| Cornplanter State Forest | |
|---|---|
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) | |
  Location of Cornplanter State Forest's headquarters in PennsylvaniaLocation Map of Cornplanter State Forest Holdings | |
| Location | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°52′27″N79°09′08″W / 41.87417°N 79.15222°W /41.87417; -79.15222 |
| Area | 1,585 acres (6.41 km2) |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Cornplanter State Forest |
Cornplanter State Forest is aPennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #14. The main office is located inNorth Warren inWarren County,Pennsylvania, in theUnited States. It is named forChief Cornplanter of theSeneca Nation, one of thetribes of theIroquois Confederacy.
The forest is found on 1,585 acres (641 ha) inCrawford,Forest, and Warren Counties.[1] The district also coversErie and the northern part ofVenango Counties.
Cornplanter State Forest was formed as a direct result of the depletion of the forests of Pennsylvania that took place during the mid-to-late 19th century. Conservationists like Dr.Joseph Rothrock became concerned that the forests would not regrow if they were not managed properly. Lumber and Iron companies had harvested theold-growth forests for various reasons. Theclear cut the forests and left behind nothing but dried tree tops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passingsteam locomotives ignitedwildfires that prevented the formation ofsecond growth forests. The conservationists feared that the forest would never regrow if there was not a change in the philosophy of forest management. They called for the state to purchase land from the lumber and iron companies and the lumber and iron companies were more than willing to sell their land since that had depleted the natural resources of the forests.[2] The changes began to take place in 1895 when Dr. Rothrock was appointed the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, the forerunner of today'sPennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. ThePennsylvania General Assembly passed a piece of legislation in 1897 that authorized the purchase of "unseated lands for forest reservations." This was the beginning of the State Forest system.[2]
Lake Erie is to the north and theU.S. state ofOhio is to the west
No state parks are found within the state forest, but five are found within District #14:
