Incident Management Team To Help Manage Mark Twain National Forest Wildfires

Rolla, MO– USDA Forest Service’s Eastern Area Type 2 Incident Management Team has been brought in to assist managing Mark Twain National Forest wildfires. The incident management team is composed of experienced federal, state, and local fire and emergency response personnel from 20 states in Forest Service’s Eastern Region, which stretches from Missouri north to the Great Lakes states east to Delaware and up to Maine. Mark Twain National Forest experiences on average 5,000 to 6,000 acres of wildfires annually, mostly in fall and late winter/early spring. This year, however, severe drought has created extreme fire conditions on the forest and across Missouri. Given current fire conditions, predicted hot and dry weather in the days ahead, and no precipitation in the forecast, additional resources, including the incident management team, were ordered.  The team will assist Mark Twain National Forest, as needed, during this high fire danger period, ensuring that firefighting resources are managed effectively, and timely and accurate information is provided.

Volunteers needed to continue to Document Historic Trail of Tears

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ROLLA, Mo.– Mark Twain National Forest is looking for volunteers to continue to document historic Trail of Tears on Mark Twain National Forest’s Poplar Bluff Ranger District March 26-31, 2012, including weekends.

Applications to volunteer are due by Monday, February 13, 2012.

The week-long project is the second phase of a Passport in Time project. Passport in Time is a USDA Forest Service volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program.

Please visit: http://www.passportintime.com/Click on “Current Projects” and then click on “Mark Twain NF” MO-4059 project to apply.

Passport in Time’s goal is to preserve the nation’s past with volunteer help. Volunteers work with professional Forest Service archaeologists on diverse activities such as surveys and excavation, rock art restoration, historic structure restoration, analysis of artifacts, and more.

In the 1830s, approximately 100,000 American Indians from the Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, and Choctaw nations, among others, were forcibly removed from Southeastern U.S. homelands and marched to reservations in what is now Oklahoma.

Many suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation while en route to their destinations, and many died, including 4,000 of the 15,000 relocated Cherokee.

Approximately 30 miles of the Old Military Road (a.k.a. Natchitoches Trace) that served as this sad pathway crosses Mark Twain National Forest as part of the Benge Route of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Almost half of that land is managed by Poplar Ranger District.

“Thanks to a successful Passport In Time project last year, nearly all extant trail segments through the Forest have been identified and their locations have been accurately mapped with a resource grade GPS unit,” said Mark Twain National Forest Heritage Program Manager Keri Hicks.

In this second phase of the project, volunteers will help photograph and document each segment in detail, including preparing individual feature forms that will be used to supplement the existing site record.

“We will also sweep a metal detector across the surface and perform cruciform shovel testing to determine presence/absence of a sub-surface component,” Hicks said. “We will also record width, depth, terrain, vegetation, and any disturbances to the Trail and the cultural landscape. We will make particular note of segments in need of immediate management action. This is an important project and, once again, one that promises to be as fun as it will be interesting. “

Volunteers need to be at least 12 years old; under 18 accompanied by a responsible adult.

Helpful skills include  previous archaeological survey and mapping, sketching, GPS use, and/or photography experience helpful, but not required

Tent and RV camping available at no charge at Markham Springs Recreation Area. Water, showers, vault toilets; lodge house available at Markham Springs Recreation Area; water, showers, flush toilets; rental fees apply.

Greenville and Poplar Bluff are full-service communities with motels, restaurants, and a range of other amenities; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment/lodging, meals, extra water, and transportation.

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• Mark Twain National Forest Firefighters Patrolling Fire Line and Checking for Any Remaining Hot Spots (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Free Day Use and Camping Nov. 11-13, 2001 on Mark Twain National Forest (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

Free Day Use and Camping Nov. 11-13, 2001 on Mark Twain National Forest

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ROLLA, Mo. – Mark Twain National Forest will have free day use at recreation areas operated by US Forest Service on Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13, 2011, as well as free camping on Friday, November 11, 2011 and Saturday, November 12, 2011.

This is being offered in honor of US Military Personnel, Veterans and their families, as part of the Veterans Day celebration. 

The free day use is at North Fork Recreation Area, along the North Fork of the White River in Ozark County, and Markham Springs Recreation Are, along the Black River in Wayne County, both operated by Mark Twain National Forest.

Free day use will also be offered at Deer Leap Boat Launch on the Current River outside of Doniphan in Ripley County, operated by KC on the Current, LLC, Stan Schultz and Rodney Moore owner/operators.

Free camping is for non-reserved sites at Cobb Ridge campground in the Chadwick Motorcycle and ATV Area in Christian County.  Annual or day use permits will still be required for use of the ATV and motorcycle trails at Chadwick Motorcycle and ATV Area in Christian County and at Sutton Bluff Motorcycle and ATV Area in Reynolds County.

“Offering free day use and camping for this weekend is a way to show our appreciation of all US military personnel and their families, and the sacrifices that they incur.  It also encourages people to enjoy the outdoors and to connect to the land, improving the health and quality of both personal and community life,” said Mark Twain National Forest Deputy Forest Supervisor Teresa Chase.  “This is a particularly generous offer from our concessionaire, since he is not required to participate in special free days offered by the Forest Service.  He is committed to providing quality recreation opportunities at an affordable price, and was glad to celebrate the veterans in this way.”

While most of the more highly developed campgrounds and day use areas on Mark Twain National Forest are closed for winter, some offer a lower level of service or walk-in opportunities with no charge this time of year.  Many other campgrounds and day use areas are open year-round with no fees, including day use river accesses on the Eleven Point Scenic River and Watercress boat access on the Current River, all recreation areas on Cedar Creek Ranger District in Calloway County, and Berryman Recreation Area in Washington County. 

Day use and camping fees will still be charged at other concession-operated campgrounds and boat launches across the forest.

Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.

Related articles

• Mark Twain National Forest Looking For Recreation Site Concessionaires (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Additional Firefighting Crews Arriving to Hold Wild Fires around Salem, Missouri (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Conservation Action October 2011 (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Mark Twain National Forest partners with Kinsail Corporation to offer On-Line Sale of Passes and Permits (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)