Talladega National Forest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Talladega National Forest | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area) | |
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| Location | Alabama, USA |
| Nearest city | Talladega, AL |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 392,567 acres (1,588.66 km²) |
| Established | July 17, 1936 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
Central Alabama's Talladega National Forest covers 392,567 acres (613.39 sq mi, or 1,588.66 km²) at the southern edge of the Appalachians.
Before it was bought by the federal government in the 1930s, the area that comprises the Talladega was extensively logged and represented some of the most abused, eroded wastelands in all of Alabama. Pine forest regrowth now hosts a diverse eco-system.
The tiny 7,400 acre (30 km²) Cheaha Wilderness preserves a portion of this natural wealth near Rebecca Mountain.
The forest is headquartered in Montgomery, as are all four National Forests in Alabama (Conecuh, Talladega, Tuskegee, and William B. Bankhead). The Talladega National Forest is physically separated into two areas, and divided into three Ranger Districts:
- Oakmulgee District lies in the central part of the state, east of Tuscaloosa in Hale, Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Perry, Chilton and Dallas Counties. It consists of level to moderately sloping, broad ridges with stream terraces and broad floodplains. The ranger station is located in Brent.
- The Shoal Creek and Talladega Districts are located in the northeastern part of the state in Cherokee, Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega and Clay Counties. They consist of upland hills and low mountains with predominantly moderately steep slopes. The Shoal Creek ranger station is located in Heflin and the Talladega ranger station in its namesake city of Talladega.
The forest covers parts of eleven counties in Alabama. In descending order of forest land area they are Cleburne, Clay, Bibb, Talladega, Perry, Hale, Calhoun, Chilton, Tuscaloosa, Cherokee, and Dallas counties. [1]
