Established in 1923, Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is Pennsylvania’s only National Forest. Situated in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, the ANF is composed of plateau tops with elevations up to approximately 2,300 feet and valleys down to approximately 1,000 feet above sea level. The forest is approximately 517,000 acres and includes land in Elk, Forest, McKean and Warren counties in the northwestern corner of the state. The U.S. Forest Service brought new concepts in forest management to the Allegheny Plateau -- multiple benefits and sustainability. The motto "Land of Many Uses" captures the National Forest goal of a healthy, vigorous forest that provides wood products, watershed protection, a variety of wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities -- not only for us today, but in a sustainable way so future generations can enjoy these benefits, too.
Bats are so important to our ecosystem that we should appreciate them 365 days a year, they are vital to healthy ecosystems and human economies worldwide. Bats are dying off at an alarming rate. Bat populations have been decimated in recent years due to the white-nose syndrome. This has resulted in the recent listing of the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as a threatened species and listing the Indiana bat as an endangered species.
The ANF initiated a Forest Health Collaborative on March 29. Nearly 50 organizations were represented, tasked with identifying specific threats and developing strategies to address them.
Three Allegheny National Forest employees recently spent a couple of days searching for zebra mussels in the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania's 2017 River of the Year.
