Acres in Appalachians Kept Wild and Protected
Rocky Fork used to be one of the largest unprotected tracts of land in the southern Appalachian Mountains. But thanks to a partnership between the Fund, the state of Tennessee, the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, this nearly 10,000-acre expanse of forest, trout streams and mountain ridges will soon be shared by wildlife and those seeking a wild adventure along a unique stretch of the Appalachian Trail.
The cool waters of Rocky Fork Creek and its tributaries are at the center of a vast haven for rare salamanders, the peregrine falcon, and black bear breeding grounds. Since 2008, the Fund has helped to protect almost 7,300 Rocky Fork acres and will hold the remainder until Tennessee and the Forest Service can take over permanent ownership and management.
Photo copyright Greg Hutson