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Northern Highland American Legion State Forest

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    The American Legion State Forest was established in 1929 as an independent entity, bordering the Northern Highland State Forest to the south. The American Legion was in Oneida County and the Northern Highland in Vilas and Iron Counties. In 1968 the American Legion State Forest and the Northern Highland State Forest were combined and became the Southern and Northern Units of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. It comprises about 220,000 acres of second growth forest, managed for recreation, wildlife and forest production.

    The Forest headquarters is on Trout Lake, still at the original historic site of the earliest forest management work, including a nursery, in Wisconsin. It is located on the west side of the lake, just at the connecting point between upper and lower Touut Lake. A picnic site on the point is reached by driving, and then walking, through the headquarters. The site is marked by spectacular old growth red (or Norway) pines.

    In 2007 the DNR, University of Wisconsin, and other groups sponsored a forest art exhibit along the Raven Trail. 28 artists created interesting large-scale forest art exhibits with various ecological themes. For more information, and pictures, see the website linked above, and these two bibliographic references: Wisconsin Natural Resources and Forest Art.

    Charles P. Forbes
    August 23, 2007
  • Bibliography

    Comprehensive References

    ****. Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest Visitor's Guide. [Serial] Minocqua, 2013. View Full Entry
    Bortz, Dean. Tree Cutting to Remain Part of State Forestry Plan: DNR. [Vilas County News-Review, Aug. 8, 2001, p. 9A.] Eagle River, 2001. View Full Entry
    Forest Art Wisconsin. International Forest Art Wisconsin Native/Invasive. Woodruff, 2007. View Full Entry
    Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. 2018 ATV/UTV Route and Trail Variance to the Northern Highland – American Legion Master Plan. [NHAL State Forest Document, Approved 2018] Rhinelander, 2018. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. 2019 ATV/UTV Route and Trail Variance to the Northern Highland – American Legion Master Plan. [NHAL State Forest Document, Approved 2019] Rhinelander, 2019. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. Amendment to the Recreation Portion of the 2005 Master Plan. Approved October 25, 2017. [DNR PUB LF 107 2018] Madison, 2017. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. Master Plan, 2005. [DNR PUB-FR-0341A 2005] Madison, 2005. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Pohlman, et al. (ed.). Wisconsin Land Legacy Report. Madison, 2006. View Full Entry
    Popov and Mirkes. Wildlife Management on the Northern Highland. [Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, 23:6, June 1958, pp. 14-17.] Madison, 1958. View Full Entry
    Rulseh, Ted. Hidden in Plain Sight. [Wisconsin Natural Resources, Vol. 35, #4, August 2011, pp. 22-26.] Madison, 2011. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Sperling, David. Nature of Art and Science. [Wisconsin Natural Resources, Vol. 31, #6, Dec. 2007, pp. 10-11.] Madison, 2007. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Trecker, E. W.. Winter Fun in State Parks and Forests. [Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, Dec, 1959] 1959. View Full Entry
    Wisconsin, Natural Resources, Dept. of. Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area Auto Tour. [PUBL-PM-016 12/95] Mercer, WI, 1995. View Full Entry (Full text available)

    Major References

    ****. Northern Highland American Legion State Forest Visitor. Boulder Junction, 2007. View Full Entry
    ****. Crystal Lake Nature Center. [NHAL State Forest Visitor's Guide, 2017, pp. 13A-14A] Minocqua, 2017. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Addis, James. Wild Area Timber Sales Review. Madison, 1994. View Full Entry
    Christopherson, Chris. Clearcutting Is for the Birds. [NHAL State Forest Visitor's Guide, 2016, p. 13.] Boulder Junction, 2916. View Full Entry
    Harrington, C. L.. Trail Builder of Forestry. [Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, 25:2, Feb 1960, pp. 10-13.] Madison, 1960. View Full Entry
    Huhti, Thomas. Wisconsin. [Fourth Edition] Berkeley, CA, 2008. View Full Entry
    Huhti, Thomas. Wisconsin Handbook, Including Door County. [First Edition] Chico, CA, 1997. View Full Entry
    Mackie and Carow. Timber Harvest in the Northern Highland Forest. [Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, 20:4, April 1955, pp. 22-5.] Madison, 1955. View Full Entry
    Mirkes, Lawrence. Logging on the Northern Highland. [Wis. Conservation Bulletin, Nov/Dec'60,V25#9,p.31.] 1960. View Full Entry
    NCA and ECCOLA. E. M. Griffith Forest Restoration and Recreation Area. [A Proposal by NCA and ECCOLA, to the Natural Resources Board, November 14, 1996] Minocqua, 1996. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Oehmcke, Arthur. Woodruff Hatchery Story. n.p., 1989. View Full Entry
    Popov and Mirkes. Wildlife Management on the Northern Highland. [Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, June 1958] 1958. View Full Entry
    Reinemann, Floyd. Playground of the North. [Wis. Conservation Bulletin, 38:2, MarApr '73, p.4.] Madison, 1973. View Full Entry
    Wisconsin Conservation Department. Northern Highland and American Legion State Forests [map]. Madison, 1954. View Full Entry
    Wisconsin, Natural Resources, Dept. of. DNR Impact in Vilas County. Madison, 2014. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Wisconsin DNR. NHAL State Forest Timber Sales. [Wisconsin DNR Website, Revision of April 3, 2017, and related papers] Madison, 2017. View Full Entry
    Wisconsin, Natural Resources, Dept. of, Division of Forestry. Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest Trail Guide. [PUB-FR-200 2003 & 2004 & 2005] Madison, 2005. View Full Entry

    Minor References

    Auer, Jeremiah. Growing Up. [Wisconsin Natural Resources,35:3, June 2011, pp. 10-3.] Madison, 2011. View Full Entry (Full text available)
    Emerson, Charles. Wisconsin Scenic and Historic Trails. Madison, 1933. View Full Entry
    Sass, Greg. Fishery Research Area. [NHAL State Forest Visitor's Guide, 2017, pp. 20A-21A.] Minocqua, 2017. View Full Entry
    Wisconsin, Natural Resources, Dept. of. Slow-moving Killer Oak Disease Found near in State Forest. [Weekly News Article release of DNR Central Office, November 19, 2013] Madison, 2013. View Full Entry (Full text available)
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