Savage River State Forest is located in the north and northeastern part of Garrett County, in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state forest has many waterways, including Savage River Reservoir, which was built in 1952 by the U.S. Army. The dam was built as an emergency water supply for Washington, D.C. Savage River State Forest is known for its hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking trails.

Savage River State Forest is mostly located on the eastern side of the Eastern Continental Divide, which means that most of its waterways will eventually lead to the Potomac River and thus the Chesapeake Bay. But some of its waterways flow into the Youghiogheny River.

History In 1800, there were roughly 1000 settlers who lived in Garrett County. But cheap land, improved transportation and growth along the eastern seaboard led to a settlement boom. The national road was completed in 1818 and the rail road arrived in 1852. The transportation system better connected the resource rich Garrett County to the growth needs of the east. Increased quantities of lumber, coal and wheat were shipped east.

By the early 1900s, narrow gauge railroads were used to facilitate logging on steeper slopes as the demand for wood products continued to increase. The result was that Garrett County was heavily cut-over, essentially clear cut, within a 20-year period. The train engines frequently caused forest fires in the tops and slash that were left from the clear-cutting. As a result of the fires, a new forest was created. This legacy we can see today as most of our older forests are the same age and are approximately 100 years old.

In part, as a reaction to the rapid cutting of trees and the burning that was taking place, the Garrett Brothers, in 1906 gave 2000 acres to the state with the proviso that an agency would be created to manage the property and to institute scientific forestry- this led to the birth of the Maryland Forest Service. The rapid exploitation of the forests came to an end by the 1930s and logging companies moved west or converted to coal mining. The early efforts of the MD Forest Service were primarily fire suppression.

On January 8, 1929, the state purchased 9,352 acres of cut-over forest land from the N.U. Bond Company. This was the beginning of Savage River State Forest. Since that time there has been a number of acquisitions both big and small. Now Savage River State Forest consists of 54,324 acres.

In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps assisted the forest service with fire suppression efforts, tree planting, and constructing facilities for recreational activities. The CCC boys helped with the early snow skiing activities on the forest – later to become New Germany State Park. They helped build many trails where hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ORV riding are still taking place.

The forest The Savage River State Forest covers approximately 54,324 acres of land in Garrett County (40 acres are in Allegany County). Mature mixed oak and northern hardwood forests comprise a large proportion of the Savage River State Forest. In general, sixty-six percent of the area is composed of older, more mature forests, while thirty-four percent are younger and smaller.

+Forest Diversity of Savage River State Forest Structure stage Total % Total Forest Type Hemlock 2,097.0 3.9 Northern hardwood 9,121.8 17.1 Hardwood hard pine 104.8 0.2 Mixed oaks 30,091.4 56.3 Cove hardwoods 4,927.9 9.2 Red maple 2,726.1 5.1 Black locust 1,153.3 2.2 Hardwood white pine 315.5 0.6 Hardwood 104.8 0.2 Plantations 2,830.9 5.3 Total 53,472.6 100.0

Old growth Old growth forests have generally been defined as forests in existence since pre-settlement times and lacking any significant Euro-American disturbance. The definition can differ according to climatic and eco-regional perspectives and the growth characteristics of specific native forest systems. In Maryland, an old growth forest is defined as a minimum of five acres in size with a preponderance of old trees, of which the oldest trees exceed at least half of the projected maximum attainable age for that species, and that exhibits most of the following characteristics: Shade tolerant species are present in all age/size classes. There are randomly distributed canopy gaps. There is a high degree of structural diversity characterized by multiple growth layers (canopy, understory trees, shrub, herbaceous, ground layers) that reflect a broad spectrum of ages. There is an accumulation of dead wood of varying sizes and stages of decomposition, standing and down, accompanied by decadence in live dominant trees. Pit-and-mound topography can be observed, if the soil conditions permit it.

It is also important to recognize that old-growth forests are not static and may not be a permanent fixture on the landscape. The forests and trees within and around them change continuously. This would be true even if human influence could be eliminated. All forests, including old-growth, succumb to natural, destructive disturbances and regenerate over time. A functional old-growth ecosystem includes the loss of old trees due to natural disturbances and the death of old trees. An old-growth system is not static, nor is it always dominated by old trees. Natural processes dictate the age composition at any time. The important factor in this process is that the trees have the opportunity to reach old age if natural disturbances do not intercede.

Forest production Savage River State Forest has been managed for industrial forest production for decades and has served as a significant contributor to the region's forest products industry. Local sawmills and the New Page paper mill provide outlets for timber harvested from area forests. The state forest accounts for approximately 19.0% of productive forestland in the Garrett County area. The neighboring Potomac-Garrett State Forest is managed in a comparable manner, and together the two state properties represent nearly 25.4% of the county's total forest cover.

