CHATTAHOOCHEE-OCONEE NATIONAL FOREST

The 'Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest' in northern Georgia is actually two U.S. National Forests, the Oconee National Forest and Chattahoochee National Forest, linked together. The combined total area of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is 865,855 acres (3,504 km²), of which the Chattahoochee National Forest comprises 750,502 acres (3,037 km²) and the Oconee National Forest comprises 115,353 acres (467 km²). The county with the largest portion of the forest is Rabun County, Georgia, which has 148,684 acres (602 km²) within its boundaries.

Contents

'History'

The Chattahoochee National Forest Today

The Oconee National Forest Today

'Georgia Counties with Land in the National Forest'

References

External links

'History'

The Chattahoochee National Forest takes its name from the Chattahoochee River whose headwaters begin in the North Georgia mountains. The River and the area were given the name by the English settlers who took the name from the Indians living here. The Cherokee and Creek Indians inhabited North Georgia. In one dialect of the Muskogean languages, ''Chatta'' means stone; ''ho chee'', marked or flowered. These marked or flowered stones were in the Chattahoochee River at a settlement near Columbus, Georgia.

In 1911, the United States Forest Service purchased 31,000 acres (125 km²) of land in Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin and Union Counties from the Gennett family in 1911 for $7.00 per acre. This land was the beginning of what would become the Chattahoochee National Forest. The initial land purchases became a part of the Cherokee National Forest on June 14, 1920.
Ranger Roscoe Nicholson, who was the first forest ranger in Georgia and had advised the Forest Service in its initial land purchases, continued the growth of the Chattahooche by negotiating the purchase of most of the Forest Service land in what is now the Tallulah Ranger District. The Coleman River Scenic Area near Clayton, Georgia was dedicated to Ranger "Nick", as he was called, in honor of his promotion of conservation ideals.
Ranger Arthur Woody also promoted conservation and was a key figure in the early development of the Chattahoochee. Unwise land and resource use had caused the deer and trout populations to virtually disappear in the North Georgia mountains and Woody brought trout and deer back to the area. The trout were shipped to Gainesville, hauled across the narrow, dirt, mountain roads and eventually released in the streams. Woody also purchased fawns with his own money, and fed them until they could be released on what became the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area. Many landmarks in the Chattoochee bear Ranger Woody’s name in tribute to his work. Sosebee Cove, a tract of prize hardwood along GA 180 is set aside as a memorial to Woody who negotiated its purchase for the Forest Service.
On July 9, 1936, the Forest Service was reorganized to follow state boundaries and President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the Chattahoochee a separate National Forest. In 1936, the Chattahoochee was organized into two Ranger Districts, the Blue Ridge and the Tallulah.
In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed 96,000 acres (390 km²) of federal lands in middle Georgia as the Oconee National Forest. The Oconee then joined the Chattahoochee to become the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests of today.
The Chattooga River was designated a Wild and Scenic River during the 1970’s. The Chattooga reamins one of the few free flowing streams in the Southeast and is known for its white water rafting and beautiful scenery. The movie "Deliverance" starring Burt Reynolds and Jon Voight was filmed on the Chattooga River and the Chattooga became the fictional Cahulawassee River in the movie.

The Chattahoochee National Forest Today

The Chattahoochee National Forest today covers 18 north Georgia counties. The Chattahoochee currently has five ranger districts, but two ranger districts, the Tallulah Ranger District and the Chattooga Ranger District will be combined.^[1] It includes over of rivers and streams (including about of trout streams). There are over of hiking and other recreation trails ''(See, Trails of the Chattahoochee National Forest)'' and of "roads." In addition to the Chattoga River and the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River, natural attractions within it boundaries include the beginning of the 2,174-mile (3,500 km) Appalachian Trail, Georgia's highpoint, Brasstown Bald and Anna Ruby Falls.
The Chattahoochee also includes ten wildernesses that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. all of which are managed by the United States Forest Service. The wildernesses are:
#Big Frog Wilderness
#Blood Mountain Wilderness
#Brasstown Wilderness
#Cohutta Wilderness
#Ellicott Rock Wilderness
#Mark Trail Wilderness
#Raven Cliffs Wilderness
#Rich Mountain Wilderness
#Southern Nantahala Wilderness
#Tray Mountain Wilderness

The Oconee National Forest Today

The Oconee National Forest today is spread over eight Georgia counties and is organized into one ranger district. The Oconee Ranger District maintains several hiking and other recreational trails in the Forest (''See, Trails of the Oconee National Forest'').

'Georgia Counties with Land in the National Forest'

Listed below are the counties with land in the Forest showing the area and the relevant ranger districts.^[2]
'Chattahoochee National Forest'

★ Banks County, located in the Chattooga Ranger District

★ Catoosa County, 6 acres located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District

★ Chattooga County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District

★ Dawson County, located in the Toccoa Ranger District

★ Fannin County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District and the Toccoa Ranger District

★ Floyd County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District

★ Gilmer County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District and the Toccoa Ranger District

★ Gordon County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District

★ Habersham County, located in the Chattooga Ranger District

★ Lumpkin County, located in the Brasstown Ranger District, the Chattooga Ranger District and the Toccoa Ranger District

★ Murray County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District

★ Rabun County, located in the Tallulah Ranger District

★ Stephens County, located in the Chattooga Ranger District

★ Towns County, located in the Brasstown Ranger District, the Chattooga Ranger District and the Tallulah Ranger District

★ Union County, located in the Brasstown Ranger District, the Chattooga Ranger District and the Toccoa Ranger District

★ Walker County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District

★ White County, located in the Chattooga Ranger District

★ Whitfield County, located in the Armuchee-Cohutta Ranger District
'Oconee National Forest'

★ Greene County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Jasper County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Jones County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Monroe County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Morgan County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Oconee County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Oglethorpe County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

★ Putnam County, located in the Oconee Ranger District

References

1. July 3, 2006 press release
2. 2005 Forest Quick Facts

External links

★ Official government site

★ History of Chattahoohee National Forest

★ Trails of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest