Yellowstone National Forest

The Yellowstone National Forest is a former National Forest of the United States, which was first established on 30 March 1891 as Yellowstone Park Timberland Reserve with an area of ​​5014.2 km ². On May 22, 1902, he has been expanded to Yellowstone Forest Reserve to 26,632 km ². The Yellowstone National Forest is considered basically as the first U.S. national forest.

The establishment of the reserve was first proposed in 1882 by General Philip Sheridan after a visit to Yellowstone National Park. Sheridan recommended an expansion of the park by 64 kilometers to the east and at ten kilometers to the south. Senator George Graham Vest initiated a law that was being blocked by local opposition. The American Forestry Association dealt with the matter and prepared a new law that allows the President of the United States shut down the country and allowed to identify themselves as " forest reserve ". President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed subsequently the Reserve on 30 March 1891, aimed it most of Sheridan's recommendations. Some areas in the northeastern part of the proposed reserve were excluded to allow mining in the headwaters of the Clark Fork River. The country was thus basically the first U.S. national forest. He was initially under the same military administration as the Yellowstone National Park.

1902 areas with the Teton Forest Reserve were exchanged and put the reserve under a civilian administration. In the Wapiti River Shoshone the first national Ranger Station was established.

On January 9, 1903, the now renamed Yellowstone Forest Reserve with the Absaroka Forest Reserve and the Teton Forest Reserve was merged, the Yellowstone National Forest together formed on March 4, 1907. 1905 all federal forests were placed under the direction of the U.S. Forest Service. As a result of a larger reorganization of the forest on July 1, 1908 was dissolved and divided into the Targhee, Teton, Wyoming, Bonneville, Absaroka, and Beartooth Shoshone National Forests.