By Megan Pettey
Several conservation groups are concerned with the future of forests in Western North Carolina after the Forest Service announced its updated Nantahala-Pisgah Forest management plan early in 2023. The plan covers over one million acres and will guide forest management for 10 to 15 years.
Groups including Southern Environmental Law Center, Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, MountainTrue and Defenders of Wildlife allege that the plan ignores public concerns and jeopardizes crucial ecosystems, old-growth forests and backcountry areas.
The plan increases how much logging is permitted and opens up more than 100,000 acres — including old-growth forests —to the commercial timber industry. Old-growth forests store more carbon than younger forests, meaning more carbon would be released into the atmosphere when they’re cut down. Additionally, the plan fails to include priorities for ecological restoration, according to advocates.
They also cite a few benefits, such as increasing prescribed burns necessary for protecting biodiversity and preparing for climate change, as well as allowing the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians more authority over forest management. The revised plan also recommends 49,000 acres of new wilderness and grants new eligibility for nine rivers to receive National Wild and Scenic Rivers designation.
“I think that some good things will happen during this plan, but unfortunately, I think progress will be slowed by all the bad things the plan allows and the inevitable social conflict that will result,” writes Josh Kelly, a public lands biologist for the environmental group MountainTrue.
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
‘First Line of Defense’
During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, rural fire departments and other first responder hubs played critical roles in keeping their communities safe, even without power and cut off from outside support for days or weeks after the storm. Two years later, plenty of work remains to ensure these hubs have the resources they need to operate day to day and be ready when emergencies or natural disasters strike.
The Rocky Road — and Bridge — to Recovery
Hurricane Helene is estimated to have damaged nearly 7,000 private roads and bridges in Western North Carolina. Two years later, many restoration projects are complete, but the journey hasn’t been easy — and isn’t over for others.
After 20 Years, Letcher County Prison Proposal Is Still Alive, Though Obstacles Remain
A $605 million proposal for a federal prison on a former strip mine site in Letcher County, Kentucky, championed by U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, refuses to die, despite local opposition, a lack of support from the executive branch and numerous other obstacles.
The Washout and Rebuild
For nearly two years, residents of Unicoi County, Tennessee, have had to make do without a hospital after Hurricane Helene destroyed the rural hospital. Ballad Health, which owns the hospital, broke ground on a new location — in another floodplain — in August 2026.
The Shenandoah Salamander
The Shenandoah salamander is a woodland salamander, which has adapted to life at higher elevations away from water. This sparkling rarity lives among the dry leaves, cracked logs, and stony hillocks on the highest peaks of Shenandoah National Park.
‘Foraging Is a Way of Connecting’
Foraging has experienced a modern resurgence, partly because of social media, online groups, the pandemic and people wanting to connect with nature. It also builds community, whether in person or online.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment