A big win for North Carolina’s National Forests
In a major legal victory for our forests in Appalachia, a federal court ruled that a plan to dramatically increase logging on public lands was based on flawed analysis.
This is a huge win for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in Western North Carolina — and for the wildlife and communities that depend on them.
The decision is a powerful rebuke to federal agencies that failed to follow the law when approving a plan that would greatly expand logging in some of the South’s most biologically rich public lands.
For years, our team worked alongside local partners, scientists, and community members to help shape a more balanced revision of the Nantahala and Pisgah Forest Plan — one that protects rare species and critical natural resources while allowing responsible forest management in the right places.
Instead, federal agencies approved a plan that greatly increased logging without necessary guardrails and expanded where logging could occur into sensitive and rare habitats. This reckless plan would cause real harm to these fragile ecosystems, including several endangered bat species on the brink of extinction.
With expert knowledge of the issue, strong partner relationships, and supporters like you by our side, we were able to take this fight to federal court — and win.
The court’s ruling effectively voids the Nantahala and Pisgah Forest Plan and is a huge step towards a plan that truly protects these precious places. But the fight for our public lands is far from over.
This work takes long-term commitment, deep expertise, and the support of people like you.