2011-2012

In Review

WAYNE

PHOTONATURALISTS

on the Wayne National Forest

Story and More Photos on page 7

PHOTONATURALISTS

on the Wayne National Forest
This publication is filled with great achievements and successes where employees and

partners have dedicated their time and

resources to help us care for more than

241,000 acres of public land in southeastern

Ohio. 

You will read how, with the help of partners,

the Forest made an impact on invasive species.

Thanks to the assistance of the Ohio

Department of Forestry, the Ailanthus population in southern Ohio was mapped. 

Another article explains how the Wayne National Forest

became a partner of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. with the

formation of Keep Southeast Ohio Beautiful. The affiliate

covers thirteen Ohio counties and strives to make the

region a better place to live, work and play.

Another partnership that is highlighted is the one we have

with the Bob Evans Farm Homestead Museum in Rio

Grande, Ohio. In celebration of our 75th anniversary, the

museum worked with our heritage program to set up a display for public viewing.

In Perry County, a local partnership with the Forest helped

complete the Upstream Rock Run Watershed Reclamation

Project. You will read how the Forest partnered with several entities to construct a healthy functioning riparian corriA Letter From Our Supervisor

dor by restoring water quality and increasing

the overall health of the watershed ecosystem.

In 2011, white-nose syndrome was detected

in our bat population in Lawrence County.

You will learn what measures we have taken

to slow & monitor the spread of this disease.

In 2012, I’m especially proud of how our

workforce managed a surprise from Mother

Nature. During a summer storm, widespread

wind damage on over 130,000 acres of the Athens

Ranger District caused us to issue an emergency closure

order, in the interest of public health and safety. Thanks

to our employees and community partners, we were

able to recover quickly and reopen the Athens Ranger

District to the public.

I consider it a privilege to serve as the Forest Supervisor

on the Wayne National Forest. As I look forward,

despite tougher budgetary times, the Forest will continue to explore options to operate as efficiently as possible. We will strive to meet goals that enable stewardship

of the public lands entrusted to us on behalf of the

American people.

2

ANNE CAREY

Forest Supervisor, Wayne National Forest

Wayne 

Main front cover photographs: Volunteer Photonaturalist Michael Rigsby is one of

27 photographers helping the Forest gather information for monitoring purposes.
3

Mapping Invasive Tree

Populations 

With the combined efforts of partners to

survey, map, treat, and educate about the

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), the

Wayne National Forest (Forest) is helping

make a regional impact to control invasive species and protect native ecosystems of Appalachia Ohio.

Tree of Heaven, a native tree of China,

has been in the United States since

1784. It was available from nurseries by

1840 and planted throughout the

Midwest. Its principal selling point was

that it would grow almost anywhere. The

downside is that it is fast-growing, spreads

by both seeds (one tree can produce

325,000 seeds/year) and by root sprouts.

Over a period of eight days (2011), an

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Forestry (ODOF) helicopter

flew over 163,256 acres, mapping 1,429 populations of the

species that infested over 6,400 acres of the Forest. ODOF

employees served as spotters to map infested areas using

GPS technology. In early 2013, an additional 80,000 acres

were surveyed in three days.

Since winter mapping only spots reproductive female trees,

there are undoubtedly more acres of infestation beyond these

mapped areas. The aerial mapping data is useful because it

can be overlaid with Wayne National Forest Landscape

Vegetation Project plans. The maps help the Forest identify

areas of invasive treatment prior to silvicultural and prescribed fire implementation to prevent invasive spread by

management activities.

This project is financed from a multiyear Challenge Cost Share agreement

signed in 2010 by the Forest and the

ODOF. The goal for the agreement is to

aerially map Tree of Heaven populations in southern Ohio across all

boundaries. Areas mapped on non-federal lands will be shared with ODOF

Service Foresters and the Appalachian

Ohio Weed Control Partnership to

reach out and work with private land

owners to control Tree of Heaven.

Two grants totaling $70,000 from the

U.S. Forest Service, State and Private

Forestry for Forest Health Protection funded two years of

aerial mapping of Tree of Heaven in Appalachia Ohio.

Additionally, a $10,000/year grant from North Central

Integrated Pest Management funded the following: local

education outreach efforts about Tree of Heaven; groundtruthing of aerial mapping results; and surveys for verticillium wilt, a potential biological control of Tree of Heaven.

ODOF is putting $35,000 of in-kind match into the project

yearly, and the Forest contributed $38,250 the first year

and an in-kind match of $3,250 the second year. 

Another two years of mapping is planned in the future.

Athens District Ranger

Gala Goldsmith

New Leadership for the Athens Ranger District

In August 2011, acting Forest Supervisor Peter Williams announced Gala Goldsmith

had been hired to be the new Athens District Ranger.

Goldsmith came to the Forest as the former acting District Ranger for the Mississippi

Bluffs District on the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. 

She has 19 years of experience as a Forest Watershed Program Manager and

Hydrologist with the National Forests in Mississippi. During her federal career, she

served as District Ranger, Congressional Systems Analyst for the U.S. House of

Representatives, Recreation, Fish, Wildlife, and Range Staff Officer, and special

assignments with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Bureau of

Land Management. 

Before joining the U.S. Forest Service, she spent about five years as a hydrologist for

the U.S. Geological Survey.

Goldsmith has a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master’s degree in environmental engineering. She is a graduate of the Forest Service's Middle Leader Program and

USDA’s Executive Leadership Program.

Gala is a devoted mother of two children, a son (Terrell) and daughter (Erica), and

an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

The Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus

altissima) is an invasive species that

has infested over 6,400 acres of

the Wayne National Forest. 
4

County Engineers Office who designed it. Most of the

land parcels that comprise the recreation area were purchased in 1936, and the U. S.Forest Service then began

the task of improving the area for public recreation. This

area was chosen because the configuration of the narrow

valley and stream made it an ideal setting for a dam and

recreational lake. It was named after the Vesuvius Iron

Furnace (1833), the ruins of which are situated near the

dam. 

When the furnace was listed on the

National Register (NR) in 1990, the

Stone Bridge was included as a contributing factor to the visual setting.

