The Year In Review

2009

WAYNE
•Road signage Forest-wide will be installed. 

•Restore abandoned mine lands. 

•Hazardous fuels reduction to help reduce

the potential of large wildfires. 

A complete list of projects is on page 7. 

As you read the pages of the Year in Review,

you’ll see how we continue to connect more

citizens to the Forest. Last year, the Forest

accumulated almost 13,000 hours of volunteer time through individual and group partnerships. The hours saved the Forest almost

$240,000 of labor cost. 

In 2010, the Forest will celebrate its 75th

anniversary as a national forest in Ohio.

During our year of celebration, we look forward to carrying out our ARRA responsibilities

and implementing our Forest Plan to enhance

wildlife habitat. 

A Letter From The Supervisor

Our priority for 2009 and 2010 is

to create jobs to assist the country in implementing the American

Recovery & Reinvestment Act

(ARRA) of 2009. 

I’m so proud of how employees

on the Forest have answered the

call to make this happen. 

In 2009, the Forest received just

over $7 million in economic

stimulus funds to finance a number of projects over a two-year

period. During the summer,

$400,000 of ARRA funding paid

for the expansion of our solar

energy program. Local contractors were hired to

purchase and install 252 solar panels on our headquarters building to reduce our carbon footprint. A

real-time display of energy production in the

headquarters’ building educates the public about

the solar energy system. 

Here are a few approved 2009 ARRA projects: 

•Reducing maintenance backlog & improving

facilities by replacing and upgrading sewer systems. 

Wayne 

Front cover image of the 2009 Leith Run Fishing Derby held at the Leith Run

Recreation Area near Marietta. See event pictures and other Forest images at

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

Forest Supervisor, Wayne National Forest
FOREST HEADQUARTERS

Nelsonville, Ohio

Hundreds of new solar panels now adorn the roof of the Supervisor's

Office in Nelsonville thanks to ARRA funding.

Thanks to funding from the American Recovery

Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Wayne National

Forest has reached a new milestone with its

three-year-old solar energy program. On August

3, 2009, construction crews finished installing

252 new solar panels on the roof of the

Forest's headquarters building near

Nelsonville, Ohio - a direct result of

federal stimulus money.

The expanded system with a total of

302 panels is expected to generate 30

to 34 percent of the building’s electricity during peak production months (15

to 20 percent of the facility’s energy needs.)

At peak production the panels produce just over

60,000 watts, enough to completely power six

average homes. 

Rob Phillips, project manager for the local contractor, notes the project provided jobs. “In addition to our regular crew, we were able to pull

some people off the unemployment lines to help

with this job.” He said at least three electricians

plus office staff were hired. 

Steve Marchi, Forest engineer, estimates

the solar panels will annually reduce

the amount of carbon dioxide generated by 72 tons. The system should be

virtually maintenance free for the next

30 years. 

The solar panels not only offset the building’s

energy costs but also are a teaching tool on the

advantages of solar-powered technology. The

Wayne offers public tours of the new solar system, and an electronic kiosk in the headquarters

lobby gives up-to-the-minute readouts of how

much electricity is being generated by the solar

panels. In October, the facility was on the annual

Ohio Solar Tour.

(See a complete list of Forest ARRA Projects on pg. 7)

Land Acquisitions in 2009

Three land purchases totaling 76 acres in 2009

allowed the Wayne National Forest to grow to

241,052 acres. The Forest acquired 27 acres on

the Marietta Unit, 48 acres on the Ironton District

and almost one acre on the Athens District. 

The Marietta purchase used Land and Water 3

Photos by: Alex Snyder/

Volunteer Photographer
Conservation Fund (LWCF) dollars to acquire

lands in Washington County that consolidate

public land ownership and provide wildlife

habitat opportunitities.

The Ironton land purchase joined public land

on most of its boundary. LWCF and Sisk Act

funds were used to buy the land. Sisk Act dollars were obtained from a land exchange on

the Marietta Unit. This property contains over

1,300 feet along Pine Creek. This important

stream contains the little spectacle case mussel,

a regional forester species of concern. 

In the final purchase on the Athens District, the

Forest partnered with Forest Conservancy

Limited, a local land trust to acquire the land.

