It is spread out across three different areas. These areas are located in Jefferson County, Venango County, Forest County, Mercer County, and Clarion County.
Clear Creek State Forest is managed using a system called "Multiple Use Management." This means the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources considers many different ways to use the forest land. They decide which use is most important for each specific area. For example, some parts are great for recreation, while others are used for natural resources.
The forest is open for many fun activities. You can go hunting, fishing, hiking, and mountain biking here. Some companies also use the forest's natural resources. They might harvest timber or extract oil and gas. The Pennsylvania Game Commission helps manage the wildlife living in Clear Creek State Forest.
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How Clear Creek State Forest Was Formed
Clear Creek State Forest exists because of what happened to Pennsylvania's forests a long time ago. In the mid-to-late 1800s, many forests were cut down. People like Dr. Joseph Rothrock worried that the forests would not grow back.
Large lumber and iron companies cut down almost all the old, original trees. This process is called clearcutting. They left behind only dried tree tops and rotting stumps. Sparks from passing steam locomotives (old trains) often started huge wildfires. These fires stopped new trees from growing.
People who cared about nature feared the forests would never recover. They wanted the state to buy land from the lumber and iron companies. The companies were happy to sell because they had already used up the trees.
Changes began in 1895. Dr. Rothrock became the first leader of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. This department is now called the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. In 1897, the state government passed a law. This law allowed them to buy land for "forest reservations." This was the start of Pennsylvania's State Forest system.
The First Land Purchases
The first piece of land for Clear Creek State Forest was bought in 1919. It cost $6,880 and was about 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares). This was at the end of a time when a lot of trees were being cut down in Pennsylvania. The state kept buying land throughout the 1900s. The last purchase happened in 1980.
Most of this land was bought from big lumber companies. These companies had cut down almost all the original forests in Pennsylvania. They started cutting trees on a large scale around 1883. This was when the first sawmills were built near the creeks in the Allegheny Plateau.
The lumberjacks mainly cut down hemlock and white pine trees. They tied the logs together into rafts. These rafts floated down the Clarion River and into the Allegheny River to Pittsburgh. Lumber companies also built three logging railroads. These trains helped move the cut wood out of the mountains.
Forest Recovery and New Growth
After the logging, the land was described as a "barren wasteland." It was full of stumps and dry tree tops. Sparks from steam trains caused huge forest fires. These fires made it hard for new trees to grow.
But over time, the forests have largely regrown. The hemlock and white pine trees are now replaced by many different kinds of hardwood trees. These new forests make up Clear Creek State Forest today.
Nearby State Forest Districts
The U.S. state of Ohio is to the west of this area.
- Cornplanter State Forest (north)
- Elk State Forest (northeast)
- Moshannon State Forest (east)
- Gallitzin State Forest (southeast)
- Forbes State Forest (south)
Nearby State Parks
