Angeles National Forest

Angeles National Forest
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)

The San Gabriel Mountains, part of the Angeles National Forest. The southwest view from Islip Saddle shows Bear Creek, a tributary of the San Gabriel River that lies within the San Gabriel Wilderness, and Twin Peaks 7,761 feet (2,366 m).
Map showing the location of Angeles National Forest
Location Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, California, USA
Nearest city Arcadia, CA
Coordinates 34°20′N 118°08′W / 34.333°N 118.133°WCoordinates: 34°20′N 118°08′W / 34.333°N 118.133°W
Area 655,387 acres (2,652 km2)
Established July 1, 1908
Governing body U.S. Forest Service
www.fs.usda.gov/angeles
Reference no. 717[1]


The Angeles National Forest (ANF) of the U.S. Forest Service is located in Los Angeles County, southern California, United States and has the San Gabriel Mountains within it. The forest was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel National Forests. It covers 700,176 acres (1,094.0 sq mi; 2,833.5 km2) and is located just north of the densely inhabited metropolitan area of Los Angeles.

A small part extends eastward into southwestern San Bernardino County, in the Mount San Antonio ("Mount Baldy") area. A tiny section also extends westward into northeastern Ventura County, in the Lake Piru area. Forest headquarters are in Arcadia, California.

The Angeles National Forest manages the habitats, flora and fauna ecosystems, and watersheds. Some of the rivers with watersheds within its boundaries provide valuable non-groundwater recharge water for Southern California. The existing protected and restored native vegetation absorb and slow surface runoff of rainwater to minimize severe floods and landslides in adjacent communities.[2] The land within the Forest is diverse, both in appearance and terrain. Elevations range from 1,200 to 10,064 ft (365 to 3,067 m). The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the forest.

Natural history

History

The San Gabriel Forest Reserve was established on December 20, 1892, the San Bernardino Forest Reserve on February 25, 1893, and the Santa Barbara Forest Reserve on December 22, 1903. They became National Forests on March 4, 1907, and they were combined on July 1, 1908, with all of the San Bernardino forest and portions of San Gabriel forest and Santa Barbara forest composing the new Angeles National Forest. On September 30, 1925, portions of the Angeles National Forest and the Cleveland National Forest were detached to re-establish the San Bernardino National Forest.[3]

Angeles National Forest is registered as California Historical Landmark #717, for being the first National Forest in the state.[1]

The campgrounds at Broken Blade, Twisted Arrow and Pima Loops were closed on July 26, 2013 after squirrel infected with bubonic plague was discovered.[4]

Station wildfire

2014, new growth emerges after the fires of 2012

More than 161,000 acres (650 km2) of the forest were burned by an arson fire that began on August 26, 2009, near Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada and quickly spread, fueled by dry brush that had not burned for over 150 years. The fire burned for more than a month and was the worst in Los Angeles County history, charring one-fourth of the forest (250 square miles), displacing wildlife, and destroying 91 homes, cabins and outbuildings and the family-owned Hidden Springs cafe. During the fire, two firefighters died after driving off the Mt.Gleason County Road looking for an alternate route to get the inmates out at Camp 16.

The "Station Fire" threatened the Mount Wilson Observatory atop Mt. Wilson. The site includes two telescopes, two solar towers, and transmitters for 22 television stations, several FM radio stations, and police and fire department emergency channels.

Fires in 2012

Several fires occurred during 2012, burning hundreds of acres across the forest covered mountain range.

Plant life and geography

Various flora and other mountain plant life.

Much of this National Forest is covered with dense chaparral shrub forests with oak woodlands, which changes to pine and fir-covered slopes in the higher elevations.

Tree species for which the forest is important include bigcone Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa), Coulter Pine (Pinus coulteri), and California Walnut (Juglans californica). The National Forest also contains some 29,000 acres (12,000 ha) of old growth, with: Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi) forests and mixed conifer forests (Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii), Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa), and White Fir (Abies concolor)), and Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) the most abundant types.[5]

Wilderness areas

The Angeles National Forest contains five nationally-designated wilderness areas. Two of these also extend into neighboring San Bernardino National Forest:

Access

A National Forest Adventure Pass is required for parking at many locations in the Angeles National Forest and other National Forests in Southern California, and this can be obtained online or from visitor centers and local merchants.[6] Los Angeles County has declared that passes are not required on county-maintained roads. There are also many other areas that do not require the pass.

Ranger Districts

Statistics and general information

Angeles National Forest, the two green areas near Los Angeles

General

Trails

Natural features

The east fork of the San Gabriel River, one of most visited sites in the forest system

Sensitive species

Mountain peaks

Mount Islip
Mount Harwood from Devils Backbone

Mountain peaks within the National Forest include:

Water sports

Volunteer organizations

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Angeles National Forest". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  2. ↑ Lockman, Ronald F., 1981. Guarding the Forests of Southern California: Evolving Attitudes Towad Conservation of Watershed, Woodlands, and Wilderness (Glendale: A. H. Clarke).
  3. ↑ Davis, Richard C. (September 29, 2005), National Forests of the United States (PDF), The Forest History Society
  4. ↑ "Plague squirrel closes Calif. campgrounds". USA Today. July 26, 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Warbington, Ralph; Beardsley, Debby (2002), 2002 Estimates of Old Growth Forests on the 18 National Forests of the Pacific Southwest Region, United States Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region
  6. ↑ "Angeles Passes and Permits". Angeles Permits. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
  7. ↑ Sierra Madre Search & Rescue
  8. ↑ San Gabriel Mountain Trailbuilders
  9. ↑ West Fork Conservancy
  10. ↑ Angeles Volunteer Association
  11. ↑ Fisheries Resource Volunteer Corps
  12. ↑ San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Angeles National Forest.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Angeles National Forest.