Our Forests
The healthy forests we enjoy today in the Southern Appalachians were restored with the help of interested citizens who understood that by working together to secure the health of the land they were preserving their culture and enhancing their livelihoods. We must use this spirit of collaborative stewardship to address the problems we face today. - former Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck 2002
Our Southern Appalachian National Forests are our legacy - high mountains and forests, rivers and rural countryside - offering us clean water, wildlife, scenic beauty, unparalleled recreation and more. There are 4.6 million acres in nine national forests in the region (approximately 12 % of all land in the region), in nine national forests.
Some of the things that make our Southern Appalachian National Forests so special are all of the resources they have to offer - safe, clean drinking water for local communities; unique plants and animals enjoyed by locals and tourists; and special places to fish, hunt, hike, camp with our families and just get away and relax. The resources we enjoy now were protected as part of our heritage. Now it is up to us to protect them for existing and future use.
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