Page 9 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - First Quarter 2021

Background
The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are a rich part
of North Carolina’s history. The acquisition of these two
forests was under the direction of the 1911 Weeks Act, which “provided authority to acquire lands for national forests to protect watersheds, to provide timber, and to regulate the
flow of navigable streams.” The Pisgah Forest was part of the original Biltmore Estate property acquired by George and Edith Vanderbilt. The Vanderbilts hired Gifford Pinchot to manage their holdings, and subsequently, Carl Schenck founded the Biltmore School of Forestry. For many forestry professionals, the Biltmore School of Forestry is considered the birthplace
of modern forest management in the United States. The Vanderbilts sold a portion of their estate on October 7, 1916, to the U.S. Forest Service to establish the Pisgah National Forest. Approximately four years later, the acquisition of multiple parcels in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia was finalized to establish the Nantahala National Forest. Combined, these two federally managed forests include just over one million acres.
While the 1911 Weeks Act emphasized the production of timber among its objectives, recreation, wildlife, and other non-timber benefits quickly became part of the national-forest management paradigm. During the 1930s and early 1940s, the Civilian Conservation Corps established multiple camps throughout the Nantahala and Pisgah, building numerous administrative and recreation structures, trails, and bridges that are still in use today. Despite these other objectives, timber production was still a major emphasis. Forest products sold from the Nantahala and Pisgah helped supply the Champion International paper mill in Canton, NC, as well as many hardwood sawmills across western North Carolina that are still in operation today.
1. Members of Nantahala Pisgah Stakeholders’ Forum on a field visit, discussing management opportunities. 2. Members of the Forum leadership team discuss management-area allocations with Michelle Aldredge.
3. The full Forum membership meets during breakout sessions to discuss opportunities for management. 4. Forum breakout session discussing current- age class distribution and silvicultural opportunities for improving forest health.
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