Most of the recreation area (including

the dam and seven buildings) was constructed between 1937 and 1941 by the

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

Company 0526-C, an African American

unit located on the Ironton Ranger

District. 

The WPA and CCC were government assistance programs

created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his

New Deal to help the country recover from the Great

Depression. The programs created jobs by hiring thousands of Ohioans to work on public projects including the

construction of roads, bridges, trails, and structures. The

CCC served as the major work force of the Wayne

National Forest, building fire lookout towers, roads, and

trails and conducting reforestation, flood control, and soil

erosion prevention projects. By putting these men to work

on resource conservation projects across the United States,

President Roosevelt intended the CCC to help solve two of

the country's most serious problems, unemployment and

resource degradation. 

Forest Service Completes Historic Stone Bridge

Project in Lawrence County 

On Thursday, May 31, 2012,

the Wayne National Forest held

a dedication ceremony to commemorate the replacement and

reopening of the Stone Bridge.

Unfortunately, the previous

bridge over Storms Creek,

within the Lake Vesuvius

Recreation Area, was destroyed

in a July 2010 flood. 

Around 50 people attended the

dedication, including

Lawrence County

Commissioners and Engineers,

the Lawrence County Sheriff,

the Lawrence County EMA,

and a representative from U.S.

Representative Bill Johnson’s

office, as well as key Forest

Service personnel. A select group cut the ribbon to signify

the official opening of the bridge. 

The primary difference between the two bridges is that the

reconstructed one has a single arch instead of the double

arch design. This improves water flow and will avoid

adverse impacts to the bridge. The unusual surge of storm

water and debris caused the old double arch design to fail

and damaged the already weakened

central pier.

The new bridge is a marvelous replica of the old one in keeping with the

visual setting of the Lake Vesuvius

Recreation Area, a sentiment overwhelmingly voiced by the residents

of Lawrence County. The original

plaque that was installed on the old

bridge was again placed on the new

one. An interpretive sign is also

being planned for the site to commemorate the unique history of the bridge and

its builders. 

Funding for the construction of the new bridge came from

the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal

Highway Administration (FHWA). Soon after the flood, the

Wayne National Forest applied for federal assistance

through the FHWA Emergency Relief for Federally Owned

Roads (ERFO) program and was awarded $1.3 million to

complete the project. 

The original Stone Bridge within the Vesuvius Recreation

Area was built in 1940 through the Works Progress

Administration (WPA). Its construction was a joint project

between the Wayne National Forest and the Lawrence

Former bridge was

built in 1940.
Local Community Celebrates Opening of Launch Site

5

Mayor Agin told a group

of spectators during the

opening ceremony that

“The best way to describe

Sam was, I guess, would

be the modern day Will

Rogers. Sam could walk

into your office, tell you a

joke, ask you to do something you didn’t want to do, but by the time

he got done talking about it, you were convinced it was your idea and you couldn’t wait to do it.

Thing about Sam, he loved Washington County. He really

did. And anything that he could do to better this area, he

would do it.” 

Kidd’s widow Vesta represented FLEDA at the ribbon

cutting ceremony and helps keep the organization

active in the community. 

The boat launch site is one of the few fully accessible

boat launch facilities along that section of the Ohio

River.

In 2012, the Wayne National Forest leadership, recreation and engineering staff was nationally recognized

by the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service for successfully

completing notable recreation projects that demonstrate the

Forest’s commitment to providing accessible recreation facilities and programs.

Recreation Opportunities Expand on the Wayne 

Several new or renovated facilities and trails opened to the public in 2011. “It was definitely a banner year for recreation.

Forest personnel and contractors completed several projects that have been in progress for awhile,” said Chad Wilberger,

Recreation Program Manager. 

Oak Hill Campground

On the Ironton Ranger District, the Oak Hill Campground at the Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area received a complete renovation. The new campground has 32 RV sites, with water and electrical hook-ups. Two new flush restrooms with showers

and one new vault restroom were installed. This family campground is located on a ridge above Lake Vesuvius.

Reservations can be made online at www.recreation.gov.

Arabia Canoe Launch

The Wayne National Forest Ironton Ranger District, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft,

and the Symmes Creek Restoration Committee celebrated the opening of the Arabia Canoe Launch located near Arabia

along Symmes Creek. Funding for the public launch site came from an ODNR grant and will be maintained in partnership

with the Symmes Creek Restoration Committee. The site is one of six launch sites located along the Art S. Ferguson Canoe

Trail, which follows 32 miles of Symmes Creek in Lawrence County from Arabia to the Chesapeake launch on the Ohio

River. Launch sites are also available in Aid, Willow Wood, Getaway, Sky Lake, and Chesapeake. Please be respectful to

private and public landowners who have granted permission for you to launch from their sites. The trail was named after Art

Ferguson, who founded the Symmes Creek Restoration Committee to promote recreation and conservation on the creek. 

Superior OHV Trail

The 13-mile Superior Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trail was completed in 2011.The trail, with a trailhead off State Route

522, connects to the Pine Creek OHV Trail System, giving riders a 33-mile trail experience.

Just in time for the 2011 Memorial Day weekend, the

Wayne National Forest and the Ohio Department of Natural

Resources Division of Watercraft opened the Frontier Boat

Launch Facility in Washington County along the Ohio River

Scenic Byway north of Marietta. 

The Frontier Boat Launch is located on a six-acre site with

70 boat and trailer parking spaces and toilet facilities. It is

free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The Division of Watercraft awarded $2.2 million to this

effort. Communities like nearby New Matamoras hope they

benefit from the new boat launch.

“This is what this area needs,” said Dennis Agin,

mayor of New Matamoras. “This is that punch in

the arm that hopefully will carry us to the next

step.” 

What makes this project special and successful is

how it was proposed and supported by lifelong,

dedicated community leaders, like the late Sam

Kidd and the local residents represented by the

Frontier Local Economic Development Association

(FLEDA). 

When it came to bridging the gap between the

Forest Service and the construction project, Kidd, serving as

FLEDA President, helped connect Wayne National Forest

with the local community.