The trust acquired the property from a Sheriff

sale and held the property until the purchase

was completed by the USDA Forest Service. The

parcel improved access in order to perform a

watershed restoration project. 

The new 48-acre

Myers Tract on

the Ironton

District adjoins

the national forest

on most of its

boundary.

Abandoned Mine Lands Restored

with American Chestnuts

An estimated 3,000 American chestnuts

and 200 American elm trees were planted

on six acres of reclaimed mine land,

known as the Doaneville Coal Mine site

near Nelsonville. Boy Scouts and their

families spent two days planting 2,200 of

these trees as part of an Eagle Scout project organized by a young man from

Columbus, Ohio.

The Forest Service Northern Research

Station - Delaware Laboratory received

the American chestnut seeds from the

American Chestnut Foundation.

Researchers wanted to test these trees on

reclaimed mine land. In order to improve

their chances of survival, the seedlings

were inoculated with four different strains

of mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhiza play a

vital role in reforestation by providing the plant several benefits that are critical for their survival and

growth in hostile environments such as reclaimed mine sites.

Though much of the physical reclamation was done in 2008, this year saw the area reforested. These

lands will once again sequester carbon, helping mitigate climate change. Thanks to our partners, if

the reforestation research on the Wayne succeeds, it may be applied across the Appalachian coal

mining region. 4
ing and distributing publicity posters. Local and

state firefighting agencies were there in force

with engines, displays, and activities. The 25-foot

Smokey Bear cold-air balloon from

Albuquerque, NM was an impressive backdrop

to both events.

Several activities engaged children and their

families. They could listen to the story of

Partner Work Improves Aquatic

Passages

In partnership with the Ohio Department of

Transportation (ODOT), the Forest Service

coordinated with their aquatic organism

passage training cadre to teach alternative

ways to design stream crossings. This training was applicable to the design and

replacement of bridges and culverts to

improve crossings for wildlife and aquatic

organisms. Previously, ODOT’s concern was

for moving water under the road, but by giving more attention to orientation and size of

passages they could also address concerns

for the aquatic species in streams. 

Over 40 engineers and biologists from ODOT, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ohio

Department of Natural Resources, US Fish and Wildlife, and the Corps of Engineers attended the training. The Forest hopes the partnership will have a significant impact on future road/stream crossings

across the state, even beyond the Forest boundaries. EPA is using the information to change their permitting process for roads crossing perennial streams. This represents a significant change in the way

stream crossings across the state are designed and installed. 

Shortly after the workshop was held, the Forest received American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds

totaling $1.75 million to finance an aquatic organism passage project. Work will begin in 2010 to

replace crossings on State Hwy 26 (Monroe and Washington counties) in the Little Muskingum

Watershed area. The stimulus funds, combined with other Forest funding adds up to $2 million worth of

improvements for road safety and aquatic organism passage work in this biologically diverse watershed.

Smokey Bear

and friends 

from a local 

preschool. 

Photo by: Alex Snyder/

Volunteer Photographer

Forest Uses Smokey Bear’s 65th

Birthday to Promote Fire Prevention

Smokey Bear celebrated his

birthday with 700 of his

friends and fans at the

Wayne’s Nelsonville office

on Thursday, August 6. He

then celebrated with

another crowd of admirers

at the Bob Evans Farm in

Rio Grande, Ohio, on

Sunday, August 9. 

"The partnerships for these events

were great," said Gary Chancey, Forest public

affairs officer. "An amazing number of people

came forward and contributed to making both

events a success." The Forest also used social

media to promote the events to the public.

For the Nelsonville event the Athens County

Convention and Visitor's Bureau (CVB), WXTQ

POWER 105, and Athens Messenger donated

advertising and publicity for the events to ensure

a large crowd. POWER 105 Radio broadcast live

from the party. The Athens Messenger also

donated space in its Sunday paper to publish a

Smokey Bear coloring contest. Athens CVB

donated hundreds of cupcakes, along with print- 5
Smokey’s life, climb the historic fire tower,

learn about campfire safety, play a "douse the

flame" game, get a

Smokey Bear balloon

and a bag of fire prevention items, tour fire

engines, and visit with

firefighters. 

