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Locals fight logging plan near Blowing Rock |
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Tuesday, 29 January 2008 |
by LAUREN LAWSON
News Reporter
Watauga County locals and conservation groups have been fighting the United States Forest Service’s plan to log over 212 acres in the Pisgah National Forest since the proposal was first announced in August 2006.
Most recently, the U.S. Forest Service rejected an appeal Jan. 9 by conservation groups against the logging.
“We’ve done everything to change or halt the project. We have exhausted all possibilities. The question now is whether or not to take this to court,” said Chris Joyell, Wild South Organization communications director.
 This photo, taken in June 2007 immediately after harvest, indicates where the harvest took place within the outlined area. Source: http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/nepa/grandfather/globe/globe.htm
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Joyell said they are still in the middle of discussions with the U.S. Forest Service and are attempting to come to an agreement.
He said there are two major reasons why people are fighting against the plan so vehemently.
One of the elements is the old growth in the forest, the untouched areas - some for over 300 years.
“If we were to take them to court, the heart of our lawsuit would be
that the forest service would be going against their own rules if they
were to cut down old growth areas,” Joyell said.
Another element is the scenic factor for Blowing Rock.
“Blowing Rock wants this area to be named a National Scenic Area, but Congress has to pass a law to
grant this protection to the entire Globe area,” he said.
Spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service Terry Seyden said the Globe area is a combination multiple
use area.
Seyden said within the Globe there are areas set aside for outdoor recreation, old growth, water
purification, wildlife habitats, timber, and controlling invasive species.
“This plan is just part of the ongoing forest planning and management,” he said.
Seyden said the U.S. Forest Service has agreed to go back out to look and revisit certain stands of
tress in question, to determine whether they meet old growth criteria as many conservation groups
claim.
“Old growth criteria include making sure the average age of trees in a stand are over 100 years old,
there is down wooded debris, trees of varying ages, and a particular type of natural gaps,” he said.
Avid mountain biker and employee of Ski Country Sports Skip Watts said he is deeply concerned with
the logging plans for that area and the effects it would have on recreation for locals.
“There is only really one rad mountain bike trail near here and it is right in the area they plan to
log…They can find alternate points to log - they don’t have to pick old growth sectors,” Watts said.
Joyell said they will wait for ecologists and the U.S. Forest Service to go back and survey the areas for
old growth before making the next move, which could include a lawsuit.
“What we’re saying to them is that this is not a renewable resource and once gone, it won’t return for
300 years,” he said.
Seyden said he understands the locals concern for the detriment to the scenery in the area.
“In the ‘80s there were large clear cuts and we acknowledge how visible they were, and we have
updated and made plans to lessen the visual impacts of the logging,” he said.
Watts said he thinks the reason there are not a lot of people who know about this ongoing battle over
the logging plans is due in part to suppression by the logging companies.
“I don’t really care about the local property owners and their concern about losing value on their land.
I’m concerned about the scenic value, the recreational value, as well as run off from soil erosion,” he
said.
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300 years,” he said.
Just because it won't come back within our lifetime doesn't mean it's not a renewable resource. Actually, what proof does he have that the stands are 300 years old to begin with? Individual trees may be that old, but to qualify for old growth, entire stands need to be that old.