Ribbon Cutting at the

Frontier Boat Launch

Sam Kidd
6

Endangered Beetle Reintroduced to 

the Wayne National Forest

The spring of 2012 ended a five-year period where 974 pairs of

the American Burying Beetle (ABB) were reintroduced onto the

Wayne National Forest Athens Ranger District in Athens and Perry

counties. 

Over the last five years, well over 100 volunteers have

helped release the ABB. Within selected areas they dug

several small holes. Dead rats were placed in the holes,

along with a male and a female beetle. The holes were

covered with cardboard and wire to help protect them

from wild animals like raccoons. Two weeks later, researchers returned to check for reproductive success and the

presence of beetle larvae.

Monitoring of ABB reproduction was made yearly after placement of the beetles and every year produced successful larvae production with thousands of larvae estimated to have been produced. During the last two years,

multiple pairs of ABB larvae were collected and sent to the ABB rearing facility at the Cincinnati Zoo. These larvae were collected in order to start a population of beetles to place and reintroduce to other areas in Ohio. 

Forest staff hope the beetles are getting a foothold and establishing a self-sustaining population. Monitoring efforts to document dispersion and reproduction of the ABB will continue on the Wayne. 

Partners in this effort include U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Ohio State University, Ohio Department of Natural

Resources - Ohio Division of Wildlife, The Wilds, St. Louis Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, and a myriad of individual volunteers. 

Kids Educational Programs a Hit

In 2011 and 2012, over 10,000 kids and adults increased their

knowledge and enjoyment of nature by participating in several conservation education activities hosted by the Wayne National Forest.

A big hit was the Wild Weekend Discovery Series designed for kids

preschool to 5th grade.

Wayne’s Conservation Education

Specialist Sarah Forrest customized

each program and ensured it sparked

the curiosity of those that attended the

sessions. The program offered a variety of topics from stars to snowflakes.

One parent commented, "This program is all (my child) talks about for

the rest of the week. He loves to go

home and tell Grandma everything he

did!"

Forrest herself brings passion to the

program. She notes, "It is great to bring

a sense of wonder to the children and adults in the communities."

She was recognized in 2011 for her outstanding work by receiving

the Bill Schultz Natural Resource Award.

New in 2012, in observance of National Get Outdoors Day, the

Wayne National Forest and several local, state, and national partners hosted Play-Outside-Weekend at three recreational areas on

the Marietta Unit of the Athens Ranger District. The event engaged

Alcohol Restricted and Helmets

Required On Motorized Trails

In January 2011, former Forest Supervisor Jo

Reyer established new restrictions when she

signed a Forest order to help reduce the number

and severity of off-highway vehicle (OHV) accidents and to bring the Forest in line with the

safety requirements of other trail providers.

The use of alcohol is prohibited within key areas

of the OHV trail system. Additionally, motorized

riders are required to wear a helmet and eye

protection.

The order states the possession of alcohol is not

permitted while riding an OHV on the Wayne

National Forest. The ban also includes no possession of alcohol within 100 feet of the centerline of designated OHV trails and certain access

roads and within 100 feet of the cleared edges of

OHV trailheads. The Forest order also requires

riders operating or riding an off-highway vehicle

to wear eye protection and a helmet that meets

United States Department of Transportation

(DOT) safety standards.

The order covers the Monday Creek OHV Trail

System on the Athens District and the Hanging

Rock, Pine Creek, and Superior OHV Trail

System on the Ironton District. 

more than 200 children and adults and about 18 partners along with a host of local community leaders in a plethora of

activities and training, including but not limited to: archery, disc golf, fishing, horseback riding, safety bike skills, wildlife

hikes, kids’ triathlon, star gazing and water safety. The Play-Outside-Weekend is scheduled for June 7-9, 2013, and planners hope to continue it as an annual event.

A child looks at fungus

using a magnifying glass.
7

Photonaturalist Program Generates 

Amazing Pictures

Over the course of two years, 27 volunteer photonaturalists have

provided hundreds of photographs authenticating a diversity of

wildlife and plant species on the Forest. They have contributed

nearly 366 hours of work for the Forest Service armed with

everything from small point and shoot to high end cameras.

The most exciting photograph was of Libellula deplanata, the

Blue Corporal dragonfly, a state endangered species, which was

photographed at Rutherford Wetlands. Until this documentation

and verification by the Ohio Odonata Society, the Blue

Corporal dragonfly was not known to occur on the Forest. 

Their work was an invaluable asset in assisting Athens Ranger

District wildlife biologist Lynda Andrews in gathering information for monitoring purposes.

“Species lists were generated for 13 areas on the Forest with

the majority of the species being dragonflies and other insects

with little known distribution data across the District,” said

Andrews. 

Andrews, a photo enthusiast herself organized the program and

agrees the response to the program was tremendous.

Though all nature photographs are welcomed, our photonaturalists knew that we are particularly interested in some of the

lesser known species on the Forest such as dragonflies. 

A sample of the photographs are posted on the Wayne National

Forest flickr site @

http://www.flickr.com/photos/waynenf/

Henslow’s Sparrow by M. Nazelrod Eastern Tent

Caterpillar by

M. Reed

Male Calico Pennant by L. Sells

Male Calico Pennant by L. Sells

Little Wood Satyr by L. Andrews

Female Blue Corporal Dragonfly by L. Andrews

Eastern Fence Lizard by L. Andrews
8

while some individuals hiked the lake’s edge to

improve the Lakeshore Trail. Compared to last

year’s cleanup effort, the general consensus was

that less trash was present. The district contributes the decrease in trash to their annual

cleanup efforts, as well as stream flood control

and cleanup efforts by the Lawrence County

Community Action Organization. The organization

has cleared blocked streams and picked up trash from

area streams leading into Lake Vesuvius. In 2010 and

2011, heavy rains flooded area streams bringing high volumes of trash into the lake. 

