Here’s to the many marvels and splendors of Spring in the Pisgah! It is a great time to get out into the woods to see the first wildflowers of the season burst forth, the buds start to open, and to hear the raucous morning birdsong of the forest’s annual awakening. We at TPC have been hard at work out in the forest this month improving trails, planning for PPD, and preparing to field our inaugural NNIS crew and 2024 River Rangers program.
This month the TPC trail crew has been working on a variety of projects constructing bridges, turnpike, and locust staircases. In February they reconstructed a failed bridge on Pilot Cove-Slate Rock trail, beginning with the demolition of the existing structure and hauling it back out of the woods. They then replaced it, constructing a new 20-foot trail bridge utilizing dimensional lumber to convey hikers and bikers alike safely through this beautiful corner of Pisgah.
This project was followed up by improvements to the entrance to the Cat Gap Loop trail beside the hatchery. Previously an eroding rut, the crew constructed a series of steps, locust ladder staircases, and drainage structures to restore stable tread and drainage to the opening section this very popular trail. The crew also began work on the Exercise trail addressing several severely washed-out sections of the riverside trail from the impacts of TS Fred and subsequent intense storms.
They have begun construction of a 328-foot turnpike with an integrated cribwall located just above the current trail that circumvents two significant slides and places the trail in a more sustainable location. When this section is complete, they will begin a second 217-foot turnpike similarly situated to avoid slides and reduce impacts to eroding banks of the Davidson, good news for the many runners, hikers, and campers that utilize this important frontcountry trail.
We have also been busy preparing for the summer season ahead, hiring crew members for both our NNIS and River Rangers programs. March marks the official inception of TPC’s new Non-Native Invasive Species (NNIS) management crew with our two crew coleaders, Sam Byars and William Coffee, starting work on March 25th. These two bring considerable professional expertise and experience in NNIS operations to our program and will be crucial to the success of our on-the-ground efforts to address non-native invasive plant infestations in the Catheys Creek watershed. They will be joined later this spring by a seasonal NNIS Technician that will provide more capacity to remove detrimental plant species and help promote the rehabilitation of native plants in the area.
The 2024 River Rangers program is also up and running, with Stephanie Adams as our new Lead River Ranger on board and preparing for the season. With a breadth of experience in education, non-profit organizations, and as a fly-fishing guide, and a deep rootedness in the local area, she will be a great boon to the program leading our 2024 interns in educational outreach, river cleanup, river restoration efforts, and more. Stay tuned to our upcoming newsletter for official introductions to our new NNIS and River Rangers crewmembers.
Of course we can’t forget to mention Pisgah Project Day, as we are now one month to the day. As always, it will be a great day of community and accomplishment, a way to give back to the Pisgah and really show our appreciation for this amazing resource we all share. This year’s projects will include some old favorites: turnpike construction, trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, trash cleanup, graffiti removal, and more. We will also have some exciting new projects, including the first stage of our comprehensive trail improvement project on the Estatoe trail, the restoration of a rain garden at Sycamore Flats, and a Citizen Science project involving botanical surveys in collaboration with biological research scientists at Bent Creek Experimental Forest. Come join us this April! It will be a great day on the Forest.
Thanks as always for your continued support of The Pisgah Conservancy and Pisgah National Forest!
