North Carolina’s Threatened Treasures Caldwell, Henderson, and Congressional Districts: 10, 11 NORTH CAROLINA Avery Counties Members: Patrick McHenry, Heath Shuler Location Western North Carolina Mountains Acquired to Date National Forests in North Carolina. Method Acres* Cost ($) Purchase 0 0 Purpose Protect four inholding tracts currently Exchange 0 0 threatened with residential development Donation 0 0 that contain nationally significant Other 0 0 watershed, riparian, wildlife, historical and Partners 4,299 N/A public recreation values. President’s Budget FY2012 Method Acres* Cost ($) Purchase These tracts are being held (in fee or Purchase 520 $3,576,000 Opportunities option) by land trusts. All partners are Pending Future Action willing sellers who are assisting in funding Method Acres* Cost ($) processing costs. At least two of them Pending 209 $3,900,000 (Roan Mountain Trails and Mulberry *Includes fee and conservation easement interest Creek) will be bargain sales. Partners The Trust for Public Land, The Conservation Fund, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Partners manage adjacent lands to three of the tracts and are funding appraisals, HAZMAT, title, and survey costs Cooperators Caldwell County, Trout Unlimited, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, National Park Service. Project Acquisition of four tracts will protect significant resource values. Nationally, the land Description managed by the NFsNC is ranked second in recreation visits, and among the most vulnerable to threats from commercial and residential development. Forest fragmentation is a major issue in the State, with Federal ownership only making up 42 percent of lands within the forest boundary. Also, because the State occupies a central location in species ranges, gains in open spaces will help with species adaptation to climate change. Large inholdings such as these are rare–all were initially purchased for residential development. If funding cannot be secured to acquire these tracts, they may be subdivided and developed, impacting recreation access, ecological integrity, and watershed values on adjacent Federal lands and downstream resources. Backbone Ridge (225 acres, $1.5 million, last of two phases) provides spectacular scenic views, high rock bluffs, amazing waterfalls, significant old growth forest and rare high-mountain balds (especially rare on private land). It provides headwaters for Wilson Creek, a designated Wild and the Scenic River. The State has plans to acquire an adjacent 213 acres Mulberry Creek (295 acres, $2.076 million, last of two phases) is headwaters of the Catawba River, which provides drinking water for the State’s central metropolitan areas, and significant wildlife, timber, and recreation values, as well as increased access to existing national forest lands. It is one of the county’s few remaining large parcels with intact natural resource values. North Mills (73 acres $2.7 million) includes frontage for a river that provides nationally recognized trout habitat and drinking water for 100,000 people, and is eligible for Wild and Scenic River designation. Because it borders a popular NFsNC campground, the tract provides key trail access for hiking, horseback riding, and bicycling. Roan Mountain National Trails (136 acres, $1.2 million) includes high elevation riparian habitat and supports an old growth cove and a managed early successional forest. The tract has many visitors to its scenic waterfalls; it protects two National Park Service assets: the Appalachian and Overmountain Victory Trails. O&M Costs Estimated “start up” cost: $5,000 Estimated “annual” maintenance: $5,000 Strategic Protect recreation; provide new opportunities for urban populations; protect and improve Goals Met significant watersheds and natural and cultural resources; improve efficiency; provide elevational variety and ecosystem diversity that will help mitigate climate change effects.

E D VI DI White Spring Cemetery

A CO WATAUG Gay Mountain CO E ALDWELL h G C c I D n R A CO a WATAUG r CO B L U E B CALDWELL

ng pri Creek S xon e Di it h W Potential State of North Carolina Ownership Parcel P 2 5 4 A

C

C ree K llew k Ba 2011 Proposed Acquisition Parcel H

I

B L

A L

R I D G E C

K

B

R

2 O 5 a 4 c k N

e

t E

Toug h Backbone Ridge Tract h anc C Hill Br u R r t i I s C AL D D W G A E V L E L E RY C O CO

T ou C g re h ek 2 54 H 4 il Tough Hill 25 C l r e e k P ii s g a h Br an ch N a tt ii o n a ll F o rr e s tt

G W ragg a l k Creek e r H B o A l C l o K C AL B DW w Vicinity Map EL L CO O North Carolina's Threatened Treasure N Legend Backbone Ridge Tract P-351 E National Forest System Lands FY 2012 LWCF 2011 Acquisition Parcel This map depicts USDA Forest Service Land Status Record data Proposed Acquisition Parcel and the approximate location of the proposed purchase parcel. Potential State of NC Ownership State of North Carolina Forest Service Region 8 Pisgah National Forest 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 The USDA Forest Service Makes no warranty, expressed or implied, Miles regarding the data displayed on this map, and reserves the right to Map Creation Date - 01/03/2011 correct, update, modify, or replace this information without notification. Map Revision Date - Map 1 of 4

file: c:\(data\lwcd2012\r8\maps\no_car\ Arlene Heap M oo re

h c BM n 1219 M a u r lb

B B e

r r r a y n n w ch ro B

P ii s g a h Sand Mountain N a tt ii o n a ll F o rr e s tt FY11 Phase I Parcel C re ek