The IRD has made a huge impact in the last six years

cleaning up illegal dump sites. They credit much of their

success to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

(Ohio EPA). Thanks to the Ohio Scrap Tire Cleanup

Program, administered by Ohio EPA, it is helping the entire

Wayne National Forest properly dispose of thousands of

tires that have been illegally dumped on the Forest. 

In the last two years, over 3,000 scrapped tires have been

collected and removed for recycling from the IRD. On the

Athens Ranger District, more than 900 scrapped tires were

recently removed by the Ohio EPA., furthering the collective effort to keep southeast Ohio beautiful. 

The state and federal partnership started in 2009, after the

two government entities worked on a project in rural Gallia

County. Prior to 2009, the Forest had to pay ($1.25 to

$1.75 a tire) to a facility in Ashland, Kentucky, to dispose

of the tires properly. 

In Ohio, dumping tires is considered a felony offense. Tires

are ideal breeding sites for several species of mosquitoes,

some of which carry diseases. Tires are easily filled by rain

and collect leaf litter, which provide an ideal “incubator”

for mosquito larvae.

The public is reminded that illegal dumping on the Forest

destroys the natural beauty and degrades habitat, as well as

discourages people from visiting trashed areas. Additional

awareness is necessary by all

community residents and

Forest users to control illegal

dumping within not only the

IRD, but the entire Forest. 

Efforts like the two Great

American Cleanup campaigns and the partnership

with the Ohio EPA help visitors enjoy the unspoiled

beauty of our National

Forests, which belong to all

Americans. 

Partnerships Help Forest with Illegal 

Dumping Issue

In February 2012, the Wayne National Forest (Forest)

in southeastern Ohio became a partner of Keep

America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) with the formation

of Keep Southeast Ohio Beautiful, an affiliate of

KAB that covers 13 Ohio counties. While the

Forest spearheaded the formation of the affiliate, it

is managed by several community partners that

meet on a regular basis to discuss the business of the

group.

As one of the partners in helping

make southeast

Ohio a better

place to live, work

and play, the

Wayne National

Forest, Keep

Southeast Ohio

Beautiful, Keep

Ohio Beautiful

and the Ohio

Department of Natural Resources partnered with the Ohio

Department of Transportation to host the kickoff of the State

Roadway Cleanup, all in support of the KAB Great American

Cleanup effort held on Saturday, April 14th, 2012.

More than 100 volunteers attended the event at the Wayne

National Forest headquarters. The volunteers collected 125

bags of litter off roadways in Athens and Lawrence County.

Volunteers also collected 780 pounds of recyclables. The

event partnered with the Athens City-County Health

Department to host a free Community Tire Drop-off that

yielded 1,500 scrap tires. The Wayne’s Wild Weekend

Discovery Series delivered an anti-littering message to several local children.

On the Ironton Ranger District (IRD), they were quick to participate in a Friday, May 4th, 2012 Great American Cleanup

event known as the Lawrence Countywide Cleanup, held

every year by the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste

Management District. 

With the help of local volunteers from the Symmes Creek

Restoration Committee, the

IRD was able to double its

efforts to beautify Lake

Vesuvius. 

The Symmes Creek

Restoration Committee partnered with the Forest by

using canoes to retrieve and

remove two truckloads of

trash from Lake Vesuvius
near the pond. Thanks

to the students, trees

are now able to grow

without being hindered by the invasive

vine. 

In the afternoon, the

students raked and

picked up fallen

leaves around the

Wayne National

Forest headquarters.

The seniors exhibited a true dedication and commitment

to the task throughout the day and made a difference to

the health of the watershed and improved the appearance

of our workplace.

9

Every year, high school seniors are found throughout Athens

County doing community service work during Athens High

School Senior Make a Difference Day. On November 9,

2012, more than 100 seniors volunteered at 18 job sites

around the county, including the Wayne National Forest.

This marked the fifth consecutive year the school has included the Wayne National Forest as one of their worksites. The

students spent much of the morning at Mud Pond, site of the

Cawthorne Watershed Project. Fifteen students picked up

about 30 bags of trash from an illegal dumpsite that has

affected the health and safety of the watershed. In addition,

50 tires were also picked up and sent off to a recycling center.

The seniors also helped remove Japanese honeysuckle, a

non-native invasive species that was found affecting trees

Forest Embraces Technology to offer Permits and Passes Online

Purchasing a trail permit for the Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio is now just a click away! In 2011, the Forest

began offering secure on-line purchasing of its trail permits, trail permit gift certificates, and the Interagency Annual Pass.

“To purchase any of the products, visit the Forest

website (www.fs.usda.gov/wayne) and click on

Passes and Permits in the left column. The online

store is open 24/7, so the public can make their purchase when it’s convenient for them,” said

Recreation Program Manager Chad Wilberger. “No

more waiting in lines, and permits are shipped

directly to the purchaser.”

Visitors will continue to be able to purchase trail

permits at any Forest office location or at over 20

local vendors in southeast and central Ohio. A complete list of locations is available on the Forest website. The Interagency Annual Pass, Senior, and Access

Pass also remain available at Forest office locations. 

Gift certificates may be purchased and redeemed for a

trail permit (Seasonal:$45, Three-Day:$24, or Daily:$12). The gift certificates do not require a valid state driver’s license to

purchase, however, a valid driver’s license is required at the time they are redeemed for a trail permit. Gift certificates are

valid for one year from the date of purchase. The public can also purchase gift certificates online or at any Forest office

location.

New in 2012, the Wayne National Forest began offering online printable trail permits during the

period 4/1 through 12/15. Online purchased permits can now be printed from home or any location that offers access to a computer with internet service and a color printer. Permits should be

visibly displayed on the ATV, horse, bicycle, or person when riding trails.

Free 8 1/2” x 11” printable trail maps are also available on the Forest website 

under “Maps and Publications.” 

The 241,000 acre Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio has over 300 miles of trails on the

Forest for hiking, ATV riding, mountain biking, or horseback riding. Annually, the Forest estimates

over 40,000 visitors come to ride the Wayne’s trail system. 