+Savage River SF and Potomac-Garrett SF as a Percentage of Garrett County State Forest State Forest acres SF as a % of County Area SF as a % of County forest Savage River 54,324 12.8% 19.0% Potomac-Garrett 18,242 4.3% 6.4% Totals 72,566 17.1% 25.4%

Watershed Savage River State Forest spans six of Maryland's 8-digit watersheds. Three of these, the Savage River, Upper North Branch of the Potomac River, and George's Creek, drain into the Chesapeake Bay, while the remaining three, the Casselman River, Youghiogheny River, and Deep Creek Lake, belong to the Ohio River drainage. The largest share of the forest lies within the Savage River watershed, which contains 57.8% of the forest's area. The Casselman River watershed holds 17.9%, George's Creek 12.7%, and the Youghiogheny River 10.7%. The Upper North Branch of the Potomac and Deep Creek Lake watersheds each contain very small portions, at 0.6% and 0.4% respectively.

+Number of stream miles according to the Strahler stream order and grouped by major drainage Watershed 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th George's Creek 55.8775 15.08063 12.91313 0 0 Potomac River Upper North Branch 90.67313 22.13625 7.47625 33.07813 0 Savage River 96.27 21.82875 16.80875 4.98 0 Chesapeake Bay 242.8206 59.04563 37.19813 38.05813 0 Casselman 60.95938 22.23813 13.105 0 0 Deep Creek Lake 24.4425 2.94125 1.70625 0 0 Youghiogheny River 166.7556 52.50938 30.00625 7.078125 19.84125 Ohio River 252.1575 77.68875 44.8175 7.078125 19.84125 Grand Total 494.9781 136.7344 82.01563 45.13625 19.84125

Wildlife Maryland began licensing hunters in 1916, with sales peaking at approximately 180,000 in the early 1970s. Since then, figures have declined to around 135,000, with roughly 3–4% of Maryland residents now participating in hunting. Most Maryland hunters are males between the ages of 30 and 49 who live in urban areas. Residents of Baltimore County accounted for 11.9% of statewide licenses sold, while the five lower shore counties together accounted for 9.7%

The majority of Savage River State Forest is open to public hunting, with the exception of safety zones and similar restricted areas. White-tailed deer represents the primary hunting opportunity, though black bear, turkey, and upland birds are also hunted depending on location.

Garrett County is home to more than 40 species of game animals. Hunting remains a long-standing tradition in the area, providing recreation, food, and quality of life. The large amounts of public land in the county make it a popular destination for non-resident hunters and those from more densely populated areas with limited hunting access.

White-tailed deer

During the 2009–10 hunting season, Garrett County recorded the seventh highest deer harvest in Maryland, a notable ranking given that most counties operate under more liberal bag limits and thus have greater harvest potential. The total reported harvest for Garrett County during that season was 4,922 deer.

Black bear

In October 2004, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) implemented the state's first bear-hunting season in 51 years, with hunts held annually since that time. DNR established a harvest quota targeting approximately 8 to 12% harvest mortality, based on an objective of achieving 20 to 25% overall mortality when combining seasonal and non-seasonal mortality. Harvest quotas ranged from 30 to 85 bears between 2004 and 2009, and the quota range for the 2010 season was set at 65–90 bears.

In May and June 2005, DNR conducted western Maryland’s most recent black bear population survey. A DNA-based mark-recapture study was conducted across Garrett and Allegany counties. A similar study had been conducted in 2000. The results of the DNA analysis were entered into Program MARK which yielded a population estimate of 362 adult and subadult bears across the study area. The 95% CI ranged between 242 and 482 animals.

Wild turkey

Garrett County observes a split turkey season with both spring and fall components. Statewide, it is estimated that more than 10,000 hunters pursue turkeys during the spring season. In 2010, Garrett County ranked first in the state for turkey harvest, with 345 birds reported, representing approximately 12% of the total statewide harvest.

Migratory birds Waterfowl associated with wetlands

Significant waterfowl habitat exists throughout Garrett County. Bottomland hardwood floodplains, beaver impoundments, lakes, farm ponds, and wooded wetlands provide habitat for wood ducks, mallards, teal, and black ducks.

American woodcock

Spring singing ground surveys coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicate that American woodcock populations have declined at an average rate of 1.9% per year since the surveys began in 1968, though population estimates have been stable over the most recent ten-year period. Most woodcock biologists attribute the longer-term decline to habitat alteration, development losses, and changes resulting from the maturation of abandoned farmland. Areas of Savage River State Forest serve as both breeding and wintering habitat for woodcock. The species favors moist soil areas with dense seedling and sapling cover and rich humus layers, as these conditions support earthworms, their primary food source.

Fish

Brook trout

Brook trout are Maryland's only native freshwater trout species, valued for aesthetic, recreational, economic, and biological reasons. Their presence is typically associated with pristine, high-quality environments. Although no commercial fishery for brook trout exists, recreational angling has occurred for centuries, and recognition of the unique quality of native brook trout fishing has grown at both local and national levels.