CRC
Old Mossy Horns
12 Mile Project
Supported by NCWRC, US Forest Service but generally opposed by environmental groups
This project will benefit endangered species but also hunted species such as white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse and elk.
COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AUGUST 23RD.
Supported by NCWRC, US Forest Service but generally opposed by environmental groups
This project will benefit endangered species but also hunted species such as white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse and elk.
COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AUGUST 23RD.
Located on the Appalachian Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest, in Haywood County
The Twelve Mile Project will help maintain a healthy and diverse forest that supports wildlife, provides a sustainable output of timber, improves water quality and aquatic habitat, and improves access to the forest.
Why do we need to do this?
We approached this project collaboratively, inviting other federal and state agencies, local industries, environmental and conservation organizations, and interested individuals to engage in the early stages of planning and throughout the development of the proposed actions. Together we identified many things that needed to change on this landscape in order to meet our mission of sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of the forest to meet the needs of current and future generations.
- We need young forest to provide habitat for a diversity of wildlife species including elk and golden-winged warbler.
- We need to maintain optimum growth and a mix of tree species in stands that are currently overstocked and structurally simple.
- We need to ensure there is small patch old growth dispersed across the forest.
- We need wildlife openings which are important feeding areas for a variety of wildlife that depend upon nutritious grasses and forbs.
- We need more shortleaf pine and other yellow pine that has declined due to past beetle epidemics and lack of wildfire.
- We need to replace white pine that was planted decades ago with species that are more appropriate for the ecological zone.
- We need more oaks which requires increasing the amount of sunlight reaching the forest floor.
- We need to move the condition class within some ecological zones towards the natural range of variation for a variety of ages and structures such as young and old growth and open and closed canopy.
- We need to protect water quality and restore aquatic organism passage at road crossings.
- We need to restore streams that have been disturbed by past human activity.
- We need to create a safe and efficient road system to provide and improve forest access.
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