Athens High School Seniors Volunteer 
10

In 2005, the Forest developed an exhibit about the

Underground Railroad. A Coal Mining History exhibit

was featured in 2006 while the history of Smokey Bear to

commemorate his 65th birthday was featured in 2009. 

The Forest is currently exploring the development of an

exhibit to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil

War over the next several years. 

detailed plot records have yet been found.

The Elizabeth Township Trustees have had a Special Use

agreement since 1941 to mow the cemetery and grade the

road into the site (the cemetery is located

off County Road 29). A gate was erected

at the county road several years ago to

discourage vandalism and people driving

back to the cemetery to dump trash. Yet it

is a short walk and the Vesuvius Cemetery

is still an active cemetery where people

bury and visit their loved ones. However,

the site is in desperate need of stabilization and additional investigation.

The objective of the clean-up day was to

remove vegetation that either poses a

public safety risk or has impacted or concealed graves. The work involved removing two hazardous dead trees and extensive ground cover in a few locations (invasive yucca plants and several small trees).

A total of six pick-up truck loads and four large bags of

trash and debris were removed by an industrious team of

15 Forest employees and a work crew from the nearby

STAR Community Justice Center.

The fruits of this labor uncovered several grave stones, and

one stone was even reassembled from the discovery of its

long broken fragments. 

Vesuvius Cemetery Cleanup

On May 17, 2012, a group of Wayne National Forest

employees conducted a massive clean-up of the historic

Vesuvius Cemetery located on the Ironton Ranger District.

The cemetery is associated with nearby Vesuvius Iron

Furnace (1833-1906) and was established as early as 1842 as a resting place

for furnace workers and their families.

Most such furnace cemeteries in this

area, known as the Hanging Rock Iron

Region, have many burials due to the

hazardous nature of furnace work and

the associated high mortality rate.

For the past year, Edie Gillenwater, an

employee on the Ironton Ranger District,

has become very interested in Vesuvius

Cemetery and has conducted a considerable amount of research on the site. As

time has permitted, and with assistance

from several fellow District employees,

Edie’s efforts have begun to tell the stories of the families who rest here. Her work indicates that

there may be up to 100 people buried there, including at

least 12 veterans. 

As is often the case with 19th century cemeteries, many of

the grave stones have disappeared. Over time the stones

break or fall over and without repair become covered or

sometimes discarded. Consequently, most of the Vesuvius

graves are currently unmarked and unknown because no

Local Museum Sharing History of the Forest

In honor of the Wayne National Forest’s 75th Anniversary,

the Bob Evans Farm Homestead Museum in Rio Grande,

Ohio, hosted a display to expose thousands of people to the

history of the Forest.

The exhibit started with a brief account of the beginnings of

the conservation movement and the U.S. Forest Service, followed by the Weeks Act. The display told the story of the

development of the Wayne, from the purchase of degraded

and tax delinquent lands, to the history of the CCC camps,

then the transformation of the heavily-impacted lands into

the Forest as it is today.

Over the last six years, the Wayne's Heritage Program has

been graciously invited on four occasions by Ray McKinniss

and Gale Leslie, managers of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. to

develop exhibits for their museum. Each of the exhibits the

Forest has developed have involved many partners and

reached thousands of people.

The museum is located in the original brick home of Bob

and Jewell Evans, which has been renovated as a museum

to tell the story of their life and business entrepreneurship. 

Display at Bob Evans Farm

Homestead Museum
11

Abandoned Mine Lands

Restored to Improve

Watershed Health

The Upstream Rock Run

Reclamation project, funded by

the American Recovery

Reinvestment Act of 2009

(Recovery Act), was completed in

late 2011.

It is located just east of State

Highway 93 between the nearby

towns of New Straitsville and

Shawnee, Ohio. Both of the bordering towns are highly interested

in cleaning up old mining areas

and encouraging more avenues

for economic development in the

area. The primary source of pollution is acid mine drainage.

This area had long been recognized by the U. S. Forest Service, state, and private partners and the surrounding communities as an opportunity to create a highly desirable recreation area for the public to enjoy. In addition to interpreting the

natural history of the area, the Forest

Service also has the opportunity to educate

the public about the importance of continued cleanup of old abandoned mine lands

and how various ecosystems function.

The goal of this Recovery Act project

known as “Devastation to Destination” is to

construct a healthy functioning riparian corridor, restore water quality, and create an

integrated land management strategy. The

project will increase the overall health of

the watershed ecosystem, resulting in

species diversity among the aquatic and

wildlife habitats that once existed in the

watershed. 

Over the last fifteen years, the Wayne

National Forest and its partners have

worked together to restore the Monday

Creek Watershed, which encompasses

75,000 acres in three counties on the

Athens Ranger District. For nearly a century, the aquatic life that once thrived in this

watershed has been virtually dead. Today,

the restoration efforts of the 27-mile-long

main stem has resulted in the identification

of 25 species of fish. In 2009, the Ohio

Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA)

reversed their designation from non-restorable to being able to achieve warm water

habitat status. The Forest attributes its partnership to the success due to the sharing of

expertise, resources, and funding that is

required for a watershed of this size.

History:

The Upstream Rock Run drainage was heavily impacted by underground mining activities in the late 1800’s and again in the mid

1900’s from strip mining. The drainages were blocked by piles of

old mine waste and soils. Based on average rainfall estimates, it is

projected that the 60 million gallons of water that falls here in a

typical year ended up in the mines, producing acid mine drainage.

The blockages created a bowl shaped area which trapped the rainfall and prevented it from flowing out of the area as a stream. In

some parts of the drainage the underground mines have collapsed

causing fairly deep depressions on the surface of the land, which

are called subsidences.

Acid mine drainage is toxic to aquatic life and has a harmful effect

on the adjacent riparian vegetation. However, many subsidences

are covered over with leaf litter and debris, or have been backfilled with dirt like the ones in the Upstream Rock Run drainage,

so they are not readily apparent on the land surface. 

