The acres are scattered across 14 stands on slopes containing the headwaters of Queens Creek and Partridge Creek, in Macon County north of Tellico Gap, and they include spots along the Appalachian Trail. The area around the stands to be harvested includes hundreds of acres of mature forest stands adjacent to 72 acres of young forest that grew following a 2008-2011 clearcut and 123 acres of 31-year-old trees resulting from a 1991 clearcut. The Old Growth Network approved in the new Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Management Plan surrounds the A.T. in this area, but none of the stands to be harvested fall within the network.

The project proposal follows a 2016 wildfire that burned through the recently harvested area with mixed severity, resetting forest succession in a mosaic pattern. In 2017, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission found golden-winged warbler nesting sites in the area.

“An opportunity exists to apply variable density thinning that will simultaneously improve hard mast producing species composition and forest composition for the golden-winged warbler,” the scoping letter states.

The project would involve cutting small openings of about a quarter-acre to temporarily enhance existing openings where cuttings occur along natural or recently burned openings. Additionally, individual oak and hickory trees would be selected 25 feet apart, with adjacent trees competing with them for sunlight thinned out using chainsaws. About 12% of the proposed thinning would occur in the forest’s Appalachian Trail Management Area, while 12% would occur in the Matrix Management Area.

To learn more, visit fs.usda.gov/project/nfsnc/?project=64473. Submit comments by the close of business Aug. 11 to Brandon Stephens at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Brandon L. Stephens, District Silviculturist, Nantahala Ranger District, 90 Sloan Rd., Franklin, NC 28734.