reposted from Katuah Earth First!
FOREST SERVICE THREATENS UNIQUE FOREST WITH MASSIVE LOGGING OPERATION
The Forest Service has proposed logging 472 acres of sensitive forests in the Pisgah Ranger District near Brevard. Here is some more info from the Southern Environmental Law Center:
Located below Devil’s Courthouse in western North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, the Courthouse Creek area is a scenic and ecological gem flanked by steep slopes and high-elevation forests that harbor a host of rare species. These cold, clear-running streams form the headwaters of the French Broad and are a popular destination for trout fishermen and outfitters. Waterfalls, tucked in steep terrain, are abundant, especially the popular and calendar-worthy Courthouse Falls.
Unfortunately, the sensitive streams and scenic surroundings of Courthouse Creek are being targeted by the Forest Service for a 500-acre timber sale. Nearly 200 acres of logging would occur in a state-designated Natural Heritage Area, identified by biologists as one of the most important rare species habitats in the state. The heritage area supports a host of rare animal and plant species, including pink-shell azalea that attract hikers with awe-inspiring blooms in late spring. Logging would be visible from Devil’s Courthouse, a sacred Cherokee site and a popular overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway just north of Courthouse Creek. Timber operations would also be visible to hikers on the popular Art Loeb and Mountains-to-Sea trails. Logging on the area’s steep, landslide-prone slopes will inevitably generate runoff loaded with sediment, threatening 17 miles of high-quality streams, wild trout, and other sensitive aquatic species.
The official public comment period is over but you can still let the Forest Service know you oppose the plan. Contact:
Pisgah Ranger District
District Ranger, Derek Ibarguen
1600 Pisgah Highway
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
(828) 877-3265
For a more in depth article please see Blue Ridge Now Continue reading
