Final forest management plan draws mixed reactions from stakeholder groups
The Pisgah and Nantahala national forests are now operating under a new management plan, ending an arduous, 11-year process to revise an existing plan implemented in 1987.
Forest Service completes objection reviews for Pisgah-Nantahala forest plan
The U.S. Forest Service has completed its review of 891 objections to the Pisgah-Nantahala forest management plan it released a year ago, clearing the final hurdle to implement the first new forest plan since 1987.
‘A lot of mistakes’: Objections level strong criticism against forest plan
The 60-day objection period for the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Management Plan is now over, and while there’s not yet an official tally of how many people are contesting the final plan, it’s safe to say it’s a high number.
Decade in the making: Forest Service releases long-awaited Pisgah-Nantahala forest plan
A decade after convening the first meetings to discuss the impending process, the U.S. Forest Service has released a semi-final version of the plan that will govern management of the 1.04-million-acre Pisgah and Nantahala national forests for the next 15 to 20 years.
National forests welcome new leadership
In the midst of a summer characterized by coronavirus-related disruptions on top of the closing of the public comment phase for the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest’s much-awaited forest management plan, two new hires have taken the reins in key leadership positions overseeing management of these public lands.
Final decision reached on Buck Project
The U.S. Forest Service has signed the final decision notice for the Buck Project, which will encompass more than 32 square miles on the Nantahala National Forest’s Tusquitee Ranger District in eastern Clay County.
The project will use commercial timber sales toward the goal of providing young forest habitat and producing more oak and hickory trees over time. It will also use prescribed burning to promote the unique Serpentine Barrens and aim to improve water resource conditions through stream improvement projects.
National parks, forests respond to COVID-19
Operations have shifted on public lands in Western North Carolina due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Stakeholders offer initial feedback on long-awaited forest management plan
The atmosphere inside the Lake Logan Conference Center was more akin to a reunion of friends than to a gathering of business associates as members of the Stakeholders Forum for the Nantahala and Pisgah Plan Revision arrived Wednesday, Feb. 26 — and perhaps there’s good reason for that.
Panthertown chosen for Leave No Trace awareness program
Panthertown Valley’s popularity is increasing, and advocates for the backcountry area — located near Cashiers in the Nantahala National Forest — hope its newfound designation as a Leave No Trace Hot Spot will help head off some of the less-than-pleasant effects of that popularity.
Five fires burn the Nantahala
Fire season is just beginning, but already five fires are lighting up the Nantahala National Forest. About 130 people are busy battling the blazes, with crews coming from as far as Alaska to help with the firefighting efforts.