Cherokee Forest Voices

04/02/2026

Where Roadless Rules

11/26/2025

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=879024277784620&id=100070311666914

More than a year has passed since Hurricane Helene destroyed much of the Laurel Creek Trail. More than 400 volunteer hours and nearly $100,000 have been spent by Johnson County Trails Association (JCTA) on repairing the trail to where hikers can once again enjoy the beauty of the area. This effort represents a small portion of JCTA’s work on trail reclamation in our county. The Iron Moutain Trail (IMT), which connects Johnson County with Damascus, Virginia, also suffered tremendous damage from last years’ storm. The IMT, previously managed by the Kingsport Hiking Club, is now managed by the JCTA through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cherokee Forest Service, a subdivision of the National Forest Service (NFS). Our “GO-TO” person at the NFS is Brandon Church, Forestry Technician, who is also working on other trail systems within the Cherokee Forest, including Gentry Falls which was rendered impassable by the storm.
JCTA is also partnering with other non-profit trail groups as well as private businesses including a local horse service that can carry equipment to areas unreachable by motorized vehicles.
It is a challenging yet rewarding time to be part of this great effort to restore our local trail systems. We invite all hiking enthusiasts to become a Friend of JCTA.

09/07/2025

For nearly a quarter-century, a U.S. Forest Service policy called the ‘roadless rule’ has safeguarded millions of acres of the nation’s wildest public lands including more than 600,000 acres in the South. These roadless areas are home to world-famous recreation destinations, provide habitat t...

09/07/2025

https://act.selc.org/page/87490/action/1?ea.tracking.id=SELCEmail

For nearly a quarter-century, a U.S. Forest Service policy called the ‘roadless rule’ has safeguarded millions of acres of the nation’s wildest public lands including more than 600,000 acres in the South. These roadless areas are home to world-famous recreation destinations, provide habitat t...

07/06/2025

Excellent explanation of planned forest/public lands exploitation.

07/04/2025

Appalachian forests fall under Trump’s logging plans. In Tennessee, 500,000+ acres are at risk.
Caroline Eggers - WPLN - July 2, 2025

Forests in the Appalachian Mountains may soon see more logging. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders this spring to expand domestic logging a

07/04/2025

These Tennessee forests would be open for road construction, logging, under Trump plan.

Allison Kiehl - Knoxville News Sentinel - July 1, 2025
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2025/07/01/these-tennessee-forests-could-be-open-to-logging-under-trump-plan/84429352007/ (Shared Copy)

The USDA is rolling back a 2001 rule that protected state land in the Cherokee National Forest in East Tennessee and the Land Between the Lakes in Middle Tennessee.

06/30/2025

https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/06/30/85000-acres-of-tennessees-national-forests-open-for-logging-under-trump-administration-plan/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLPt-ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFGNVRJQkdmNFV5TEtwMVU3AR4rwxUwy3OrTIFV_HLrYMgw4J6ec2hraq66nwz1NwstqctDRR5Iv7unyyEaEw_aem_WEZKZV7uJYfGYUMmBmxdbg

About 85,000 acres of backcountry in Tennessee could be opened for road construction, mining and logging under a Trump administration plan.

06/29/2025

Great NEWS!

💪 We did it! 💪

06/28/2025

Friend of the forest, Jeff Hunter featured in NPCA video. Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ua9et7M1xXGU1tav&fbclid=IwY2xjawLMN8pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrQjifCDXZfbsf0R-aaa-h0MGA9W4R48Cyt0y4rOrQthLeP1mHgrT8KIfgFa_aem_AkJ4Xl9POL-dBTw5msL2qg&v=GxXJLjiv1bk&feature=youtu.be

NPCA and our partners at Yellowstone Bourbon are proud national park protectors – and that includes efforts to integrate science to champion conservation. So...

06/27/2025

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