32
Southern Appalachian
Case Study
Charles VanSickle
32.1 Introduction
The Southern Appalachian study covers a region of
37.4 million acres. Its mountains, foothills, and valleys stretch from northern Virginia and northern
West Virginia to northern Georgia and Alabama.
When Native Americans came to the region, forests
dominated the landscape and they still do, covering 70% of the land (Figure 32.1).
Terrain characteristics are significant in shaping
the ecology of the Southern Appalachians. The region's location and its mountains produce a wide
range of climatic conditions that are largely responsible for the great diversity of plants and animals found there. These ecological characteristics
also influenced the cultural history and economic
development of the region.
One of the most important events affecting the
region was the logging that peaked around the turn
of the century. Following this era, change came
slowly to the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
The region was considered a backwater of cultural
and economic development. But, today, change is
advancing at a rapid rate, especially change that affects the relationship of people to the land. The efforts of the Appalachian Regional Commission,
creation of the national forests and parks, rural electrification through the establishment of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the construction of
the interstate highway system are some of the factors that have influenced development. The most
important effect has been a change in the attitudes
and culture of the people that live in and visit the
Southern Appalachian region. Meanwhile, time has
also brought change to the land and forest resources
of the region.
Land managers and planners today are confronted with a baffling array of demands on the re472
gion's natural resources from a public whose diverse values and interests make it difficult to set
priorities. Population growth and greater demand
for recreational activities elsewhere in the Eastern
United States has increased the value of the wildland recreation resources of the Appalachians. In
1988, a group of federal resource management
agencies was established to meet the challenge of
coordinated resource management. The Southern
Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative
(SAMAB) gradually expanded to include 11 federal and 3 state agencies. By 1993, SAMAB had
coordinated a number of joint projects; some involved a few of the participating agencies; others,
such as conferences and workshops, involved all
the participants. Through these efforts, SAMAB
was becoming a recognized voice for regional resource management.
Also by 1993, the Southern Region of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, was addressing the need for revising most of the forest
plans within the Southern Appalachians. With eight
national forests, some of which adjoined, there was
an obvious need for close coordination and consistency among the forest plans. It was logical,
therefore, to tum to a regional assessment as a
framework for the planning process. It was also
logical to look to SAMAB as a means of involving other federal and state agencies and to coordinate work on areas of mutual interest. The concept
for a regional assessment was not well developed,
but the perception was that a broad-scale description of the condition of the land and trends in the
natural resources would help to identify important
resource concerns and would give a better understanding of how to focus planning efforts.
In early 1994, a meeting of the Appalachian national forests' planning staffs, together with the Re-
Southern Appalachian
Case Study
Charles VanSickle
32.1 Introduction
The Southern Appalachian study covers a region of
37.4 million acres. Its mountains, foothills, and valleys stretch from northern Virginia and northern
West Virginia to northern Georgia and Alabama.
When Native Americans came to the region, forests
dominated the landscape and they still do, covering 70% of the land (Figure 32.1).
Terrain characteristics are significant in shaping
the ecology of the Southern Appalachians. The region's location and its mountains produce a wide
range of climatic conditions that are largely responsible for the great diversity of plants and animals found there. These ecological characteristics
also influenced the cultural history and economic
development of the region.
One of the most important events affecting the
region was the logging that peaked around the turn
of the century. Following this era, change came
slowly to the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
The region was considered a backwater of cultural
and economic development. But, today, change is
advancing at a rapid rate, especially change that affects the relationship of people to the land. The efforts of the Appalachian Regional Commission,
creation of the national forests and parks, rural electrification through the establishment of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the construction of
the interstate highway system are some of the factors that have influenced development. The most
important effect has been a change in the attitudes
and culture of the people that live in and visit the
Southern Appalachian region. Meanwhile, time has
also brought change to the land and forest resources
of the region.
Land managers and planners today are confronted with a baffling array of demands on the re472
gion's natural resources from a public whose diverse values and interests make it difficult to set
priorities. Population growth and greater demand
for recreational activities elsewhere in the Eastern
United States has increased the value of the wildland recreation resources of the Appalachians. In
1988, a group of federal resource management
agencies was established to meet the challenge of
coordinated resource management. The Southern
Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative
(SAMAB) gradually expanded to include 11 federal and 3 state agencies. By 1993, SAMAB had
coordinated a number of joint projects; some involved a few of the participating agencies; others,
such as conferences and workshops, involved all
the participants. Through these efforts, SAMAB
was becoming a recognized voice for regional resource management.
Also by 1993, the Southern Region of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, was addressing the need for revising most of the forest
plans within the Southern Appalachians. With eight
national forests, some of which adjoined, there was
an obvious need for close coordination and consistency among the forest plans. It was logical,
therefore, to tum to a regional assessment as a
framework for the planning process. It was also
logical to look to SAMAB as a means of involving other federal and state agencies and to coordinate work on areas of mutual interest. The concept
for a regional assessment was not well developed,
but the perception was that a broad-scale description of the condition of the land and trends in the
natural resources would help to identify important
resource concerns and would give a better understanding of how to focus planning efforts.
In early 1994, a meeting of the Appalachian national forests' planning staffs, together with the Re-