Garden City National Forest was established as the Garden City Forest Reserve by the U.S. Forest Service in Kansas on July 25, 1905 with 97,280 acres (393.7 km2). It became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On May 15, 1908 it was expanded and renamed Kansas National Forest, and on December 1, 1915 it was abolished. As Kansas National Forest the lands encompassed Finney, Grant, Hamilton, Haskell and Kearny counties, with 302,387 acres (122,372 ha).[1][2]
The project was intended as a research project to establish an inventory of suitable tree species for planting in the high plains climate. Plantings in 1906 with 50,000 yellow pines and 30,000 hackberry, locust and Osage orange trees, followed the next year with 170,000 additional trees including black locust, jack pine, Scotch pine and other evergreens. Prairie fires and drought killed most of the trees, and additional plantings were unsuccessful. The best performing trees never exceeded 24 inches (61 cm) in height during the experiment. The land was dispersed to homesteaders after disestablishment.[2] A total of 800,000 seedlings were planted, only about 1,000 acres (400 ha) of the designated forest area.[3]
A 3,760-acre (1,520 ha) remainder of the designated lands is maintained by the state of Kansas as the Sandsage Bison Range & Wildlife Area, formerly the Finney Game Refuge. A remnant of the tree planting program is visible in one of the reserve's pastures.[4][5]
Referencesedit
^Davis, Richard C. (September 29, 2005), (PDF), The Forest History Society, archived from the original (pdf) on October 28, 2012
^ ab"Kansas National Forest". Kansapedia. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
^Sandsage Bison Range handout. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
^"Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area". Garden City, Kansas. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
^"History". Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
External linksedit
Forest History Society
Listing of the National Forests of the United States and Their Dates (from Forest History Society website) Text from Davis, Richard C., ed. Encyclopedia of American Forest and Conservation History. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company for the Forest History Society, 1983. Vol. II, pp. 743-788.
Kansas National Forest 2019-12-16 at the Wayback Machine at Kansapedia
Establishment proclamation, including maps at Kansas Memory
garden, city, national, forest, established, garden, city, forest, reserve, forest, service, kansas, july, 1905, with, acres, became, national, forest, march, 1907, 1908, expanded, renamed, kansas, national, forest, december, 1915, abolished, kansas, national,. Garden City National Forest was established as the Garden City Forest Reserve by the U S Forest Service in Kansas on July 25 1905 with 97 280 acres 393 7 km2 It became a National Forest on March 4 1907 On May 15 1908 it was expanded and renamed Kansas National Forest and on December 1 1915 it was abolished As Kansas National Forest the lands encompassed Finney Grant Hamilton Haskell and Kearny counties with 302 387 acres 122 372 ha 1 2 The project was intended as a research project to establish an inventory of suitable tree species for planting in the high plains climate Plantings in 1906 with 50 000 yellow pines and 30 000 hackberry locust and Osage orange trees followed the next year with 170 000 additional trees including black locust jack pine Scotch pine and other evergreens Prairie fires and drought killed most of the trees and additional plantings were unsuccessful The best performing trees never exceeded 24 inches 61 cm in height during the experiment The land was dispersed to homesteaders after disestablishment 2 A total of 800 000 seedlings were planted only about 1 000 acres 400 ha of the designated forest area 3 A 3 760 acre 1 520 ha remainder of the designated lands is maintained by the state of Kansas as the Sandsage Bison Range amp Wildlife Area formerly the Finney Game Refuge A remnant of the tree planting program is visible in one of the reserve s pastures 4 5 References edit Davis Richard C September 29 2005 National Forests of the United States PDF The Forest History Society archived from the original pdf on October 28 2012 a b Kansas National Forest Kansapedia Kansas Historical Society Retrieved May 2 2020 Sandsage Bison Range handout Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area Garden City Kansas Retrieved May 2 2020 History Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism Retrieved May 2 2020 External links editForest History Society Listing of the National Forests of the United States and Their Dates from Forest History Society website Text from Davis Richard C ed Encyclopedia of American Forest and Conservation History New York Macmillan Publishing Company for the Forest History Society 1983 Vol II pp 743 788 Kansas National Forest Archived 2019 12 16 at the Wayback Machine at Kansapedia Establishment proclamation including maps at Kansas Memory Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area37 56 40 N 101 53 25 W 37 94444 N 101 89028 W 37 94444 101 89028 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Garden City National Forest amp oldid 1179903622, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