Thanks to our partners:

• Hocking College

• Monday Creek Restoration Project (MCRP) 

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) 

As of December 31, 2012, partnerships have contributed

$6,755,559 in the past 10 years, bringing the total to $13,556,000

in construction contracts to help restore 46 abandoned mine land

sites on the Forest. 
12

Forest Service Employees Help

Victims of Superstorm Sandy 

In late 2012, a group of 12 Wayne

National Forest employees were part

of a 20-person chainsaw crew sent

to the Northeast to help Superstorm

Sandy cleanup efforts. Other crew

members were from the Shawnee

National Forest and Midewin

National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois.

The group was one of 43 U. S. Forest

Service fire crews from 17 states

working in storm-ravaged areas in

Connecticut, New Jersey, New York,

and West Virginia.

Steve Alarid, Wayne National Forest timber manager

and firefighter, was among the team members

dispatched shortly after Sandy hammered the

Northeast.

“We were initially sent to Forest Park in

Queens, NY, to clear roads and trails, so the

public could get around. About 90 trees, some

probably 150 to 200 years old, were affected

by the storm,” said Alarid. “The first few nights

we stayed in a local volunteer fire department.” 

During its two-week assignment the crew also

provided support to local emergency response

agencies and assisted at FEMA facilities. For example,

after about three days of cleaning up trees, the crew

was reassigned to help organize a receiving and distribution center in Long Beach, NY.

Gordon Farley, a Wayne National Forest minerals and

special use administration specialist and firefighter, said

the Sandy recovery effort was the largest incident on

which he has ever worked. 

The western Pennsylvania native who now lives in

Athens County said, “I really felt the storm victims

were grateful for our assistance. From Queens to

downtown Manhattan, we interacted with the public

on a daily basis. We even got around using the subway system. That mode of transportation was a lot

different from what I’m accustomed to on a wildfire,

but it was helpful getting around.”

“While working at the Long Beach Receiving and

Distribution Center, we really helped in organizing

items as they were being received by donors. We

helped separate items like canned goods, clothing,

water, baby items, and cleaning supplies. It was

amazing how much clothing was coming into the

facility.” The volunteers on site did a

great job distributing the supplies, said

Farley. 

In a spirit of cooperation and concern,

several Forest Service employees and

other interagency wildland firefighting

specialists scrambled to fill orders from

the Federal Emergency Management

Agency needed for the massive cleanup

job. 

The Forest Service’s experience in wildland fire management makes it an ideal

partner to help coordinate operations

during a natural disaster. The Forest

Service developed the Incident Command System that governs the actions of everyone involved in disaster recovery

after years of experience in wildland fire suppression operations.

The Forest Service reported that nine Incident

Management Teams were operating mobilization

centers, staging areas, and supporting Emergency

Operations Centers to provide relief. Under emergency support functions detailed in the National

Response Framework, the Forest Service assumes

responsibility for providing firefighting assets and

personnel who coordinate disaster relief operations, oversee supply distributions, and provide

strategic organizational experts at regional and

national coordination centers.

“Our Incident Management Teams bring skills in organization, planning, and logistics to meet the needs of communities tragically affected by Hurricane Sandy,” said Forest

Service Chief Tom Tidwell. 

At the height of the hurricane response effort, approximately 1,200 interagency firefighters organized by the Forest

Service were sent to help communities in need. 

FEMA receiving and distribution

center in Long Beach, NY.

Gordon Farley
13

White-Nose Syndrome Detected Among Bats

In 2011, wildlife officials confirmed the first Ohio case of

white-nose syndrome in bats hibernating in an abandoned

mine on the Wayne National Forest Ironton Ranger

District in Lawrence County.

During February and March of 2011, state and federal

biologists surveyed mines located in Ohio to assess bat

populations and conduct surveillance for white-nose syndrome. Biologists documented over 1,300 bats hibernating at the Lawrence County

mine, of which 69 percent

were little brown bats; 21 percent were Indiana bats (state

and federally endangered); 10

percent were tri-colored bats,

with smaller numbers of big

brown bats and northern bats.

Dr. Kevin Keel at the

Southeastern Cooperative

Wildlife Disease Study in

Athens, Georgia evaluated samples collected in the mine.

Histopathology confirmed

observations and the presence

of the disease. The mine site is

gated and protected from public access. 

White-nose syndrome was first

detected in New York State in

2006 and has killed more than

a million cave-hibernating bats

in the eastern North America.

Since its initial discovery, white-nose has been confirmed

in 15 states and two Canadian provinces; it is suspected

to occur in two additional states.

White-nose syndrome is associated with a newly identified fungus called Geomyces destructans. The disease got

its name from how the fungus appears and grows into

white tufts on the muzzles of infected bats. Biologists

believe the main method of transfer of the disease is batto-bat transmission. It’s also believed that humans can

transport the fungal spores on their shoes, clothes, and

other gear from contaminated sites to new sites. Whitenose syndrome does not affect human health, in part

because the fungus requires temperatures cooler than the

human body to survive.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)

Division of Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and

U. S. Forest Service have taken pro-active steps in anticipation of white-nose syndrome. For instance, the Wayne

National Forest instituted a comprehensive mine closure

order on Forest Service property in 2010; conducted bat

population monitoring, engaged in heightened white-nose

syndrome surveillance measures, and has listed the little brown, northern, and tri-color bats to the sensitive

species listing within the federal forest. State and federal agencies will continue to monitor Ohio’s bat population; conduct disease surveillance for the syndrome; and implement management strategies to

reduce the spread of the disease where applicable.

The numbers of bat deaths nationwide associated with

the white-nose syndrome are unprecedented in recent

history. The fast rate at which

white-nose syndrome spread

across eastern North

America; the high rate of

mortality; and the previously

unknown fungal pathogen

have made this a challenging disease event. Scientists

are actively evaluating the

bat species that are most at

risk; surveying caves for the

presence of the susceptible

bats and the disease; and

developing strategies for disease management.

People can help slow the

disease spread and reduce

disturbance to bats by staying out of caves and mines.

Ohioans who observe more

than six dead bats or large

numbers of bats flying outside in the winter (less than

40°F), especially near a cave or mine where bats are

known to hibernate, should report those observations

to the ODNR Division of Wildlife at

wildinfo@dnr.state.oh.us, or 1-800-WILDLIFE (945-

3543). People should take the same precautions when

dealing with any wild animal, avoid touching wildlife

and do not pick up sick or dead bats.

Bats play an important role in the ecosystem, serving

as a top predator for night-flying insects including

mosquitoes, beetles, moths, and other human, agricultural and forest pests.

White-nose syndrome was confirmed in an abandoned limestone mine on the Ironton Ranger District

of the Wayne National Forest in Lawrence County,

Ohio, by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife

Disease Study (Athens, GA) on 24 March 2011.

For more information about WNS and Ohio bats, visit

http://bit.ly/WhiteNoseSyndrome

http://whitenosesyndrome.org.

View other photos from the 2011 survey:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsnortheast/sets/7

2157626256548727
14

• Reaching the Younger Generation

In December 2012, these four areas were presented to the

stakeholders as topics for group discussion. 

Stakeholders selected which of four group discussions to

participate in though none chose “engaging youth.” Within

each topic area, the small group was asked to discuss:

What can we work on together? What are the opportunities, interests, efforts that we could work on in collaboration? What would we like to see happen? In order to pursue efforts in this area, who needs to be involved and are

they here? What role can you or your organization play in

this effort? What are the next steps?

A number of attendees at the December meeting identified

possible actions that they or their organizations could take.

Both the Marietta-Washington County CVB and the

Parkersburg CVB indicated that they are ready and able to

promote activities and events and serve as an informational

hub. The Wayne National Forest representatives noted that

there will be at least two more conversations like this

throughout the region of the Wayne

National Forest, and additional opportunities may surface from these dialogues. 

Several follow-up meetings are

planned throughout 2013.

Participants wanting to be a part of the

effort are welcome to join us. Please

contact Ann Grasso or Chad Wilberger

at (740) 753-0101 for more details. 

The Wayne National Forest and the Voinovich School of

Leadership and Public Affairs partnered with the MariettaWashington County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to

help introduce the Community Engagement through

Recreation & Tourism (CERT) initiative. CERT is a collaborative development of shared visions for recreation and

tourism in southeast Ohio and provides interested parties an

opportunity to reach beyond boundaries and explore new

business approaches. In this spirit, CERT discussions seek to

spur conversation so that we may begin a journey of collective learning and together begin to imagine a more sustainable future.

The CVB assisted the Wayne National Forest in finding a

facility to hold a discussion on sustainable recreation and

tourism and the value of recreation and tourism in SE Ohio.

The CVB developed a list of potential participants that

would be interested in recreation and tourism, and also

worked with the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public

Affairs in facilitating a discussion with the participants.

In March 2012, during the first phase of CERT, numerous

stakeholders attended a meeting at

Marietta College and identified four

key areas of concern:

• Education, Awareness, Information

Sharing and Cross Promotion

• Structural and Economic

Development

• Programs and Event Development

In 2011-2012, 846

acres of the Wayne

National Forest was

treated through the

NWTF’s financial support of $60,000, with

an additional $30,000 coming

from the National Forest

Foundation.

The NWTF State Board of Directors

has also committed $30,000 for 2013.

NWTF state superfunds (funds generated through support banquets) have

matched funding from the National Forest Foundation

for maintenance of early successional habitat. The maintenance is essential for the continued existence of many

declining species within the region.

Partnership Helps Improve 

Wildlife Opening Habitat

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)

has been greatly involved with the conservation

of species and the management of habitats

within southeastern Ohio. On the Wayne

National Forest, the partnership with other agencies has worked vigorously to address issues to

protect the environment and address local management issues. 

Through the Openlands Habitat Program on the Wayne

National Forest, the Forest is providing habitat for species

that require grassland and shrubland habitat for all or part

of their life cycle. 

Maintenance and enhancement of openlands habitats

benefits a host of wildlife species including the wild

turkey, American woodcock, black bear, white-tailed deer,

native pollinators, and grassland/shrubland birds. 

Sharing Visions for Recreation and Tourism in Southeast Ohio

In late 2011, a contractor on the Wayne

National Forest treats

open lands for

wildlife habitat

improvement north

of Nelsonville, adjacent to the Hocking

River.
NONDISCRIMINATION

STATEMENT:

The U.S. Department of

Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its programs

and activities on the basis of

race, color, national origin,

sex, religion, age, disability,

political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family

status, (not all prohibited

bases apply to all programs.)

Persons with disabilities who

require alternative means for

communication of program

information (Braille, large

print, audio tape, etc.)

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202/720-

2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA

Director, Office of Civil

Rights, Room 326-W,

Whitten Building, 1400

Independence Avenue,

Washington, DC 20250-

9410 or call 202/720-5964

(voice or TDD). USDA is an

equal opportunity provider

and employer.

Wayne National Forest

2011/2012 Payments to Counties

In the past two years these Ohio counties received an average of $4.64 per acre for NF lands within their

counties. In addition monies were also paid for road projects, cooperative law enforcement, and volunteer

fire department support. Although national forests do not pay property taxes for the land managed by the

federal government, these are funds paid in lieu of taxes to compensate local governments for the land

taken off the tax rolls. (Payments below are for both 2011 and 2012.) 

County NF Acreage PILT Payment

Athens 18,640 12,454 65,601 9,763 87,818

Gallia 17,563 20,810 44,155 8,934 73,899

Hocking 26,002 17,402 85,864 13,624 116,890

Jackson 1,701 1,117 6,058 891 8,006

Lawrence 73,416 295,763 30,203 36,556 362,522

Monroe 24,414 18,405 69,223 12,724 100,352

Morgan 3,334 2,226 15,141 1,774 19,111

Noble 694 446 3,781 364 4,611

Perry 22,331 14,946 89,875 11,607 116,428

Scioto 11,625 7,779 36,240 6,092 50,111

Vinton 1,869 1,250 8,540 979 10,769

Washington 39,602 57,528 91,298 20,624 169,450

TOTAL 241,191 450,146 545,979 123,902 1,120, 047

Secure Rural

Schools

Payments

Mineral

Payments

Total

Payment 

to County

NOTE: All acres managed as national forest are not entitled to PILT payments.