k Anderson ee Cr

M

u l b e r r y

Mulberry Creek Tract P-352

C

r

e

e k

Rocky Knob C o ff ey

k e Vicinity Map e r NoCrth Carolina's Threatened Treasure Mulberry Creek Tract P-352 Legend FY 2012 LWCF National Forest System Lands This map depicts USDA Forest Service Land Status Record data 2011 Acquisition Parcel and the approximate location of the proposed purchase parcel. Proposed Acquisition Parcel State of North Carolina Forest Service Region 8 Pisgah National Forest 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 The USDA Forest Service Makes no warranty, expressed or implied, Miles regarding the data displayed on this map, and reserves the right to Map Creation Date - 01/03/2011 correct, update, modify, or replace this information without notification. Map Revision Date - Map 4 of 4

file: c:\(data\lwcd2012\r8\maps\no_carc\ Arlene Heap T

R

A

C

E

n

i

a

t

n

u

o r a S e M M B e

n o R i u

a n t B I r a d i r n D e a g n d G i c BM RCK 2 R h

H E 2428 EN DE RS McElrath ON D VIL A LE O Lake FORK R W

A

S e e l H C R v d Mile 5 ES o E r d RV i O C e L IR d M I H A e R T r T R M k I a O L e i Hendersonville N L r S C R o n E Reservoir E o P ii s g a h K e

W a M N a tt ii o n a ll F o rr e s tt sh S

R OAD e Cr g e d ek i R R I V E Mills RiveRrTract

k ee North Mills River Cr l Recreation Area BM LHT 1625 Stuart r e Cem u 2219 d a BM LR 573 r M L a LOW 2446 i O YEL AD n LR 600 RO N e U O S N ork R GAP F T T H N F O A O R Rocky T BM LR 573 R H R I S IVE N 2810 ve K MILL R o e C v o LS C L n ch MI e an ll Br A e c in M

h s nch Little Rich u Bra Yellow Mountain R Gap BM LR 571 3202 vie Da n M o u n t a i i e a v D Wolfpen k e Q Gap e r u C e

e

n Q Big Knob u e e n M C i r e n P i Vicinity Map e ou n k n di g ng North Carolina's Threatened Treasure Mills River Tract FY 2012 LWCF Legend This map depicts USDA Forest Service Land Status Record data Proposed Acquisition Parcel and the approximate location of the proposed purchase parcel. National Forest System Lands State of North Carolina Forest Service Region 8 Pisgah National Forest 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 The USDA Forest Service Makes no warranty, expressed or implied, Miles regarding the data displayed on this map, and reserves the right to Map Creation Date - 01/03/2011 correct, update, modify, or replace this information without notification. Map Revision Date - Map 2 of 4

file: c:\(data\lwcd2012\r8\maps\no_cara\ Arlene Heap C r e e k

1 9 3

Yellow Bakersville 5 Mou 4907 1 ntain BM GL 5 4681 Yellow Mountain Gap AP PA T LA CHEROKEE C h e rr o k e e S CH N I E AN E 3 C NATIONAL S 0 A S N a tt ii o n a ll F o rr e s tt 8 R E H A A T FOREST N T V ER N IN k E R L e R E O e Y CO T N O r R C N A A CO NST C n I N H o I C e t A g A L id a T A R e P N P H A U Buckeye L F O R E S T A N A T I O N A O e E N Gap y M E I R S L S O E R N A N C E Low Gap T H Trail Shelter T Roan Mountain W R ge O Rid L O National Trail Tract t L O N Fla E C Low Gap t Y R tnu TE hes R 1 E C A lk R C o a r i H n e o g TE h idg T ll 4025 IVA c R CT RIC ow PR n RI IST a IST D r D R GE Elk B AN R Hol nk low R ba id d k ge e an e o S re N T A I N Br J C M O U an ch C Ridge re Ridge ek Bear nk ge a id b p R d am an arc S Sug Grassy Ridge Bald y he ec Be

Big Roan ch R an idge Br tte ig u B B G

R P ii s g a h

g i A B N a t i o n a l F o r e s t N a t i o n a l F o r e s t

S

S

Y

Valley Hughes Cem Vicinity Map F a l North Carolina's Threatened Treasure l Roan Mtn National Trail Tract Legend FY 2012 LWCF Administrative Forest Boundary This map depicts USDA Forest Service Land Status Record data USDA FOREST SERVICE and the approximate location of the proposed purchase parcel. Proposed Acquisition Parcel State of North Carolina Forest Service Region 8 Pisgah National Forest 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 The USDA Forest Service Makes no warranty, expressed or implied, Miles regarding the data displayed on this map, and reserves the right to Map Creation Date - 01/03/2011 correct, update, modify, or replace this information without notification. Map Revision Date - Map 3 of 4

file: c:\(data\lwcd2012\r8\maps\no_car\ Arlene Heap

National Forests in NC’s Threatened Treasures

Mills River Inholding Mulberry Creek – Large Riparian Area

Backbone Ridge Roan Mountain Trails