On June 14, 2006, Representatives Nathan Deal (GA-10) and Charles Norwood (GA-9) introduced the Chattahoochee National Forest Act of 2006 (H.R. 5612), a bill that would establish the 13,382-acre Mountaintown National Scenic Area and would further protect 8,448 acres of the Chattahoochee National Forest through Wilderness designations.
The proposed Mountaintown National Scenic Area would officially protect the Mountaintown Roadless Area, which lies just southeast of the existing Cohutta Wilderness. Here, the five-mile-long Mountaintown Creek Trail crosses its namesake, a cascading stream with dramatic falls and gorges. The Benton MacKaye Trail runs along the high ridge in the eastern portion of the area and connects Alabama's Pinhoti Trail to the Appalachian Trail. Mountaintown shelters rare and threatened plants including purple-fringed orchid, mountain camellia, yellow lady's slipper, and stands of mixed oak and hickory old growth.
The Chattahoochee National Forest Act of 2006 would add 8,448 acres to existing wilderness areas in Georgia. There are currently 10 Wilderness areas in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The 35,000-acre Cohutta, designated in 1975 and expanded in 1986, is the largest, most heavily used National Forest Wilderness in the Southern Appalachians. More than 60,000 visitors each year including hunters, hikers, and fishermen enjoy the area's spectacular gorges and rushing rivers. Two additions to the existing Cohutta Wilderness Area totaling 692 acres are proposed in this legislation.
Eleven miles of Appalachian Trail snake through rugged terrain in the popular Blood Mountain Wilderness. An addition to the existing Blood Mountain Wilderness totaling 561 acres is proposed. Two additions to the existing Brasstown Wilderness totaling 753 acres have also been proposed. Brasstown Wilderness is characterized by steep ridges, remote coves, and narrow valleys, and home to whitetail deer, wild turkey, and black bear. This wilderness encircles Georgia's highest mountain, the 4,800-foot tall Brasstown Bald.
The Southern Nantahala Wilderness totals 23,473 acres with half of the area located in Georgia and half in North Carolina. Several unique bogs support endangered species such as the bog turtle and rare combinations of other species found nowhere else in the world. Three additions to this area are proposed in the measure totaling 2,791 acres.
Rugged terrain, tall peaks, and the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River are the hallmarks of the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, which is shared by three states Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Offering one of the foremost white-water trips in the eastern United States, the Chattooga flows through the middle of the area. One addition to the existing Ellicott Rock Wilderness totaling 562 acres is included in the bill.
At 4,430 feet, Tray Mountain dominates the southern portion of the rugged Tray Mountain Wilderness, which straddles the crest of the Blue Ridge. From up high, fast-flowing streams tumble down narrow gorges and over many waterfalls. Second-growth hardwoods at least 60 years old are the primary forest cover. Deer, squirrels, grouse, and wild turkeys make common appearances, along with the ever-elusive black bear, raccoons, doves, quail, and woodcocks. About 41 miles of trout streams produce rainbows and browns. An addition totaling 638 acres is proposed in the bill.
The Raven Cliffs Wilderness has a total of 9,115 acres. Numerous streams and waterfalls, high peaks, and rocky outcroppings combine to create a rugged mountain Wilderness divided between the Chestatee and Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Areas. Elevations range from about 1,800 feet on Boggs Creek to 3,846 feet on Leveland Mountain. The bill includes one addition to the existing Raven Cliffs Wilderness totaling 2,451 acres.
Importantly, much of the land to be protected under the bill had at one point been subjected to severe over-logging. The continued successful rebound of these forests, coupled with permanent federal protection, would be an important step not only for the forests of Georgia, but for all eastern states dealing with the issues of shrinking forestland, pressure from timber cutting, and expanding development and sprawl. The bill has been referred to the House Resources Committee.
Background
Located in northeastern Georgia, just a two-hour drive from Atlanta, the Chattahoochee National Forest contains nearly 750,000 acres of pristine evergreen and broadleaf conifer stands, old-growth forest, steep gorges and cold, clear streams. The forest is home to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and Brasstown Bald, the tallest mountain in Georgia.
The Forest Service recognizes the Chattahoochee National Forest as one of the few urban National Forests in the country. Ten million people visit each year, more than the Great Smoky Mountains, making this America's most heavily visited National Forest. Recreational demand, high-quality fisheries, mature forests, intact watersheds, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the Southeast are all compelling reasons to protect more Wilderness areas here.
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