Protected Areas: F

  • The plan fails to protect over 101,000 acres of most important conservation and recreation hotspots.
  • More than half of the most popular forest in the country is in highest priority logging designations.
  • The plan places 44,000 of acres of old-growth forests in highest priority logging designations.
  • More than 65,000 acres of North Carolina’s Natural Heritage Areas are in the highest priority logging designations.
  • The plan allows logging in the Appalachian Trail corridor, and protections for the trail are weakened.
  • Logging is permitted in the National Historic Trail of Tears corridor.
  • Parts of the Mountains to Sea Trail corridor are placed in the highest priority logging designation.
  • The Bartram Trail corridor and the Benton MacKaye Trail are open to logging.
  • Most of I Heart Pisgah’s 40 key conservation and recreation areas are placed in the highest priority logging designations, including  3,000 acres of the proposed Craggy National Scenic Area.
  • Nearly all of the record-setting number of objections and 36,000 public comments advocated for more protected areas, including unanimous bipartisan resolutions from the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Commission.
  • More than 350,000 acres of Wilderness Inventory Areas were identified in the forest planning process, but the Forest Service included only 49,000 acres of recommended wilderness—less than 14%. 

TAKE ACTION

More Issues • Please Read

Protected Areas: F

The plan fails to protect over 101,000 acres of most important conservation and recreation hotspots. More than half of the most popular forest in the country is in highest priority logging designations.

Craggy National Scenic Area: D

The Forest Scenic Area designation for part of Craggy provides key support for the proposed Craggy National Scenic Area, and the final plan included an additional 700 acres. However, the plan places

What’s At Stake

The Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest Plan quadruples logging and reduces protections for the country’s most popular national forest.

We can still protect the most important recreation and conservation areas in the forest.

Sign the petition below supporting more protected areas and the creation of the Craggy National Scenic Area.

Take Action NOW!

Please introduce and support legislation to create the Craggy National Scenic Area — North Carolina’s first-ever National Scenic Area.

The Craggy National Scenic Area will permanently protect 18,000 acres of the most beautiful and biologically diverse forests in the East. Craggy includes ancient forests, waterfalls, pristine trout streams, and iconic trails like the Mountains to Sea Trail, North Carolina’s state trail.

The Craggy National Scenic Area will also permanently protect the panoramic vistas from Craggy Gardens, the most visited and popular destination along the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. We need Congress to create the Craggy National Scenic Area to permanently protect these stunning and spectacular forests, streams, and vistas.

Craggy’s pristine headwaters are home to native trout and part of a protected watershed and municipal drinking water source for the region. Craggy National Scenic Area will be a cornerstone of recreation and tourism less than 15 miles from downtown Asheville. It also will protect one of the largest old-growth forests in the East, home to over 44 rare and endangered species.

Craggy has widespread public and local community support. A record-setting 36,000 comments have flooded the Forest Service in support of the Craggy National Scenic Area. The local Big Ivy community wholeheartedly supports the Craggy National Scenic Area. The City of Asheville has passed two unanimous bipartisan resolutions supporting the Craggy National Scenic Area. Buncombe County has also passed unanimous bipartisan resolutions supporting the Craggy National Scenic Area.

Craggy National Scenic Area will protect and enhance the scenery and recreational opportunities that are vital to our region’s economy.
Georgia has two National Scenic Areas, and Virginia has a National Scenic Area, too. You can help North Carolina create its first-ever National Scenic Area, and there is nowhere more deserving of National Scenic Area status than Craggy.

With your leadership, Craggy can become the first-ever National Scenic Area in North Carolina.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to highlight North Carolina’s world-class scenery and recreational opportunities.

Sincerely,

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