Lawsuit challenges Forest Service timber targets

A lawsuit filed last month in a Washington, D.C., federal court alleges the U.S. Forest Service’s practice of setting “timber targets” puts the climate at risk, undermines the Biden administration’s climate goals and violates federal law. 

Plant trees at Tessentee

Help transform an old cattle pasture into a wildlife haven 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 24, at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve in Otto. 

Conservation groups file suit over Plateau timber project

In a newly filed lawsuit, a coalition of conservation organizations is alleging that a controversial U.S. Forest Service logging project on the Cashiers-Highlands Plateau violates federal law. 

Calling all forest landowners

A forest landowner workshop coming 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Haywood Agricultural Center in Waynesville will give landowners a chance to learn principles and resources for stewarding their forest. 

EcoForesters recognizes stewards of the land

The nonprofit EcoForesters has crowned its winners for the people who made a difference in forest stewardship and education during 2023. 

Forest Service enhances 128 plans with old growth protections

The U.S. Forest Service has issued a proposal that would amend all 128 forest land management plans in its jurisdiction with language aimed at better maintaining, improving and expanding old-growth forests. 

Forest loss could harm water quality, study finds

A new study from researchers focusing on the forest-water connection in the Southern U.S. found that, over the coming decades, many forested watersheds could be lost to development, lowering water quality and raising water treatment costs.

Loss of paper mill is a loss for forests

The closing of the paper mill in Canton is a major loss for its 1,100 employees and a shock to the area’s economy. The ripple effects also make it very bad news for sustainable forestry in the mountains.

Future of the forest

Mill closure looms large in discussion of challenges facing WNC forests 

The familiar challenges of climate change, invasive pests and development pressure peppered the conversation during a May 18 panel discussion on the issues facing forests in Western North Carolina — but the impending closure of Canton’s century-old paper mill dominated it. The closure is likely to have an earthshaking impact not just on the region’s economy, but also on the health of its forests. 

Private land, public impact: Workshop series helps woodland landowners better steward their forest

Usually, talk around conservation and forest management focuses on big chunks of public land like the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, not smaller parcels of private acreage. According to Lang Hornthal, co-executive director of the nonprofit EcoForesters, that needs to change — added together, those smaller parcels cover enormous swaths of land. 

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