Bienville National Forest
Bienville National Forest is a United States National Forest in central Mississippi, named for Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. In descending order of land area, it lies in parts of Scott, Smith, Jasper, and Newton counties and has an area of 178,541 acres (72,253 ha). The forest is headquartered in Jackson, as are all six National Forests in Mississippi, with local ranger district offices located in Forest, Mississippi.
| Bienville National Forest | |
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| Location | Mississippi, United States |
| Nearest city | Jackson, MS |
| Coordinates | 32.294°N 89.503°W |
| Area | 178,541 acres (722.53 km2)[1] |
| Established | June 15, 1936[2] |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Bienville National Forest |
The forest lies within the Southeastern mixed forests ecoregion and supports mixed forests of pine and oak.[3]
The upper courses of the Leaf and Strong Rivers flow through the forest. Recreational opportunities include camping, hiking, boating and fishing for bass, bream, and crappie on Marathon Lake and Shongelo Lake.
There are three Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) within Bienville National Forest: Bienville WMA; Tallahalla WMA; and Caney Creek WMA. Each of these areas features wildlife such as white-tailed deer, and wild turkey. Recent years have seen an influx of invasive wild pigs.
References
- "Land Areas of the National Forest System" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. January 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- "The National Forests of the United States" (PDF). Forest History Society. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- Olson, D. M.; E. Dinerstein; et al. (2001). "Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth". BioScience. 51 (11): 933–938. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011.