On Sunday, in Rio

Grande at the Bob Evans

Farm, the Homestead

Museum held a second

party with many activities

and rides with Smokey

Bear in the kiddie train.

Chancey noted that, "Bob

Evans Farm really made it

a nice event." 

Smokey’s Legacy 

Featured at Bob

Evan’s Homestead

Museum 

“Everyone loves Smokey Bear, and we have an

incredibly rich legacy to share, so we wanted

to make sure we did it right," said Ann Cramer,

Wayne National Forest archaeologist. 

The 1820’s-era Homestead Museum, originally

Bob and Jewell Evans' home, is today a museum.

Thousands of visitors tour the museum at Bob

Evans Farm. The Smokey

exhibit is the third exhibit

the Homestead Museum

has done with the Wayne.

The exhibit opened in midApril and ran through

December. The panels told

Smokey's story in pictures

and words while cases of

Smokey memorabilia lined

the walls. The panels and

displays also included the

story of fire lookout towers

and firefighters who, along

with Smokey, have been

part of the country's fire

prevention and control

efforts for 65 years.

"Thousands of people

come through the museum

every month," notes

Cramer. "And though most

of us over 40 grew up

knowing Smokey's story, the younger generation doesn’t know it. We were able to put a

story behind the bear they see on TV and on

billboards. We gave him a connection to people, so when Smokey asks them to prevent wildfires, he'll be asking a friend."

In 2008, the beetles did show signs of reproduction, and the new release sites will be monitored

closely as well. The hope is that the beetles will

soon be reestablished on the Wayne. The last

known record of an American burying beetle in

the State of Ohio occurred in 1974 in Hocking

County.

View images of the reintroduction on the Wayne

National Forest photostream at

www.flickr.com/waynenf

Burying Beetles Return to the Wayne

In the largest release yet, 437 pairs of

the endangered American burying

beetle (ABB) were reintroduced in a tricounty area including Athens, Morgan, and

Perry counties. This is the second year partners

have released the rare beetle on the Forest. In

2008, 250 pairs of beetles were introduced.

The beetles used in the release came from

rearing facilities at Ohio State University, The

Wilds, and the St. Louis Zoo.

6

Partners and volunteers help release

American burying

beetles on the

Forest. Each beetle

is released with the

buried carcass of a

bird

Photos by: Alex Snyder/

Volunteer Photographer

Photo by: Alex Snyder / Volunteer Photographer
Regional Forester Honor Awards: Congratulations to Wayne National Forest Winners! 

This year the Wayne received four awards from the Regional office for excellence

in different program areas. 

Category: Connecting Citizens to the Land

Smokey Bear Uses New Media to Connect with Communities. Team Members:

Gary Chancey, Ann Cramer, Chris Euler, Teena Ligman, Ann Grasso, Mike

Buchanan, and the Bob Evans Homestead Museum.

Category: Walk the Talk for Sustainability

Solar Power System. Team Members: Gary Willison, Steve Marchi, and Chris Wilson 

Category: Being an Employer of Choice

Successional Planning: Career Development Program. Team Members: Steve Marchi, Ann Grasso,

Steve Sapio, Kari Kirschbaum, Edie Gillenwater, Mike Freidhof, and Bettie Maultsby

Category: Revolutionizing Effectiveness and Efficiency The Engine Academy that Could: the 2009

Eastern Area Engine Academy. Team Members: included several from across the Region including

Jason Simms, Wayne NF.

ARRA PROJECT LIST

7

Wide range of projects to be funded through ARRA,

including: 

Solar Panel Expansion Project ($400,000)

•Purchased and installed 252 additional solar panels.

•Project completed August 2009.

Hazardous Fuel Reduction ($1,414,000) 

•Ensure good trail access in the event of wildfire.

•Clear trails of brush for use as control lines for both

wildfire and prescribed fire.

•Treat Non-native invasive plant species to prevent

spread from fire operations.

•In 2009, mechanically treated 400-acres of autumn

olive to improve grassland habitat for Henslow’s

Sparrow.

•Monitoring the effects of prescribed burning on vegetation.

•Construct and maintain containment lines for prescribed burns.

•Forest-wide mowing projects to create and maintain

wildlife openings and to reduce hazardous fuels.

