Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Plan Revision

The Nantahala and Pisgah forest plan is being revised to handle the challenges of managing our complex ecosystems to meet the needs of all users for the next 15 years. The draft plan has been developed in coordination with tribal, state, and county governments and significant collaboration with the public. The draft plan and draft EIS are available for public review and comment from February 14-May 14, 2020. This public comment period is an additional opportunity for you to be part of building a plan that reflects your interests.

Start here

• If you just want a quick overview, watch this 2-minute video featuring Planning Team Leader Michelle Aldridge.
• If you want an orientation with a brief synopsis of issues, look at The Reader’s Guide
• If you just want to visualize some of what the plan will achieve, look at the Consolidated Objectives.
• If you like maps, look at the ArcGIS online story maps about goals on different parts of the forest and four alternatives for how the forest plan could be applied. (These maps work best using Chrome browser.)
• If you're new to forest planning and want general information on forest management plans and the plan revision process start with the Forest Planning Overview page.

Official Documents for Public Review and Comment

• Proposed Forest Plan
• Plan Appendix A: Consolidated Objectives
• Plan Appendix B: Timber Calculations
• Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
• DEIS Appendix B: Description of the Analysis Process
• DEIS Appendix C: Ecological Sustainability Analysis
• DEIS Appendix D: Vegetation Management Methods
• DEIS Appendix E:Wilderness Evaluation Process
• DEIS Appendix F: Wild and Scenic River Evaluation Process
• DEIS Appendix G: Coordination with Other Public Planning Efforts
• DEIS Appendix H: Public and Government Involvement
• Maps (PDF format) or (Shapefile format)

In addition to these electronic resources, the draft plan and DEIS are available for public review and comment. Please note these copies are not for the public to take with them, but for review at the office.

Supporting Documents

• Letter from Forest Supervisor Allen Nicholas
• News Release
• Federal Register Notice of Availability (NOA)
• Legal Notice

Public Meetings

We are scheduling public open houses in communities around the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests to offer an overview of the proposed forest plan. This is an opportunity to talk with US Forest Service specialists about aspects of the national forests you care about and to learn what is proposed for the management of these lands for the next 10-15 years.

• March 10, 5:30-8:30 pm at the Foothills Conference Center, 2128 S. Sterling St., Morganton, NC.
• March 12, 5:30-8:30 pm at the NC Arboretum Education Center, 100 Frederick Law Olmstead Way, Asheville, NC (The Arboretum will be open to attendees as early as 4:30 pm. The parking fee is waived and each attendee will receive a parking pass. Pets are not allowed in the facility.)
• March 16, 5:30-8:30 pm at the Rogow Family Community Room, Brevard Library, 212 S. Gaston St., Brevard, NC.
• March 19, 5:30-8:30 pm at the Brasstown Community Center, 255 Settawig Rd., Brasstown, NC.
• March 24, 5:30-8:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church's Tartan Hall, 26 Church Street, Franklin, NC.
• March 26, 5:30-8:30 pm at the Bentley Fellowship Hall, 265 Cascade St, Mars Hill, NC.
• March 31, 5:30-8:30 pm at the Four Square Community Action Center, 196 Knight St., Robbinsville, NC.

Your Official Comments Go Here

The formal 90-day comment period runs from February 14-May 14, 2020, and the website to accept comments will only be active during this time.

The preferred method to provide comments is by using the online comment analysis and response application (CARA). You have the option of typing your comment into the text box or uploading a letter and multiple attachments. These comments will be publicly available through the online comment reading room. 

If you can’t submit your comment online, you can mail us a letter but it must be postmarked by May 14, 2020. Send letters to Plan Revision Team, National Forests in North Carolina, 160 Zillicoa St, Asheville NC 28801.

Please note that all comments, names, and addresses become part of the public record and are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.

What Happens Next

We will read and consider all comments.

We will use what we’ve learned through the comments, public meetings, and discussions with county, state, and tribal officials to decide what changes to make to the proposed plan and DEIS. Due to the high level of interest and expected number of comments, we estimate having the updated Forest Plan and final EIS available to the public in early 2021.

After making changes to the drafts, we will release the proposed plan and environmental impact statement and begin a five-month objection period. If there are objections, they will be processed by the Regional Forester in Atlanta. This may lead to additional changes in the documents before the plan is finalized. For more on objections, see https://www.fs.fed.us/objections/objections_related.php#app_work

We estimate that the final plan will be released in late 2021.

Contact Us

If you are having difficulty viewing the documents or have questions about where to find more information, please call us at 828-257-4200.

Plan Revision Team, National Forests in North Carolina, 160 Zillicoa St, Asheville NC 28801

Still Need More Information?

For general information on forest management plans and the plan revision process see the Forest Planning Overview​ or check out the quick links on the top right side of this page.