Contact: Lauren Stull, 828-479-6431
10/22/2010
For Immediate Release
Forest Service to remove hazardous trees on Joyce Kilmer Trail
ROBBINSVILLE, NC …. Forest Service personnel will be removing numerous dead and dying hemlock trees from the Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail corridor in November 2010. The area around the trail will be closed from approximately November 1 through November 14 to ensure operations are conducted safely with no risk to the public. All or a portion of the following trails will be closed: Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail, Stratton Bald Trail, Naked Ground Trail and Jenkins Meadow Trail.
The Joyce Kilmer area near Robbinsville NC has been heavily impacted over the last several years by a catastrophic infestation of the exotic insect pest, hemlock woolly adelgid. Approximately 150 large hemlock trees are dead or dying, and must be removed to enhance the safety of the over 35,000 visitors who enjoy the area each year. Although located within the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Area, the trail is managed as a highly developed trail. The Nantahala Forest Plan directs managers to “Fell all dead or dying trees within the trail corridor” on this type of trail to ensure visitor safety.
The Forest Service explored the possibility of closing the area until the trees naturally fell, but has chosen to remove the hazardous trees in order to keep the area open to the public.