The Appalachian Ranger District Will Hold a Public Meeting to Discuss The "Twelve Mile" Project

The Appalachian Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest will hold a public meeting on July 14 from 2-5 p.m. at the North Carolina Arboretum to learn the public interests and issues related to a developing proposal for the "Twelve Mile" project.

The proposed area for the project is the southwestern most part of the Appalachian Ranger District adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Interstate 40. This is the Long Arm Mountain and Hurricane Mountain area in Haywood County, NC.

The purpose of the project is to implement Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) direction and the Management Area objectives within the planning area boundary.

Additional focus areas for the project may include:

 1.Creating a range of habitat conditions appropriate for an Elk population expanding from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

2.Providing a sustainable output of timber products to support local economies.

3.Emphasizing ecological restoration.

4.Enhancing recreational opportunities. Other opportunities may be identified through the collaborative planning effort.

The intent of this initial meeting is to bring together potential partners that could provide additional expertise, data, and support to the Forest Service to develop a successful project that incorporates a variety of values and public perspectives.This group will work together with the public in defining the purpose and need of this project, the project area boundary, assessment needs, and data requirements.

This meeting will be most effective if attendees arrive prepared to share any existing knowledge of the area and be ready to engage in meaningful and respectful conversations designed to capture input on the purpose of the project, assessment needs, project area boundary, and data gathering needs (as well as data sharing and the potential for collaborative data collection efforts).

The Forest Service will be hosting additional meetings and sharing additional information throughout the planning process.

The North Carolina Arboretum is located at 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC.

For additional information, please contact Project Lead Jason Herron at jherron@fs.fed.us or call the Appalachian Ranger District at 828-689-9694.



Jeff
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