Ecosystem/Watershed Enhancements ($2,000,000) 

•Improve fish passages along Hwy 26 in Monroe and

Washington counties.

•Reconnect headwaters of the Little Muskingum

River to the main stream, allowing all aquatic organisms to travel all sections of the watershed.

•Partnering with Ohio Department of Transportation.

•The work will reduce maintenance at culvert crossings and improve user safety. 

•Design Phase 2009-2010. Construction begins 2011.

•Forest-wide priority watersheds will undergo culvert

replacement to improve aquatic access above previously blocked sections of selected streams.

Roads ($850,000)

•Approximately 20 sites Forest-wide will be paved

to improve user access, stabilize road surfaces, and

decrease long term maintenance. 

•Some grading and gravel placement, as well as

roadside mowing will take place on several roads to

improve safety and minimize erosion. 

•Road signage Forest-wide will be replaced to meet

new standards for current regulatory standards and

the USDA Forest Service Travel Management Plan. 

•Work started in 2009. 

Trails ($1,300,000)

•Improve safety and long-term stability/condition of

Forest all-terrain vehicle, horseback riding, and

pedestrian trails Forest-wide. Gravel will be used at

a variety of roads, trails, and watershed projects. 

Facilities ($405,000)

•This project will replace and upgrade the sewer

system for the public and administration facilities

located below Lake Vesuvius dam in Lawrence

County. It will protect water quality and reduce

long- term maintenance cost for the Forest. Begin

work in 2010.

•Two earthen dams on the Ironton Ranger District

will undergo extensive maintenance. 

•Replace dam valve, install outlet structures, and

repair embankments.

Abandoned Mine Lands ($825,000) 

•Upstream Rock Run Coal Mine Remediation

Project will open 16 blocked drainages to allow

water to flow freely from a 300-acre watershed. 

•Water is currently being captured and seeping into

underground mine complexes. 

Received a total of $7,194,000 to fund projects that will create jobs, restore and/or

improve habitats, and increase public safety. All work is scheduled to be contracted and

completed over the next two years. 

Regional Forester

Kent Connaughton

presents Forest

Supervisor Jo Reyer

with Regional

Forester Awards.

Photo courtesy of:

Doyle's Photography
Educators Attend

“Flying Wild” Workshop

Twenty Ohio educators

attended a “Flying Wild”

workshop hosted by the

Athens Ranger District.

Partners in the workshop

included the Ohio

Environmental Education

Fund and the Environmental

Education Council of Ohio.

Workshop participants

responded with enthusiasm to the “Flying Wild”

resource guides. The facilitators used hands-on

activities about birds and conservation to

encourage learning. “Flying Wild” is a cross-curricular program that has science at its core but

connects to language art, social science, math,

physical education, and art. 

One teacher commented, "These activities will

help us utilize our new outdoor classroom at our

land lab and will also help prepare our

Envirothon teams.” 

The Athens District also constructed a bird blind

behind their office where visitors can watch

birds. Onsite interpretive panels also help people

understand bird behavior and identify many

birds they are likely to see. 

Monroe Outlook Developed as

Destination Point

Thanks to the Little Cities of the Forest, Ohio

Department of Natural Resources-Division of

Wildlife (ODNR) and Miller High School, the

Monroe Outlook Trail was constructed in 2009.

The site, located near the Wildcat Hollow Trail

in Perry County, is a high vista with a 360

degree scenic view of the Forest and surrounding communities. 

It provides excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, along with three interpretive panels placed

along the trail. The panels explain natural succession and why Monroe Outlook is maintained

in the early stage of forest succession in a joint

effort by the Forest and ODNR Division of

Wildlife. 

ATHENS RANGER DISTRICT

& MARIETTA UNIT

Fishing with Kids at Leith Run

In June, the banks of the Ohio River at the Leith Run Recreation

Area in Washington County were crowded as 140 kids and

their families came out to fish, many for the first time. For 14

years the District has hosted an annual fishing derby for kids

two to 16 years of age. All the kids need to fish is a rod and reel

along with some bait. 

The event was held in partnership with the West Virgina

Chapter of the Muskies, Inc., Broughton’s Food, and the

Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Forest employees

cooked hotdogs for everyone to enjoy. Several booths and activities were set up for the kids and their families.

The fishing and casting contests were the main events of the

day. Casting is important for safety and accuracy, and Forest

employees helped the kids practice before the casting contest.

The West Virginia Chapter of Muskies, Inc. helped the children

land their fish and get them to the weigh-in station.

Biologists taught the kids about the fish, how to handle them,

and explained catch and release practices. Prizes for each age

group were given for biggest fish and good sportsmanship.

Thanks to everyone who donated prizes.

8
Wayne NF Gets a

Little Canine Help

In 2009, Officer Lucas

Johnson and a two-year

old German Shepherd

named Hondo, attended a six-week dog

academy. Hondo

became certified in

patrol, criminal apprehension, narcotics, and

tracking. This is

Johnson’s first experience as a canine handler, but he said they have

already made several drug cases and been on

hand for a building search. Hondo is very

social and will be used for educational programs as well. The dog is certified through the

Forest Service, the State of Ohio, the National

Association of Police Canine Handlers, and the

American Police Canine Association. 

Forest Grasslands & Hardwoods

Treated with Prescribed Fire

In 2009, Forest fire

management personnel

successfully treated

2,678 acres with prescribed burning operations. 

Athens Ranger District 

•Hocking County, 231

acres. Objective: Keep

large open grassland

areas. Reduce the impact of non-native invasive

plants.

•Athens County, 1295 acres. Objective:

Regenerate oak and hickory, maintain or

improve herbaceous and shrubland habitat,

and reduce hazardous fuels. 

Ironton Ranger District 

•Lawrence County, 1152 acres. Objective:

Regenerate oak and hickory, maintain or

improve herbaceous and shrubland habitat,

and reduce hazardous fuels. 

Frontier Boat Launch Facility Breaks

Ground

The groundbreaking for the new Frontier Boat

Launch in Washington County along the Ohio

River was held October 26, 2009. Construction

is now underway with a completion date for

the 2.2 million dollar facility planned for fall of

2010. A Beverly, Ohio-based company, D.J.

Group is doing the work that was funded with

a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural

Resources-Division of Watercraft.

The two-lane ramp with 70

car/trailer parking spaces will be

located between New

Matamoras and Grandview on

State Route 7. It will be fully

accessible for all recreational

users.

Urban High School

Students Work on the

Wayne

The SITES (Social

Involvement Through

Education and Service) program students spent a week

in April on the Marietta

Unit working in the community for high school

credit. The local Frontier

High School near Marietta

and North Olmstead High School near

Cleveland are sister schools and exchange locations to allow students a glimpse of life in other

areas of the state.

While in the Marietta area, students worked in

several locations in addition to the Wayne.

While on the Forest, the 16 students and four

sponsors prepared the Leith Run Campground

for opening day and worked on invasive plant

removal. The work allows youth from an urban

area a chance to spend time in the outdoors

while learning about the USDA Forest Service.

Forest Mountain Bike Course is

Popular Attraction 

“The Wayne Ultra” in its second year

proved to be very successful in 2009

with 100 mountain bike enthusiast riding on the Marietta Unit near the Leith

Run Recreation Area. The June event is

made up of two mountain bike courses, “The Wayne Ultra” a 40-mile

course, and the “Almost Ultra” a 25-

mile course. A few riders stated that

both courses were very challenging. 

Thanks to the River Valley Mountain Bike

Association (RVMBA) the event has been very

successful. The group has been volunteering for

over 15 years caring for the popular trail system,

and has averaged between 1000 and 1200

hours per year. Their work, mostly trail maintenance, includes tread work, brushing, signing,

and clearing. They have provided the majority

share of their tools, supplies, and recruitment.

They maintain a Forest trail system of over 54

miles. 

For more details, visit www.rvmba.com. 9

Rider Gene

Burgy from

Elizabeth, WV.

enjoys the

mountain bike

trail during

"The Wayne

Ultra". 
National Wild Turkey Federation

Recognizes Wayne NF

Making Tracks is a Forest Service partnership program with the National Wild

Turkey Federation (NWTF), state wildlife

agencies, conservation groups and individuals. Its goal is to emphasize wild

turkey management on the national

forests.

