This Land, Your Land

A plan meant to guide management of the 50,814-acre Uwharrie National Forest for the next 15 years includes the objective of improving an average of 10 combined miles of substandard hiking, bike, horse or OVH trails each year until the maintenance backlog is depleted.

The U.S. Forest Service released the 140-page revised Uwharrie National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan earlier this week. The major themes of the plan are restoring the forest to a more natural ecological condition, managing cultural resources better, and providing outstanding and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that include excellent trails and facilities, according to a news release.

The first focus of work pertaining to outdoor recreation will be on "correcting long-standing problems with the trail systems in the Badin Lake Recreation Area to reduce impacts to water quality and cultural resources, and provide a better experience for users of the horse and OHV trails," the plan says. "Another recreation priority is completing the Uwharrie National Recreation Trail as opportunities become available."

The Badin Lake Recreation Area comprises five family-style campgrounds (including a horse camp), and five day use sites that offer access to the 5.6-mile Badin Lake Trail, 17 miles of OHV trails, picnic and swimming areas, a boat ramp and a shooting range.

The 20-mile Uwharrie National Recreation Trail offers a variety of scenery, streams and rocky terrain, and encompasses the 11.5-mile Dutchman's Creek Trail, a loop alternative to the longer footpath.

Improving the trail system is seen as a means of supporting growth of local tourism. The forest serves a growing area with a population of 6 million, and officials expect "more pressure from increasing recreational use in the future compared to other national forests in the region." In the meantime, forest officials hope to encourage more consistent use of existing facilities in the Uwharrie, including on weekdays, the plan says. Some facilities are full on weekends, but remain sparsely used during the week.

When improving trails or mitigating adverse impacts from trails throughout the forest, planners suggest creating loops through reroutes or connectors as a means of improving user experience and safety. "As trails are maintained, existing vistas should be maintained where appropriate to provide long-distance views, and opportunities for new vistas should be considered," the plan says.

The plan also looks at the 5,160-acre Birkhead Mountains Wilderness at the northern end of the forest, and calls for completing one condition assessment of the trails and dispersed campsites in the wilderness area over the course of the planning period. Objectives include developing a site-specific wilderness management guide, an emergency response plan, and a fire plan for the Birkhead Mountains Wilderness.

Other highlights of the plan, taken directly from the news release, include:

  - Restoring 100 acres of longleaf pine trees annually. The longleaf pine tree is native to the piedmont region of North Carolina. These restored acres will add to the Uwharrie National Forest's 3,000 acres of existing longleaf pine.
  - Restoring 200 acres of oak-hickory forests annually.
  - Restoring longleaf pine and oak-hickory forests will result in loblolly pine harvests that support the local economy.
  - Improving diversity and habitats for open woodland species such as the endangered Schweinitz's sunflower through increased use of prescribed fire. Prescribed fire is also critical for restoration and maintenance of longleaf pine woodlands.
  - Requiring equestrians and mountain bikers to stay on designated trails, after an initial collaborative trail-system design phase. Off-highway vehicles are currently restricted to designated trails. This will promote forest health by reducing erosion and sedimentation in streams as well as the impacts to rare species and archeological sites.
  - Sustaining stream systems and protecting water quality and aquatic biodiversity, including a goal to reintroduce endangered aquatic species. New standards for trails and an objective for road closures would reduce the potential for stream sedimentation from these sources.
  - Recognizing 34 unique or rare botanical, geological, archeological and/or recreational sites for special management of their rare attributes.
  - Mitigating vulnerability to a changing climate by restoring resilient native ecosystems including longleaf pine and oak-hickory forests, and reduce existing stresses like non-native species.

"People who work, play, or live in or near the Uwharrie NF were invited to participate in a series of public meetings and field trips," to help develop the management plan, the plan document says. Some who responded were interested primarily in conservation of native ecosystems, while others see the forest as a place to enjoy the variety of recreation available. Some look for ways the forest can provide economic benefits to local communities.

"It is a challenge to provide the kind of experience recreationists want while minimizing impacts to other forest resources and other forest users," the plan says.

The plan takes effect in about 30 days. An appeals process is outlined here (.pdf).

The Arrowood Glade picnic area off U.S. 64 and Wayah Road near Franklin in the Nantahala National Forest may be closed because of lack of use, the U.S. Forest Service said in a news release today.

"Over the years, use of the Arrowood Glade picnic area has fallen off to the point where it is no longer viable for the agency to continue operating the facility as it has in the past," Nantahala District Ranger Mike Wilkins says in the release. "The Forest Service is considering re-opening the area to small groups, on a reservation-only basis for a fee, but we also want to hear ideas from the public and preferences for use of the aging facility."

The roadside attraction has fallen into disrepair in recent years, mostly due to a backlog of deferred maintenance. It was to open April 1 but remains closed. If the Forest Service decides to open the picnic area, "repairs to the bathrooms and other features will be considered," the release says.

The picnic area is a few miles east of Wayah Bald, a well-known day use site with a historic fire tower that provides panoramic views of the Smoky and Unicoi mountains, and picnic grounds.

If you have ideas or comments, mail them by June 15 to Wilkins at: Nantahala Ranger District, 90 Sloan Road, Franklin, NC 28734.

The U.S. Forest Service said the Birkhead Mountains Wilderness Area has been re-opened to visitors today after a fire there was 100 percent contained.

