FORESTSAMERICAN FALL 2016 Escape to Alaska EXPLORE THE EXTRAORDINARY LANDSCAPES AND WILDLIFE OF ALASKA ON A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY WITH AMERICAN FORESTS’ ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE, CHUCK FAZIO Whitewater Rafting ADVENTURE MAY 26-JUNE 2, 2017 Join American Forests on a 7-day motorized raft excursion through the Grand Canyon. Hike among the canyon’s landmarks, sleep in a tent along the sandy beaches of the Colorado River and experience the grandeur of the canyon landscape. A bucket list adventure for the nature lover in us all. For more information, visit americanforests.org/GrandCanyon2017. c2_AF_Summer16_GCWWR Ad_final.indd 1 8/26/16 11:05 AM VOL 122 NO 3 CONTENTS FALL 2016 Departments 16 24 2 Offshoots A word from our president & CEO 4 Treelines From D.C. to Detroit, here’s what we’ve been up to in the field and on the Hill. Plus, FOREST FRONTIERS: Daniel Dey, Research Forester and Project Leader for the U.S. Forest Service, shares why he dreamed of working for the forest service as well as stories from his years in the field. NEW ONLINE: A look at American Forests’ brand new, re-designed website! WASHINGTON OUTLOOK: You’ve helped us advocate for forests on Capitol Hill. Find out where we’ve made progress toward a forest-friendly 2017. 32 40 Escape to Alaska By Chuck Fazio Join our Artist-in-Residence on a photographic journey through beautiful Alaska. 46 Earthkeepers THE MAKING OF A LEADER IN FORESTRY Mary Wagner, Retired Associate Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, found a unique path through her career in the Forest Service Features with the guidance of a number of influential people. 16 The Fire’s Edge 48 Last Look By Betsy L. Howell Gorgeous photography from How the town of Republic, Wash., rallied together in support of one another during the North Star fire. Max Forster 24 Conifer Cruising By Tyler Williams A big tree hunter’s journey through one of the world’s most diverse conifer landscapes in the world — Klamath Country. 32 Thin Green Line: The Heroic Work of Game Wardens By James A. Swan COVER PHOTO: CHUCK FAZIO THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: U.S. FOREST SERVICE; TYLER WILLIAMS; JAMES A. SWAN TYLER WILLIAMS; JAMES SERVICE; FOREST U.S. LEFT: FROM TOP CLOCKWISE THIS PAGE, CHUCK FAZIO PHOTO: COVER Discover the risky, and oftentimes dangerous, work of those who protect our nation’s public lands. AMERICANFORESTS.ORG FALL 2016 | 1 offshoots Our national parks are a roll call Our Best Idea of superlatives. The tallest tree in the world, the Hyperion, is in Redwood BY SCOTT STEEN National Park. The largest single stem tree in the world, the General Sherman, LAST YEAR, AS I RODE with a group briefly and dramati- is in Sequoia National Park. The high- through a blizzard deep in the heart cally, revealing end- est and lowest points in North America CHUCK FAZIO of Yellowstone National Park in an less miles of rolling are in national parks (Denali and Death ancient Bombardier, we were completely tundra, without a Valley, respectively). The longest cave surrounded by a herd of bison using the sign of civilization in view. system in the world is at Mammoth road to navigate the snowstorm. The day As the year-long centennial celebra- Cave National Park in Kentucky. The before, we had a “three dog day” — with tion of the National Park Service largest national park, Wrangell-St. multiple sightings of wolves, foxes and winds down, I thought it appropriate to Elias in Alaska, is bigger than Swit- coyotes. The next evening, we drove out recognize what is, unquestionably, one zerland. The deepest lake in the U.S. is far into the black night to see a sky alive of the most important achievements in Crater Lake, in Crater Lake National with countless stars and distant galaxies. our nation’s history and in the conser- Park (at 1,932 feet deep, it is 156 feet And it occurred to me — as I am sure it vation movement. American Forests deeper than One World Trade Center, has to millions of people before me — (then American Forestry Association) America’s tallest building, is tall). The “Where else, except for a national park, was founded just three years after list of miracles contained in the parks would this be possible?” Yellowstone became our first national goes on and on. I had a similar experience this park in 1872, and our history parallels, But, the real thing that makes these summer during a rainy hike up a small and has been shaped by, the creation of parks so special is the transformative mountain in Denali National Park. what historian Wallace Stegner called effect they have on people. I asked When we got to the top, the rain cleared “our best idea.” American Forests team members Bison herd in Yellowstone National Park CHUCK FAZIO 2 | FALL 2016 AMERICANFORESTS.ORG EDITORIAL STAFF