In 2009, at the NWTF's 2009 national

convention in Nashville, Tennessee, the

Ironton Ranger District received a

Making Tracks Award under the category

of Conservation Education. The award

recognized the work of Kari Kirschbaum

and Becky Ewing (Wayne NF Biologists),

and the Ironton Ranger District of the

Wayne NF. The District has partnered with their

local NWTF chapter to provide several events

and new venues for sportsmen with disabilities

during the past five years.

Making Tracks Awards are given out in three categories: Habitat Management, Partnership

Achievement, and Conservation Education.

Partners Help Restore

Forest Wetlands 

Over the past decade, the

Wayne and its partners

have restored 160 acres of

wetland habitat. 

One success story is a 25-

acre field known as the

Whitaker Wetland, a complex of emergent and

ephemeral wetlands located in Gallia County. The

area now mimics the natural oxbows and shallow scour-pools that historically occurred.

The wetland includes open water, emergent wetland, mud flats, shrub-scrub, and wooded wetlands. The low levees have shallow side slopes

that can support trees without risk of levee failure

and will not require annual maintenance. 

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources,

Ducks Unlimited, and National Wild Turkey

Federation each contributed funds totaling

$22,000 toward construction costs. Locally, the

Ashland Federal Prison Camp and the West

Virginia Native Plant Society committed over

$8,000 in labor to monitor and install nest boxes,

plant trees, and seed and mulch the levees.

Summit Crew Steps Up to Help Forest

Service

Since 1998 the Wayne, in partnership with the

Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland,

Kentucky, has provided work for inmates valued at almost $2 million. Over the last 11

years, a 10-man crew known as the “Summit

Crew” has contributed 245 days per year, six

hours a day to provide 14,700 hours of volunteer labor.

In 2009, under the supervision of District staff,

the crew cleared 60 trees that fell in a July

windstorm at Vesuvius Recreation Area. The

inmates remodeled the interior of a 60-year-old

toilet facility, installed a new campground

waterline, surveyed for a campground renovation, completed the new archery trail, and built

a footbridge to access a historic iron furnace. 

The crew also completed 100-acres of crop

tree release and cleared over 120 tons of trash

from 25 illegal dump sites on the Forest. In the

past three years, they have pulled 150 bags of

garlic mustard and treated 90 acres of other

non-native invasive species including tree-ofheaven, stiltgrass, and kudzu using herbicide,

mowing, or cutting. 

In addition to assisting the Forest accomplish

their work, the partnership also helps inmates

gain work skills and is a win-win for all

involved.

Wheelin’

Sportsmen

Event

Keeps

Pulling in

People and

Fish!

A total of

195 guests

and a thousand trout

attended the sixth annual Wheelin' Sportsmen

Fishing Day at Lake Vesuvius. Groups from15

nursing homes, adult day cares and other

organizations, and many individuals came out

to participate in this outreach program of the

South Hills Longbeards Chapter of the National

Wild Turkey Federation and the Wayne. The

event is designed to provide opportunities for

outdoor recreation to individuals with physical

and mental challenges. Additional partners

make the event possible by providing food,

soda, assistance to participants, poles, and fish. 

IRONTON RANGER DISTRICT

10

Kari Kirschbaum,

Wayne NF Biologist

Photo by: Alex Snyder/Volunteer Photographer
The NWTF ranks this as a top 10 event for the

country and for the participants. Their President

noted it might be the only day of the year many

of them are able to do anything like this in the

outdoors.

Partnership Improves Grassland

Habitat

Old strip-mines are common on the Ironton

District and while not a "natural" part of the

landscape, they provide habitat for grassland

birds that are declining throughout their ranges. 

Though most are in non-native grasses, some

support small breeding populations of bobwhite

quail, Henslow's sparrows, grasshopper sparrows, and prairie warblers. Habitat for these

grassland birds could be significantly improved

by converting the areas to native warm-season

grasses and forbs. 