Forest Employees Restoring 

Oak-hickory Forest 

In the fall of 2011 on the Ironton

Ranger District, 26 Wayne National

Forest employees expanded their

skills and accomplished something

that seemed out of reach, that was to

conduct the first prescribed burn in

four years that was carried out by

Forest employees. 

“The Wayne is very fortunate to have

cross-trained employees in fire operations. They help the Forest implement

our burns, which are designed to

restore oak-hickory forests and

improve wildlife habitat,” said Gary

Willison, fire program group leader.

“Many of the employees work as a

wildlife biologist, archaeologist or

even a botanist, so I feel they have an

invested interest in ensuring the prescribed burn is a success.”

By staffing the 545 acre burn with Forest employees, it

also helped significantly to reduce the overall cost of the

operation. Estimated cost per acre to burn was $32,

compared to $60 per acre on previous burns. 

The only employee that wasn’t from the Wayne was

Tedd Huffman, the regional air specialist assigned to the Forest to help

set up and monitor smoke generated

by the burn.

Thanks to the employees the

burn was a big step forward

for the Wayne to continue

refining its prescribed burning operations and improving its oak-hickory ecosystem. 

The Wayne National Forest

seeks to keep oak-hickory

forests from losing their

dominance on the landscape in

southeast Ohio. This forest type is

fire dependent, meaning occasional

prescribed burning actually helps

them out compete other species of

trees like shade loving maple and

beech. 

Through the use of prescribed burning, the Forest is creating conditions that allow young oak

and hickory trees to thrive. A Forest with oak and hickory

trees provide critical habitat to a variety of wildlife species.

During fiscal year 2012, the Forest completed burning

1,828 acres in five burn units.

Firefighter Steve

Sapio uses a drip

torch to introduce fire to the

landscape during

the Darby Creek

prescribed burn

on the Ironton

Ranger District. 

15
16

Award Category: Walking the Talk for Sustainability

Wayne National Forest Sustainability Team: Rachel Orwan, Mike Nicklow, Katrina Schultes, Cheryl Coon, Nicole Stump,

Aurora Roemmich, Gary Chancey, Chris Wilson, Dawn McCarthy, Jarel Bartig, Nick Galentin. 

Award Category: Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries

Restoring Abandoned Mine Lands at a Watershed Scale

Wayne National Forest Watershed Team: Gary Willison, Watershed Group Leader, Pam Stachler, Forest Hydrologist, Mike

Nicklow, Environmental Engineer, Katrina Schultes, Wildlife Biologist, Walter Grebeck, Engineering Technician/COR,

Latasha Lyte, Soil Scientist, Chris Wilson, Engineer, Monday Creek Restoration Project (MCRP), Ohio Department of Natural

Resources Division of Resources Management (DMRM), Ohio University, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA),

U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclaimation and Enforcement, and US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE). See related story

on page 11.

Award Category: Revolutionize Effectiveness and Efficiency

Appalachian Ohio Ailanthus Initiative Team: Cheryl Coon (U. S. Forest Service, Wayne National Forest), Nicole Stump (U.

S. Forest Service, Wayne National Forest), Joe Barber (Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR), Aaron Kloss (Ohio Dept.

of Natural Resources (ODNR), Joanne Rebbeck (USFS, Northern Research Station), Tom Shuman (Ohio Dept. of Natural

Resources (ODNR), Danzil Walker (Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR), Courtney Streithorst (Ohio Dept. of Natural

Resources (ODNR), Buster Keaton (Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR). See related story on page 3.

Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) to allow

horizontal drilling for natural gas using high volume

hydraulic fracturing technology, nor is there the need to

supplement the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that

was prepared for the Forest Plan. Her decision came after

a team of Forest Service specialists examined the

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was developed

for the revised Forest Plan to determine if the impacts associated with the development of horizontal wells as projected by the Bureau of Land Management were addressed in

the FEIS/Forest Plan.

On the Wayne National Forest, mineral development is an

important component of resource management. The development of federal and privately owned minerals underlying

the Wayne National Forest provides revenues and income

to local communities. The federal government contributes

royalties received from mineral production on federal minerals to those counties within the Forest. (See chart on page

15)

One Federal Lease for a natural gas well in Hocking

County was developed in 2012 using conventional drilling

techniques.

Further details can be found on our 

Oil & Gas activities website at: www.fs.usda.gov/wayne

Snapshot:

Land and Minerals Program Activity

The Wayne National Forest land purchase program buys land

from willing sellers to improve the management efficiency of

the Forest. As of December 31, 2012, the Forest includes

241,191 acres in twelve southeastern Ohio counties.

In 2011 and 2012, the Forest Service acquired four parcels of

land on the Athens Ranger District totaling almost 75 acres.

• One parcel (2 acres) near the historic village of Shawnee,

in Perry County, Ohio.

• Also in Perry County, one parcel (1.19 acres) was purchased adjacent to the Upstream Rock Run Reclamation site.

• In Athens County, 8 acres was purchased near the area

where the endangered American burying beetle was reintroduced.

• In Washington County, 63.77 acres was purchased on the

Marietta Unit.

The acquired properties were inholdings, land surrounded by

National Forest System land, that improved consolidation of

the Wayne National Forest.

Minerals:

On August 27, 2012, Forest Supervisor Anne Carey

announced there is no need to correct or amend the 2006

Wayne National Forest 2011-2012 Regional Forester Award Recipients

Wayne 

www.fs.usda.us/wayne

Wayne National Forest Headquarters/Welcome Center and Athens Ranger District

13700 US Highway 33 • Nelsonville, OH 45764-9880

Work: (740) 753-0101

Athens Ranger District-Marietta Unit

27750 State Route 7 • Marietta, OH 45750-9740

Work: (740) 373-9055

Ironton Ranger District

6518 State Route 93 • Pedro, OH 45659-8912

Work: (740) 534-6500

On Twitter: 

@waynenationalfs

Flickr Photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/

photos/waynenf/