Located below Devil’s Courthouse in western North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, the Courthouse Creek area is a scenic and ecological gem flanked by steep slopes and high-elevation forests that harbor a host of rare species. These cold, clear-running streams form the headwaters of the French Broad and are a popular destination for trout fishermen and outfitters. Waterfalls, tucked in steep terrain, are abundant, especially the popular and calendar-worthy Courthouse Falls.

Unfortunately, the sensitive streams and scenic surroundings of Courthouse Creek are being targeted by the Forest Service for a 500-acre timber sale. Nearly 200 acres of logging would occur in a state-designated Natural Heritage Area, identified by biologists as one of the most important rare species habitats in the state.  The heritage area supports a host of rare animal and plant species, including pink-shell azalea that attract hikers with awe-inspiring blooms in late spring.  Logging would be visible from Devil’s Courthouse, a sacred Cherokee site and a popular overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway just north of Courthouse Creek.  Timber operations would also be visible to hikers on the popular Art Loeb and Mountains-to-Sea trails. Logging on the area’s steep, landslide-prone slopes will inevitably generate runoff loaded with sediment, threatening 17 miles of high-quality streams, wild trout, and other sensitive aquatic species.

The official public comment period is over but you can still let the Forest Service know you oppose the plan. Contact:

Pisgah Ranger District
District Ranger, Derek Ibarguen
1600 Pisgah Highway
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
(828) 877-3265
pisgahrd@fs.fed.us