August is here, with summer hanging on but heading out. Before the return to school and the changing of the season, be sure to get out into the Forest to enjoy the many rituals and wonders of summer, a long walk up high, the last of the ripe blueberries, wet days in a cool swimming hole. In the meantime, TPC’s crews have been busy across the Forest putting work on the ground to provide direct benefit to Pisgah National Forest. Here’s a bit of what we have been up to.
TPC’s Trail Crew has continued work on their rehabilitation of the Estatoe trail this past month with the completion of 3 new trail bridges and accompanying ramps and turnpiking. Installation has been swift and successful, and we are now awaiting delivery of the final materials required to build the remaining 3 bridges, which we expect to complete this September. The replacement of the existing, failing boardwalk with turnpike and multiple bridge spans utilizing Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) I-beam stringers marks a major upgrade to this crucial trail connecting the community to Pisgah.
In conjunction with the new pedestrian bridge over the Davidson River at the entrance to the Forest, installed by crane two weeks ago, TPC’s improvements to the Estatoe trail will prove pivotal in providing for modern, effective, and sustainable access to the Forest for decades to come. Thank you to the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority, the Glass Foundation, and the City of Brevard for their support of this project.
In addition to their work on the Estatoe, the crew has also worked to restore failed grade dips on a steep section of Daniel Ridge trail by constructing locust structures to provide reinforcement and stability to a series of grade dips down a fall line section of trail. The crew also replaced deck boards and stringers on rotten sections of bridges and staircases at Graveyard Fields and have been busy scouting out trail projects for this upcoming Fall in preparation for the arrival of additional trail crew members this October.
TPC’s Invasive Plant Management (IPM) crew has continued making significant progress in controlling the infestation of non-native plants in the Catheys Creek watershed. With the initial treatment nearly complete in some areas, the crew has begun transitioning to phase two: follow-up and monitoring. This second phase is crucial for the ongoing management of invasives and the regeneration of native communities in Cathey’s Creek.
Now equipped with online mapping capabilities, the team has shifted from initial treatment to long-term containment practices. Invasive plant control requires ongoing effort; therefore, we are working with partners and donors to create permanent land management solutions in the Pisgah. Continued stewardship is the best way to combat invasive species and allow our native ecosystems to heal and thrive in the future.
This month also saw numerous collaborations between our IPM crew and community organizations. Students from North Carolina State University’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources joined the team for a day to learn about invasive plant management techniques and non-profit conservation work.
In collaboration with Forest Service botanists, TPC’s crew worked with members of Wild South’s invasive plant management crew assisting them in developing protocols for their upcoming work on the Grandfather and Appalachian Districts of Pisgah National Forest. Finally, Crew Leader Will Coffee led a walk-and-learn program with our friends at The Hub and Pisgah Tavern educating the public about common invasive plants and their impacts to our local ecosystems.
The River Rangers wrapped up another successful season this month, providing direct educational programming throughout the summer in addition to field work supporting conservation efforts focused on our watersheds, rivers, and streams. In just over 2 months, they initiated over 3,800 direct interactions with the public on the Forest, surveyed over 200 anglers, dismantled rock dams, picked up trash, and much more.
They engaged in varied fieldwork with our great partners and collaborators, assisting with hellbender surveys with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, developing a river snorkel program in partnership with the Mills River Partnership, and participating in an ecology workshop focused on red spruce restoration with the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI). They also delivered great educational programming to the community with numerous tabling events at the Visitor Center, Rosman Riverfest, and Mills River Days, and direct programming to the Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club, College Walk, and Bound for Glory Camp.
As the majority of interns return to school or life’s next adventure, Lead River Ranger Stephanie Adams and River Ranger intern MJ Pedigo will remain into the Fall to continue the great work of connecting our community to its waterways and watersheds. Here’s to a great 2024 River Ranger season and great thanks to all our partners that have helped make the River Rangers program a success: the US Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, Mills River Partnership, Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority, and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
And thanks again, as always, to all of you for your continued support of The Pisgah Conservancy and Pisgah National Forest.
