Panthertown and DuPont seek board members

Two organizations dedicated to stewarding beloved outdoor spaces are looking for new board members to help them fulfill their respective missions. 

Smokies burn ban lifted

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park  has lifted a burn ban that’s been in effect for weeks amid drought conditions and an active wildfire season. 

Panther Top Tower open for fall leaf views

The Panther Top Tower in the Nantahala National Forest near Murphy will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 4-5, offering spectacular views of fall colors in the surrounding mountains.

Forest thinning proposed near Tellico Gap

The U.S. Forest Service has proposed a plan to cut trees on 195 acres in the Nantahala National Forest. The goal is to boost nut production from trees like oak and hickory and improve habitat for the golden-winged warbler.

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. 

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