We work closely with the U.S. Forest Service, user groups, and the community to implement major improvement projects and field staff programs to support environmental and recreational sustainability in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest.
Recreation Support
We support sustainable hiking, biking, equestrian, climbing, fishing, and other recreation opportunities in Pisgah. Our trails staff provides lasting rehabilitation and improvement projects on the trails with the greatest maintenance needs.
This includes:
- Trails and recreation planning and management in coordination with our local U.S. Forest Service partners on the Pisgah Ranger District
- Trail maintenance
- Trail bridge construction, repair, and replacement
New trail construction - Improvement of recreation facilities such as trail shelters
Invasive Plant Removal
We are committed to maintaining and improving Pisgah’s biodiversity. Our full-time Invasive Plant Management Crew works to create a healthy and balanced forest ecosystem so that native flora and the wildlife dependent on these plant species can thrive.
Our Invasive Plant Removal work includes:
- A biological, mechanical, and chemical approach
- Selective treatment to preserve seed sources
- Long-term planning and reoccurring treatment to maintain results
- Prioritization of sites that are prime vectors for invasive plant infestations into the forest
Visitor Information & Education
We believe everyone should have a safe, sustainable, and fun experience in Pisgah. Our goal is to provide resources and promote practices that make this vision a reality.
Our Visitor Information & Education work includes:
- Installing wayfinding signage along intersections of heavily-used trails
- Installing trailhead kiosks with information about safe, responsible recreation and the area’s geology, flora, fauna, and history
- Providing hands-on education opportunities to visitors and community members
- Promoting “Leave No Trace” principles and trail sharing etiquette
Watershed Improvement
We work to restore Pisgah’s rivers and streams to support vital aquatic habitat and a healthy public water supply for our communities.
Our Watershed Improvement work includes:
- Prioritizing trail projects that help prevent stream sedimentation
- Conducting river and stream bank restoration to preserve riparian buffers that provide shade, habitat, and help moderate water temperatures
- Removing trash and dismantling stacked rocks along river corridors through the Pisgah River Rangers program
Habitat Improvement
We partner with U.S. Forest Service biologists, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and community partners to create beneficial wildlife habitat and to restore existing wildlife habitat.
Our Habitat Improvement work includes:
- Planting trees that provide critical habitat for imperiled species
- Working with partners to create new habitat areas that support a wide range of species
Clean Ups
We host annual dumpsite cleanups and conduct graffiti removal to keep Pisgah pristine.
Our Clean Up work includes:
- Hosting annual volunteer cleanups to address illegal dumpsites that have been identified in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, our partners, and the local community
- Removing trash from trails, roads, and waterways with the help of volunteers on Pisgah Project Day and through the Pisgah River Rangers program
- Removing graffiti from scenic areas throughout the forest with the help of volunteers on Pisgah Project Day and through the Pisgah River Rangers program
Pisgah Conservancy Crews
Our professional crews are the first of their kind in the Pisgah Ranger District and they’re meeting a long-held need for this well-loved forest. By adding direct on-the-ground capacity, we are supporting more sustainable trails, more balanced ecosystems, healthier watersheds, and a stronger sense of environmental stewardship for the millions of people who visit the Pisgah Ranger District each year.
Trail Management Staff
Our Trail Specialist and our Trails and Recreation Technician collaborate directly with the U.S. Forest Service, our other field staff, and partner organizations to support trail planning, maintenance, and major trail improvement projects across the District. They provide the U.S. Forest Service with needed additional capacity to offer organized, holistic stewardship of the District’s 400+ miles of trail.
Tropical Storm Fred Trail Crew
Tropical Storm Fred caused significant damage to our region, with serious focused impacts on the Pisgah Ranger District, in August 2021. A cooperative cost-sharing agreement with the U.S. Forest Service allowed us to launch our first full-time professional Trail Crew in May 2023.
This crew is the first of its kind for the District. They work year-round to repair trail infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Fred, including replacing major trail bridges, constructing new trail bridges, building locust staircases, turnpiking waterlogged trail sections, installing bog bridges, restoring trail tread with light equipment, and more.
The crew’s work helps to remediate negative impacts to the forest, such as erosion and sedimentation caused by damaged trails, and it results in a better experience for all users.
Employing a professional in-house crew allows us to provide timely and cost-efficient improvements to the District’s trail system. Although the crew is currently funded for a 36-month period, we’re working hard to make this program permanent.
Invasive Plant Management Crew
In March 2024 we launched our first full-time Invasive Plant Management Crew, which is the first of its kind for the District. Non-native invasive species (NNIS) are a direct threat to Pisgah’s biodiversity and overall health. This crew brings significant expertise and adds needed capacity for managing invasive plant infestations and restoring ecological balance in the forest.
This crew is federally funded through 2025 as part of the Catheys Creek Watershed Restoration Action Plan, however, we’re working hard to make this program permanent by pursuing additional funding sources that allow the crew to expand their geographic footprint beyond Catheys Creek.
Successful examples include the crew being contracted to perform invasive plant removal and treatment at various campgrounds managed by Naventure and a generous Natural Resources grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.
Pisgah River Rangers Program
Pisgah River Rangers is a seasonal internship program designed to promote and protect the ecological health of Pisgah’s natural resources. This program focuses on environmental stewardship, public education, and community outreach centered around stream health.
Throughout the summer months you can find the Pisgah River Rangers providing educational outreach, dismantling rock dams and removing debris from Pisgah’s waterways, conducting field surveys with program partners, and more.
For information about the latest Pisgah River Rangers program accomplishments and our partners, please click here.