Authorities said in a news release issued Wednesday that the fire in the northern reaches of the Uwharrie National Forest "was likely caused by an abandoned campfire at a remote campsite."

Firefighters held the fire, which was first reported around 7 p.m. on February 11, to 73 acres.

Our friend Smokey Bear provides these tips for safely extinguishing a campfire:

* Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible.
* Pour lots of water on the fire; drown ALL embers, not just the red ones.
* Pour until hissing sound stops.
* Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel.
* Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers.
* Stir and make sure everything is wet and they are cold to the touch.
* If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. Do NOT bury the fire as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.

Remember ...

If you're interested in how hiking, biking and bridle trails in North Carolina National Forests are managed, consider participating in a series of workshops to develop a non-motorized trail strategy next year.

Forest Service officials say they hope a "wide range of trail-user groups, individuals who represent local communities and ecotourism, or individuals not represented by larger user groups" will collaborate to develop "recommendations for a comprehensive trail management plan for each national forest in North Carolina." Participants might also become volunteers to assist in implementation of the plans, a news release says.

Initial meetings to be held near each subject forest will focus on Pisgah and Nantahala forest trails in January, and Uwharrie and Croatan forest trails next summer.

January meeting dates and times in the western part of the state are posted at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nctrailstrategy along with an explanation of the program. Additional meeting times and dates are to be posted there, too.

Use of the more than 1,600 miles of non-motorized trails in North Carolina national forests has increased every year as resources used to maintain trails have been static or decreased, the news release says. Forest Service officials and users will work together to look at the trail systems and, officials hope, recommend how to make the best use of current and future resources.

Information gathered at workshops will also be used in work that begins in 2013 to revise the Nantahala/Pisgah National Forests Management Plan.

If you are interested in influencing the Proposed Land and Resource Management Plan for the Uwharrie National Forest, make plans to attend a public hearing at 6 p.m. August 18 at the Garner Conference Center, 211 Burnett St. in Troy.

The plan, which is available for review online, will guide management of the 50,814-acre forest for the next 15 years.

"The plan works to fulfill the Forest Service’s mission of managing national forests for multiple uses," a news release says. "The major themes of the draft management plan for the Uwharrie National Forest are: restoring the forest to a more natural ecological condition; better management of cultural resources; and providing outstanding and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities, with excellent trails and facilities."

Planners anticipate increased use of the Uwharrie in coming years as nearby state roads and interstate highways are widened to four lanes, and as Fort Bragg continues to grow, the plan says.

"More effective management of recreation, especially dealing with the many trails that are in poor condition, could help accommodate the expected increase in use," the plan says.

"Several new or improved developed recreation sites were constructed over the past two decades. The focus for the foreseeable future could be on maintenance rather than new construction, so that more resources could be used toward bettering the management of dispersed recreation."

Comments on the plan are being accepted until September 24 at comments-southern-north-carolina@fs.fed.us or Uwharrie Plan Revision, National Forests in North Carolina, 160-A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, N.C. 28801; or to 828-257-4263 by fax. Put "Proposed Uwharrie Plan Revision" in the subject line of email.

The U.S. Forest Service has extended its comment period on a plan to allow some rafting on the Chatooga River, a National Wild and Scenic River.

Comments will be accepted though August 30; the previous end-date was August 15.

The USFS's preferred plan drawn from the environmental assessment for managing recreation uses on the upper segment of the Chattooga, which partly lies in southwest North Carolina, calls for "high-quality" whitewater rafting in the winter but keeping the river clear of watercraft the rest of the year.

We discuss the plan more fully and link to the environmental assessment below.

Comments on the plan should go to: comments-southern-francismarion-sumter@fs.fed.us or to Comments on the Upper Chattooga EA, c/o USDA Forest Service Supervisor’s Office, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212.

The U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service on Friday marked the purchase of 8,100 acres of timberland near Marion a century ago to begin the movement to create national forests.

That tract became part of the Pisgah National Forest and the first of 1.2 million acres of national forests in North Carolina.

The initial purchase followed approval by Congress of the Weeks Act, which allowed federal money to be used to buy forests for watershed protection.

The Weeks Act eventually led to the creation of 52 national forests in 26 Eastern states and the addition of 19.7 million acres on national forests and grasslands across 41 states and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Forest Service says in a news release.

An exhibit commemorating the Weeks Act was unveiled Friday at Laurel Knob Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway (Mile Post 349.2), which overlooks the initial Pisgah tract about an hour north of Asheville.

If you find yourself deep in the state's southwestern mountains this Saturday, consider heading over to Robbinsville for the rededication ceremony for the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

The 3,800-acre old-growth hardwood forest within the Nantahala National Forest is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Part of the celebration is Saturday's ceremony, which is to be held at the Rattler Ford campground next door to the forest.

The forest was named for writer/poet Joyce Kilmer, best known for the poem, “Trees.” Kilmer was killed in action during World War I while serving in France on July 30, 1918.

The re-dedication will include a 5K road race through a portion of the Nantahala National Forest, exhibits about the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage, guided tours of the Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail, and speakers on Joyce Kilmer’s life and the U.S. Forest Service’s stewardship of wilderness.

(The news release linked to above did not have a time for Saturday's ceremony. Call the Cheoah Ranger District office in Robbinsville at 828-479-6431.)

Click on the photo below for a look at our visit to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and the Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail.