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Ecoscenario: Monongahela National Forest 4/16/03 3:20 PM Courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Monongahela National Forest covers a large area in eastern West Virginia. In the 1880s forests in the Allegheny Mountains and throughout the Northeast were extensively logged for timber. Clearcut logging removed all vegetation in many areas. This increased the erosion of soil, which washed into streams and polluted water with mud and silt. In the Monongahela region, two major forest fires, one starting near a Civil War camp and another by lumbering activity, further increased the amount of silt washed into streams. President Theodore Roosevelt created the National Forest Service to protect forests and watersheds and to prevent further damage. In 1908 the U.S. Congress allocated money to determine which watersheds should be protected. In 1911 the Weeks Act passed, allowing the Forest Service to acquire forested land that would help protect these watersheds. Among the first lands bought was 2900 hectares (7200 acres) near the Monongahela river. This land became Monongahela National Forest on April 28, 1920. Courtesy of John Warner The Monongahela River is one of six rivers with headwaters in Monongahela National Forest. file:///Ecoscenario/mononga/content.html Page 3 of 11
Ecoscenario: Monongahela National Forest 4/16/03 3:20 PM The U.S. Forest Service's mission was to promote the most beneficial use of the forest rescources without damaging the native environment. Prior to the creation of the National Forest Service, most forests were harvested for the large trees that yield the most lumber. Smaller, immature trees were cut to make removal of the larger trees easier and were left to decay where they fell. Most logging operations began at the mouth of a river and worked upward, toward the headwaters. It was believed that, by the time the operation reached the headwaters the forest at the mouth would have regenerated. But as logging operations became bigger and more efficient at removing trees, many watersheds were completely logged before any regrowth had occured. The Monongahela area was covered with virgin spruce forest, mixed with hemlock, white oak, and poplar prior to logging. Today, the forest is primarily a second-growth forest of more than 75 species of trees, such as black cherry, oak, hemlock, and poplar, with some spruce. Monongahela National Forest is a popular vacation area. It is within a day's drive of one-third of the population in the United States and is a popular destination for camping, hiking, fishing, and hunting. Elevations in the rugged terrain range from 274 to 1482 meters (899 to 4861 feet). The headwaters for the Monongahela, Potomac, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart, and Gauley Rivers lie within the forest. The forest also provides jobs and income to the local economy through the lumber industry, as well as coal mining and natural gas wells. Management of these natural resources is monitored by the U.S. Forest Service. ABIOTIC DATA The climate at Monongahela National Forest is characterized by warm summers and cold winters. In the summer, the temperature averages 19.7°C (67.5°F). In the winter, it drops to 1°C (33.8°F). Sometimes there is snow, but most of the precipitation falls as rain. The peak growing season is about 6 months long, slowing in the fall and winter due to cold temperatures and snowfall. There are no distinct wet and dry seasons. A rain shadow affects the amount of rain received on the west and east sides of the forest. Storms usually come from the west, dropping most of their moisture as they rise over the Allegheny Mountains. As the storm passes over the eastern half of the forest, two-thirds of the moisture has already fallen as rain. In some years, the western half of Monongahela National Forest may receive as much as 150 centimeters (60 inches) of precipitation, while the eastern half receives only 75 centimeters (30 inches). file:///Ecoscenario/mononga/content.html Page 4 of 11
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