The Forest Service understands that ecosystem restoration is key to addressing many of today's natural resource management challenges. Through restoration, ecological systems are returned to their natural resilience and sustained. National Forests in North Carolina staff have been strategizing with partner organizations, scientists and managers to identify key restoration needs in Western North Carolina.

Part of a Broader, Regional Restoration Goal

Restoration is a key concentration of the Southern Region's strategic framework.  A region-wide group of interested individuals met with Forest Service managers in December 2007 to identify possible restoration priorities for National Forest lands in the Southern Appalachians. They identified five Southern Appalachian restoration focus areas which had broad support at this meeting. 

Focus Areas in North Carolina

Representatives from the National Forests in North Carolina, USFS Southern Research Station and interested organizations and individuals gathered in Asheville at two summits in July and August 2008 to help develop specific restoration goals most important for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. Participants reviewed the recommended restoration focus areas from the December meeting as well as restoration needs identified by scientists from the Southern Research Station  The following is a summary of Nantahala/ Pisgah National Forest restoration focus areas identified at these meetings, along with information needs, project ideas and future steps.  

The following topics were identified by July and August 2008 summit participants as restoration focus areas.  For each focus area, meeting participants identified goals, information needs and techniques for advancing action on the ground. Explore each topic in more depth by clicking on the topic headings below and read additional thoughts on the focus areas overall.

• Stream systems and watersheds
• Rare native communities
• Fire-dependent and fire-adapted ecosystems
• Diversity in low-diversity forest stands
• Viable native plant communities by controlling invasive species
• Wildlife habitat
• Threatened and endangered species
• To view or download a PDF document containing  all of these focus area write-ups click here

July 2008 Workshop Resources

Presentations
Workshop Introduction  (pdf)
Restoration Strategies: An Overview of What Restoration Means  (pdf)
Southern Appalachian Ecosystem Restoration Focus Areas:
         Part 1: Watersheds, Low Diversity Stands and Invasive species (pdf)
         Part 2: Rare Habitats and Fire-Dependent Ecosystems (pdf)
Restoration Issues Specific to the NFs in North Carolina  (pdf)

Handouts and Notes
Southern Appalachian Ecosystem Restoration Focus Areas (pdf)
Meeting Notes (pdf)
Meeting Attendees (pdf)

August 2008 Workshop Resources

Workshop Introduction (pdf)
Identifying Restoration Priorities (pdf)
DRAFT Meeting Notes (pdf)
DRAFT Next Steps for all Focus Areas (pdf)

Next Steps:

Thanks to all who participated in our sessions and to those who have provided feedback on the web regarding upcoming restoration efforts for US Forest Service Lands in NC.  This is where we plan to go from here: 

1. The Rapid Assessment process  (See 7/26/08 Workshop Introduction ) will provide a major vehicle for the Forest Service to address restoration needs  in 2009.  You are encouraged to identify opportunities and issues pertaining to management of these areas. Review the rapid assessment area maps for 2009-2010.
2. Some identified restoration needs and opportunities are larger than the rapid assessment areas or focus on unique resources - such as dealing with hemlocks suffering from the woolly adelgid and management of sites like Roan Mountain.  We will try to build on interest identified at our meetings to create stronger partnerships for these types of projects.  
3. While these is much agreement regarding restoration goals for National Forest lands, there are areas where passionate and knowledgeable people don't agree. We want to continue this dialogue and are looking into options for identifying a third party who can facilitate such discussions. The goal will be to find greater common ground where possible and to better understand the viewpoints of others.
4. Another need identified by participants is to look beyond ownership boundaries when assessing resource needs and conditions.  We will be seeking to better identify adjacent lands and landowners that would volunteer to participate as partners in resource management activities, including state and local governments, conservation organizations, and private landowners.

Feedback

The restoration mission spans many resources, programs areas and landscapes and is not one that the Forest Service can take on alone - we need partners and the support of forest users to be successful. Before we finalize this information, we wanted to give reviewers a final chance to provide us feedback on this information.  Please let us know:

1)      Is there something here you don't understand that we need to define more clearly?

2)      Are we still missing a restoration action that is important to you?

3)      Is there a restoration goal listed that you do not agree with (as written).

Please forward any comments on this information to  n.f.restoration@gmail.com  by September 30.

Related Links

The Southern Appalachian Ecosystem Restoration Forum has been set up for continued dialogue on the five broad Southern Appalachian Focus areas identified at the December meeting.