Publisher Scott Steen Editorial Director Lea Sloan Managing Editor Ashlan Bonnell Contributing Editor Christopher Horn Editorial Assistant Lindsay Seventko Art Direction and Design Brad Latham American Forests (ISSN 0002-8541) is published View of Mt. Denali from inside Denali National Park quarterly by American Forests, 1220 L St. NW, Suite 750 Washington, DC 20005. CHUCK FAZIO Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to he and companions trekked more American Forests, 1220 L St. NW, Suite 750 As the year-long centennial Washington, DC 20005. than 20 miles into an area southeast American Forests’ mission is to restore celebration of the National Park of Yellowstone Lake that is reported threatened forest ecosystems and inspire people Service winds down, I thought to be the farthest you can get from a to value and protect urban and wildland forests. (202) 737-1944 it appropriate to recognize what road in the lower 48 states. As they www.americanforests.org approached the campsite, they hap- is, unquestionably, one of the AMERICAN FORESTS pened upon a herd of elk drinking from BOARD OF DIRECTORS most important achievements the lake in the late afternoon sun. That Bruce Lisman, Chair in our nation’s history and in the evening, they heard wolves howling — Lisman for Vermont, Montpelier, VT the delta pack — known to use the area Richard Kabat, Vice Chair conservation movement. Kabat Company, Washington, DC but rarely seen. Magic. Rod DeArment, Treasurer Our most devoted park aficio- Covington & Burling LLP, Washington, DC nado, who has visited more than Ann Nichols, Immediate Past Chair Chevy Chase, MD about their experience with the parks, 100 national parks, monuments and Scott Steen, President & CEO (ex officio) and their stories speak to the ability historic sites so far, said his most American Forests, Washington, DC of nature to inspire us, to bring us amazing experience came after spend- Charles Betlach Betlach Family Foundation, San Francisco, CA together and to expand our worldviews. ing a month at Katmai National Park Zim Boulos Family was an important theme. watching the bears feast on the annual Office Environment Services, Jacksonville, FL For example, one of our team members salmon run. From there, he was able Rob Bourdon talked about how a trip at age four to to catch a ride with a bush pilot to visit Linkin Park, Sherman Oaks, CA Jeff Elliott Great Smoky Mountains National Aniakchak National Monument, one Iridian Asset Management, Westport, CT Park became her first vivid memory, of the wildest and least visited parks in Donna Dabney combining the beauty of the fall foliage the National Park System. During his The Conference Board, New York, NY William Hazelton with the sounds of forest streams time there, he was only one of 11 visi- Chubb Group, New York City, NY and a feeling of deep peace and love tors in the vast 601,294-acre park. Steve Marshall from being with her family. Another There are 59 national parks and 82 The Davey Tree Expert Company, Kent, OH Elisa Rapaport recounted how a visit to Denali national monuments, plus hundreds Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY National Park with his mother after more national historic parks, national Jonathan Silver graduation changed the direction of historic sites, national preserves, Greenbanc Global, LLC, Washington, DC his life, and how he later brought his national seashores and other holdings Robert Steinberg Steinberg Family Foundation, Greenwich, CT own children there to experience the in the National Park System. They sense of awe that he had once felt. A are in every state and territory and third talked about how a week-long encompass a huge array of passions camping trip in Sequoia National Park and interests. If you have never taken transformed his relationship with his advantage of these national treasures, children, bringing the family closer I urge you to get out there and explore. together than ever before. They may just change your life. Another theme was how the parks provide one-of-a kind, life changing experiences. Our vice president of CHUCK FAZIO conservation programs recounts how treelines INFORMATION TO AMUSE, ENLIGHTEN AND INSPIRE science classes I could in high school, but FOREST FRONTIERS was most fortunate to have three years of courses in conservation. That was Daniel Dey important in fueling my desire to have a career in natural resources. Typically, Research Forester, Project Leader, I was naïve about career opportunities U.S. Forest Service in natural resources, but I knew that I wanted to manage lands for multiple-use and not just commodity production. That DANIEL DEY is a Project Leader & America. Dey integrated this knowledge pretty much meant I would be applying Research Forester in the Northern in developing methods of using pre- for state or federal jobs.