sion could not have occurred with such success without the sacrifice of its forests. Wisconsin and its forests, more so than most other states, was to bear much of the brunt of this sacrifice during the period between the Civil War and the early twentieth century. As a result, the forests of the state of Wisconsin were reduced to a charred and skeletal version of their former grandeur. Concerned with the future needs of the region, the state finally began to lead the way in conservation efforts. Although, ultimately, the state efforts to form forest reserves were set aback by public hostility, many aspects of the conservation movement met with success, such as matters revolving around fire control and the development of a forest service. Even so, the lands were in dire need for further protection. And, with this in mind, efforts at conservation would soon become a state and federal movement. Working together, the two agencies were determined to bring back some semblance of Wisconsin’s former forests that would culminate in the creation of the Nicolet National Forest and its sister, the Chequamegon National Forest.The Nicolet National Forest The Nicolet National Forest is comprised of 661,377 acres in Florence, Forest, Langlade, Oconto, Oneida, and Vilas counties. In 1993, the Nicolet Forest was combined with the Chequamegon National Forest as one administrative unit with the headquarters located in Park Falls and Rhinelander. The Chequamegon Forest covers an additional 858,416 acres in Ashland, Bayfield, Sawyer, Price, Taylor, and Vilas counties. According to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest history home page on the Internet, “each national forest is divided into administrative units called ranger districts. The Chequamegon comprises five districts, and has ranger stations located in Glidden, Hayward, Medford, Park Falls, and Washburn…The Nicolet comprises four ranger districts with ranger ...
