Kisatchie National Forest, the only National forest in Louisiana, United States, is located in the forested piney hills and hardwood bottoms of seven central and northern parishes. It is part of the Cenozoic uplands (some of Louisiana's oldest rocks) and has large areas of longleaf pine forests (a forest type that has declined significantly over the last century). It is one of the largest pieces of natural landscape in Louisiana, with some of public land, more than half of which is vital longleaf pine and flatwoods vegetation. These support many rare plant and animal species. There are also rare habitats, such as hillside seepage bogs and calcareous prairies. The forest also contains and provides a buffer for the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, a nationally designated wilderness area that contributes to protecting biodiversity of the coastal plain region of the United States.
The forest was designated in 1930 during the administration of U.S. President Herbert Hoover.
The name Kisatchie is derived from a tribe of Kichai Indians of the Caddo Confederacy.
Kisatchie National Forest plays an important role in protecting representative examples of the landscape of northern Louisiana, particularly those that fall within the South Central Plains Ecoregion. The forest protects habitat for a wide array of plant species, including wild orchids and carnivorous plants. Two examples include the pale pitcher plant and rose pogonia orchid. Biologists have found 155 species of breeding or overwintering birds, 48 mammal species, 56 reptile species and 30 amphibian species. Rare animals include the Louisiana pine snake, the red-cockaded woodpecker, the Louisiana black bear and the Louisiana pearlshell mussel.United States Department of Agriculture. 1999. Final Environmental Impact Statement. Revised Land and Resource Management Plan. Kisatchie National Forest. Forest Service, Southern Region, Pineville, LA.
The forest also offers recreation activities including: bird watching, photography, backpacking, canoeing, all-terrain vehicle trails, boating, camping, cycling, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain biking, picnicking and swimming. The forest has more than 40 developed recreation sites and over of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.
Roads are known to cause significant damage to forests, prairies, streams and wetlands.Forman, R. T. T., Sperling, D., Bissonette, J., Clevenger, A. P., Cutshall, C. D., Dale, V. H., Fahrig, L., France, R., Goldman, C. R., Heanue, K., Jones, J. A., Swanson, F. J., Turrentine, T., and Winter, T. C. (2002). Road Ecology: Science and Solutions. Washington, DC: Island Press. Roads are particularly harmful to native populations of amphibians and reptiles that migrate to vernal pools.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Kisatchie National Forest contains three significant roadless areas, established to protect native species: Cunningham Brake and Saline Bayou.
Cunningham Brake Cunningham Brake is a large cypress-tupelo gum swamp that also protects flows in Kisatchie Bayou.
Saline Bayou
Saline Bayou has mixed forests associated with alluvial habitats, ranging from shortleaf pine to tupelo gum.
Kisatchie Hills
A third large roadless area, the Kisatchie Hills, is protected under a different designation, as a wilderness area. More information of these important areas can be found in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Kisatchie, prepared by the Forest Service in 1999.
Prairie Although forests dominate the landscape, scattered prairies can also be found. Natural prairies have been almost extirpated from Louisiana, mostly by clearing for agriculture. Less than one thousand acres of calcareous prairie may remain in the entire state, three pieces of which are associated with Kisatchie: the Kieffer prairie (769 acres), the historic Tancock Prairie (45 acres), and the historic Bartram Prairie (1,190 acres). The latter two are referred to as "historic" because they were mentioned in 1836 survey records; they have reverted to forest.
So thoroughly have the prairies of North America been cleared that remnants such as these are likely to be of national significance. The restoration of a natural fire regimen is the most important priority for maintaining and enhancing these prairies.Keddy, P.A. 2008. Water, Earth, Fire: Louisiana's Natural Heritage. Xlibris, Philadelphia. 229 p.
Coverage The forest consists of several large areas; and these are fragmented by private land ownership. The headquarters are in Pineville, but the Kisatchie National Forest has five ranger districts in the north-central area of the state: Calcasieu, Caney, Catahoula, Kisatchie and Winn. The forest lies in parts of seven parishes. In descending order of land area within the forest, they are Grant, Natchitoches, Winn, Rapides, Vernon, Claiborne, and Webster parishes.
Calcasieu Ranger District The Calcasieu Ranger district is the southernmost district, located between Alexandria, Leesville and DeRidder. The District Office is located on LA 28 West, east of Gardner and west of Alexandria, Louisiana.
Wolf Rock Cave, the only known cave in Louisiana, is located just off Parish road 455 (locally known as Johnsonville road)Google maps: Wolf Rock Cave- Retrieved 2017-02-05 in Vernon Parish. The 70-foot above ground cave is situated beside Bundick Creek and is a protected by two rock overhangs.US Forrest Service: Wolf Rock Cave- Retrieved 2017-02-05
The district comprises the Evangeline and Vernon units:
Evangeline Unit This district features Kincaid Lake, Valentine Lake, and The Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail Other areas include the Kincaid Lake Day-Use Area, the Kincaid Lake Group-Use Area, the Valentine Lake Day-Use Areas, Valentine Lake Group-Use Area, the Bayou Boeuf Research Natural Area, and the Castor Creek Scenic Area. The Wild Azalea Seep area is part of the Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail.