Biologists identified 22 acres in the Brady Run

area and worked with the federal prison crew

and volunteers to collect local genotype seeds

of native grasses and forbs. These seeds were

combined with seeds collected by contract from

local sources to provide the seed for this project. Quail Forever provided $800 for herbicide

to prepare the areas for planting. The Ohio

Division of Wildlife brush hogged and sprayed

the areas, then planted the native grass seeds

with no-till seed drills. In January 2009, Wayne

biologists and technicians went back to the sites

to frost-seed forbs over the planted areas with

an ATV-mounted seed slinger. 

The areas will take several years to become

fully established but have a huge potential to

improve habitat for birds. 

Workforce Development Crew Helps

Forest

Several jobs were accomplished in 2009 on the

Forest, while a crew of young people from the

Lawrence County Workforce Development

Resource Center (WDRC) received valuable job

experience. A crew of five young people (aged

18-22) assisted with timber stand examinations,

non-native species control (pulling 40 bags of

garlic mustard!), and trash cleanup in the recreation area. 

The crew learned to read topographic maps

and operate an electronic data recorder. The

team-work and outdoor skills the crew learned

through this unique job training experience will

benefit them in years to come. The District

received 2,800 man-hours of work through

cooperating with the WDRC, representing

some $20,300 in contributed labor. 

Ohio Natural

Heritage

Program Partners

with Wayne

The Forest has an

ongoing agreement

for the use of data

from the Ohio

Natural Heritage

Database. The database, begun in

1976, now contains

more than 17,000

records for rare

plants, animals, and

high quality natural

plant communities

in Ohio. The Wayne

relies on heritage staff expertise in rare plant

and natural community inventory and management.

In 2009, Heritage Program Botanist Rick

Gardner conducted a survey of Special Interest

Areas on the Ironton Ranger District. Gardner

discovered a new native plant species for Ohio,

the large sedge, Carex gigantea. Large sedge is a

wetland species found mostly in the southeastern United States but also occurs in Indiana and

Illinois and is listed as endangered by both

states. The inventory also resulted in 10 new

rare plant species for the Forest, 136 new rare

plant records, 36 updated records and 14 new

plant community records. A second survey will

be conducted in 2010 on the Athens Ranger

District.

Lake Vesuvius Campground Complex

Undergoes Renovation

At the end of the 2009 camping season, the Oak

Hill Campground complex in the Lake Vesuvius

Recreation Area was closed to allow construction crews to start a $1.4 million renovation

project.

Diaz Construction of Piketon, Ohio, was awarded the contract to completely renovate the

campground complex. The public will soon see

new restroom/shower facilities, new water

hydrants, expanded camp spurs to accommodate larger recreational vehicles, electric

hookups, picnic tables and fire rings, and new

signage. All facilities will meet the standards set

forth by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), to

allow full access to people of all abilities. 

Funding for the project came from special

appropriations from the USDA Forest Service

Recreation Site Improvement Program.

Construction will be completed late summer of 2010. 11

The large

sedge, Carex

gigantea, was

found on the

Forest. 

Photo by 

Rick Gardner 
USDA Forest Service • Wayne National Forest

13700 US Highway 33, Nelsonville, OH 45764 

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 

Wayne National Forest

2009 Payments to Counties

In 2009, Ohio counties received from $2.30-$5.59/acre (average was $3.44/acre) for National

Forest 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 (PILT) to compensate local governments for the land taken off the tax rolls. 

County NF Acreage PILT Payment

Athens 18,633 27,408 46,085 3,601 77,094

Gallia 17,563 25,776 27,976 3,295 57,047

Hocking 26,002 57,854 52,443 5,025 115,322

Jackson 1,701 3,331 3,958 329 7,618

Lawrence 73,415 145,916 9,868 13,482 169,266

Monroe 24,414 37,407 49,983 4,693 92,083

Morgan 3,328 6,615 10,662 643 17,920

Noble 694 1,243 2,389 134 3,766

Perry 22,270 43,989 55,551 4,281 103,821

Scioto 11,625 22,969 23,597 2,247 48,813

Vinton 1,869 3,681 5,995 361 10,037

Washington 39,537 59,010 61,035 7,606 127,651

TOTAL 241,051 435,199 349,542 45,697 830,438

Secure Rural

Schools

Payments

Mineral

Payments

Total

Payment 

to County

www.fs.fed.us/r9/wayne/