Social Impact Of The Shawnee National Forest In Illinois

1401 Words6 Pages

The Shawnee National Forest impacted Illinois economically, socially, and with job opportunities. Franklin Roosevelt established the Shawnee Forest as a national forest in August of 1933. The forest was named after the Shawnee Native Americans who had onced lived, hunted, and farmed in the forest. Southern Illinois is where The Shawnee National Forest is located and it is over 280,000 acres that is managed by the government. The Shawnee National Forest hosts hundreds of different types of trees and plants and over 500 different species of wildlife. These species include different fish, insects, and mammals. Franklin Roosevelt combined the Illini Purchase and the Shawnee Forest to create the Shawnee National Forest. President Franklin …show more content…

One big social aspect of the forest is Camp Ondessonk. Camp Ondessonk is in the heart of the forest on over 980 acres of land. Each summer hundreds of children and adults travel to Ondessonk to participate in their summer camp activities. Camp Ondessonk brings people from all over the world to the Shawnee. This stimulates the economy surrounding the camp and also connects people who would have never met before. During the summer Camp Ondessonk takes the environment very seriously. Every Week they have at least ten groups do projects to improve the camp and the surrounding forest. These range from trail maintenance to tree clearing and they take pride in what they do for the environment. The Shawnee has more to offer than just Camp Ondessonk, the forest is filled with many other recreational opportunities. Hiking and camping are two very popular pastimes in the Shawnee. The forest holds multiple campgrounds both government and privately owned. Garden of the Gods is a huge attraction spot for people who enjoy the outdoors. When people travel down to the Garden they are able to see things they have only seen in pictures. Another positive aspect is that people from all over the place can meet someone they would have never had the chance to meet. Camp Ondessonk for example attracts a large amount of children and adults from the …show more content…

These jobs gave many people jobs during the great depression and before and after World War II. In present day the Shawnee still has job opportunities for people. In The Civilian Conservation Corps in Southern Illinois, 1933-1942 the author takes stories from young men who were part of the Civilian Conservation Corps ,CCC, during the great depression. During the great depression these men learned about how to properly care for the environment. These men were also providing for their families in a time of great need. The CCC set up multiple camps in the Shawnee National Forest to hold these men and in doing so stirred the local economies. In these camps men learned how to care for the environment, job skills, gave them proper human interactions, and it gave them a job. This organization also was the first job that some men had ever had and it prepared them for other jobs once this one was over which improved the economy even more. Working with the CCC did not just give them a job, it gave these men hope and a purpose. One of the last buildings left from the CCC is Trigg Tower. Trigg Tower is the last wild fire watch tower left from the 1930s. This is one of the sixteen towers that were created to observe the forest. Trigg Tower is one of many jobs men were assigned