Campgrounds include three at Kincaid Lake, two at Valentine Lake, the Loran/Claiborne Trailhead Camp, the Evangeline Camp, the Ahtus Melder Camp and the Boy Scout Camp. The Ahtus Melder Camp is for equestrian riders utilizing the Claiborne Trails.
Trails in this district include the Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail, the Claiborne Trails, the Kincaid Lake Trails, the Valentine Lake Trail, the Lamotte Creek Trail, the Ouiski Chitto Creek (sometimes spelled Whiskey Chitto)Louisiana travel- Retrieved 2017-02-05 Recreation Trail and, the Indian Ridge Trail.
The Evangeline Unit of the Calcasieu Ranger District also encompasses the remains of Camp Claiborne, a U.S. Army post during World War II. Camp Claiborne was the largest military installation in the United States and the third largest city in Louisiana. Today, part of the old camp is used as a U.S. Air Force bombing range.
Vernon Unit This district features Fullerton Lake, Enduro Trailhead Camp, and Hunter's Camp. Day and group-use opportunities include The Fullerton Lake Day-Use Area, Fullerton Lake Group-Use Area, Little Cypress Day-Use Area, Little Cypress Group-Use Area, Blue Hole Day-Use Area, Blue Hole Group-Use Area, and Government Pond Recreation Area. Some activities have required fees.
Boating opportunities include in this district include kayaking and canoeing on Fullerton Lake, Little Cypress, Blue Hole, and Blue Hole Wildlife Viewing Structure.
Hiking trails in this area include Big Branch Trail, Ouiska Chitto Trail, Enduro Trail, Fullerton Mill Trail,' Ol Sarge Trail, and Turkey Pen Trail.
Other notable activities in the area include Cooter's Bog Special Interest Area, Drake's Creek Special Interest Area, Quiska Chitto Special Interest Area, and the Longleaf Scenic Area.
Animals in the area include the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis). The red-cockaded woodpecker, often referred to as the RCW, is one of the few birds endemic to the United States and many colonies are in the Vernon Unit. The RCW only nest in cavities of specific trees. Having extremely specific habitat requirements lost by mass deforestation caused large population declines and the extinction of numerous colonies in the 20th century. It was listed as a Federal Endangered Species. All areas in this unit where RCW reside have been identified and are distinctly marked. The markings include a boundary of Department of Forestry Service signs and white paint markings on the boundary trees. Many of these habitats can be observed from the roadside of La-Forestry Rd. 410, known as Bailey Road, that runs from Rosepine to LA 10.
The Louisiana Statewide Red-cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Program is a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to enlist the aid of non-federal property owners to help build and maintain adequate foraging habitat.
The wild turkey was a very important food animal to Native Americans, but it was eliminated from much of its range by the early 20th century. Large groups of these birds can be observed on or near LA-Forestry rds 430 (Marlow Road) and 431 (Drakes Fork Road) that is off LA 10 just west of Cravens.
The Calcasieu's Vernon Unit is frequently used by neighboring Fort Johnson for training and the military leases training access to many areas. Areas affected by military operations will be posted by Fort Johnson and Kisatchie.
Caney Ranger District
The Caney Ranger district is located northeast of Shreveport south of the Arkansas state line near Homer, the seat of Claiborne Parish. It boasts the Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail along with Caney Lakes Recreation Area and Corney Lakes. The Caney Ranger District, unlike the rest of the Kisatchie National Forest, began its life in the hands of the Depression-era Resettlement Administration, which bought up marginal upland farmland. The Caney was not turned over to the Forest Service until 1959.
The district comprises the Caney Lake Unit, the Middle Fork Unit, and the Corney Lake Unit
Caney Lakes Unit Camping opportunities in this unit include The Beaver Dam Campground on Upper Caney Lake and the Turtle Slide Campground on Lower Caney Lake in the Caney Lakes Recreation Complex.
Trail opportunities include The Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail inside the Caney Lakes Recreation Complex.
Day and group-use opportunities include The Caney Lakes Day-Use Area, the Caney Lakes Ski Beach Area, and the Caney Lakes Group-Use Area which are all located on Lower Caney Lake.
People desiring boating opportunities can enjoy The Upper Caney Lake Boat Launch Area, the Lower Caney Lake Boat Launch Area, and the South Shore Caney Lake Boat Launch Area. Fees are collected for certain activities in this unit.
Middle Fork Unit The Middle Fork Unit of the Caney Ranger District has only two designated recreation facilities, both of which are designated hunter's camps and are opened year-around but only maintained for the hunting season. These primitive camps are Bucktail Camp and Turkey Trot Camp. These areas are ideal for wildlife and bird watchers, plant enthusiasts, and nature lovers.
Corney Lake Unit Camping opportunities include the south shore campground, the north shore camp, and sugar creek hunter's camp. Day and group-use facilities include the south shore day/group-use area and the north shore day-use area.
Corney Lake has three separate boat launches. The first is the modern south shore day-use/boat launch, the second is the more primitive north shore boat launch, and the third is the all new Corney Bayou Launch.
Unlike other units, there are no designated trails within the Corney Lake Unit. Also, there are no fee areas within the Corney Lake Unit at any of the facilities provided.
Catahoula Ranger District