Trail Crew Updates
The TPC Trail Crew completed construction of three separate foot-log style bridges on Buckhorn Gap trail this past month, restoring dry crossings for hikers in the section of trail between its junction with Avery Creek trail and Twin Falls.
Hauling in locust for the sills and abutments, and utilizing onsite timber for the stringers, the crew built these three bridges (25, 30, and 25-feet long respectively down the trail) and hardened the approaches by constructing 60 feet of turnpike where necessary to remediate mudholes and prevent future impacts to streamside areas.
With this work completed, the crew has moved higher up Buckhorn Gap trail, using our mini-excavator to repair reverse grade dips, construct new ones, and to push through and regrade a slide into the trail on the section just below Clawhammer Road.
They will also brush the two short, hike-only spurs of Buckhorn Gap trail in the vicinity of Clawhammer Road before finishing up work in the area and moving on to their next project.
Invasive Plant Management Crew Updates
The TPC Invasive Plant Management Crew continues to make great progress in their work to control non-native invasive plant infestations on the Pisgah. Over the past month, the crew wrapped up first-year actions of a kudzu management project on the Davidson River corridor stretching from the Forest entrance on Highway 276 to the Cove Creek area.
With this project, as well as this year’s work in Catheys Creek, Kuykendall, North Mills River, and Wash Creek campgrounds largely buttoned up, this month will see a transition in the crew’s work from foliar treatments to largely cut-stump, from continuing maintenance on established sites to initial treatments at new project locations.
Work will start this coming month at the Perry Cove Wildlife Field located up the gated FS Road 5054 above the Avery Creek Horse Stables, with removal of infestations of autumn olive, oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose, and other invasive species.
This project, in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, aims to reclaim established wildlife openings from invasive plant infestations and restore native plant species in these areas. These actions will, in turn, promote the full functioning of these planned openings to provide multiple benefits across life stages for some of our native wildlife species.
The rest of the year will also see the crew begin their initial treatment of invasives at Davidson River Campground. Slated to begin in November, this project will coincide with the closure of the campground this winter while the campground bathhouses are replaced. The upcoming work at Davidson River will mark another collaboration with Naventure, as we work together to manage invasives in Pisgah’s campgrounds.
In addition to their work managing invasive plants, the crew also worked on a watershed project this past month, as they restored and stabilized the banks of Avery Creek near the Upper White Pines Group camp area.
After removing an unsafe footbridge across the creek on Pisgah Project Day, the crew returned to stabilize and revegetate the bare earthen banks where the bridge once stood.
Using coir matting and straw logs, they filled holes scoured in the banks and laid matting to prevent additional sedimentation into the creek and to allow for a stable base for vegetation to grow in and stabilize the area.
With the matting secured, they then seeded and strawed areas to get vegetation established. Come winter, we will return to plant live stakes of elderberry and willow to further restore this streamside area and reduce sedimentation into Pisgah’s waterways.
New Bike Rack At The Visitor Center
Early September saw an exciting addition to the Visitor Center area as TPC crews installed a new bike rack just northwest of the Visitor Center set back from the sidewalk.
After excavating the site, the crew spread an even base layer, mixed and poured the concrete pad, and anchored the new bike rack into place.
Thank you to TPC supporters John Newkirk and Sandra Willan for their generous funding of this exciting addition of amenities to users riding the Brevard Greenway and Estatoe trail directly into Forest.
Community Cleanup
Our cleanup project with the Friends of the North Fork of the French Broad, Headwaters Outfitters, and MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper was a success.
A group of 12 volunteers came together with staff to remove trash from use-trails in the North Fork gorge area off of Highway 215 supporting kayaking, angler, and hiker access.
Many thanks to our partners, volunteers, and all who helped us in removing 360 pounds of trash from the approaches to and banks of this beautiful, iconic stretch of the French Broad.
Pisgah River Rangers Season By The Numbers
Let’s end this month’s newsletter with some stats from the River Rangers season.
- 4,761 visitor interactions
- 19 educational programs delivered
- 5 snorkel events hosted
- 65 angler surveys conducted
- 48 rock dams removed
- 1,647 pounds of trash removed
- 47 recreation area grills cleaned
- 42 fire rings removed in sensitive areas
We wish them all the best as they return to school or move on to new opportunities and thank them greatly for their many accomplishments this year.
Many thanks, as always, to all of you for your continued support of The Pisgah Conservancy and Pisgah National Forest.