Who we are
Cherokee Forest Voices is the leading organization in East Tennessee to address issues related to the management of the Cherokee National Forest. We are volunteers who are interested in the conservation of this vast resource as a wonderful, wild and natural place. Some of us are farmers, some teachers, some doctors, some factory workers, some lawyers. Some of us are hunters, some anglers, some cyclists, some hikers, some photographers. Even though we have these different viewpoints, we share a common goal:
to promote and encourage the value of allowing nature and natural processes to determine the present and future condition of our national forest lands.
We value the clean water that springs up and flows from the Cherokee National Forest. We value the scenic beauty of the mountains and forests. We value the variety and mixture of life found in the naturally maturing, ever-changing forest. We value the opportunities to reinvigorate our souls, reenergize our minds, and rejuvenate our bodies in the sights and sounds and smells and tastes and feels of nature's creation. We value hunting and fishing and walking and cycling and picnicking and camping in this natural arena.
But the character of the Cherokee National Forest is under threat. For the past few years, the forest has been managed with a strong emphasis on timber cutting. The effects are beginning to show. Under present policies, one half of the forest will be replaced by thickets and will be kept in that condition perpetually. Oaks and hickories are disappearing, streams are becoming laden with silt, and herbicides are jeopardizing wildlife and drinking water.
These policies are unacceptable!
Some Basic Facts
- Nearly half of Tennessee--12.9 million acres--is covered with forests capable of growing trees commercially.
- Only 3% of this commercially suitable land is on the Cherokee National Forest.
- The forest products industry provides approximately $750 million each year to the economy of Tennessee. $22.5 million of this comes from National Forest timber.
- Recreational visitors to the Cherokee National Forest contribute approximately $845 million each year to local Tennessee economies.
- The Forest Service considers 350,000 acres of the Cherokee suitable for timber production. Financial analysis of the land indicates only 36,000 acres capable of cost-effective timber production.
- Over a recent 5-year period, the Cherokee National Forest generated average annual timber sales of $1.62 million. The Forest Service spent an annual average of $3.2 million on these timber sales--an average loss of $1.6 million per year.
- Approximately 10% (67,000 acres) of the Cherokee National Forest is designated Wilderness and permanently protected from timber harvesting.
- Another 14% (87,000 acres) of the Cherokee qualifies for Wilderness or some other protected designation, but is currently at risk from the timber policy.
- Timber harvesting in the National Forest benefits private industrial wood products operations but has a negative effect on other forest uses. National Forests belong in the public domain to the benefit of all public values. Timber harvesting should not be allowed to put other public values at risk.
- 72% of the respondents to a survey, conducted in our region by federal and state natural resources agencies, expressed their desire for less timber harvesting on national forest lands and more allocation for other uses.
| Recreational use of the forest provides 27 times more revenue to local economies than income from timber does. |
Goals and Objectives
- Increase the amount of land managed as Wilderness by 30,000 acres.
- Create new management categories and prescriptions for backcountry areas where natural forces determine the dynamics of forest development. Some timber management for wildlife, habitat restoration, and recreation could occur in these areas.
Goal--50,000 acres.
- Establish Special Management Areas to protect sensitive watersheds or mountain ranges to ensure protection of their ecological values while allowing local residents to be assured of continued enjoyment of the National Forest and increased prosperity without losing their rural quality of life.
- Increase funding for recreational programs, including hiking trails, horse trails, biking trails, and ORV trails.
Goal--33% of the Cherokee National Forest budget.
- Reduce the land base allocation that is suitable for commercial timber harvesting from 350,000 acres to 100,000 acres, to be more consistent with financial cost effectiveness.
| The forest planners are in the process of revising their Management Plan. The new Plan should emphasize the scenic and recreational values of the forest over the value of timber. |
Mission Statement
Cherokee Forest Voices is a not-for-profit educational association of conservation groups and volunteers whose mission is to encourage increased emphasis on the ecological values of the Cherokee National Forest. Included in this mission is the restoration and preservation of biodiversity, improved protection of fish, wildlife, plants, soil and water resources, an increase in the size of existing Wilderness Areas, designation of additional Wilderness Areas, increased availability of nature oriented recreation and the protection of scenic values. We seek to accomplish this mission by:
- monitoring Forest Service management activities and commenting on proposed activities;
- enhancing public awareness of, and interest in, forest-related issues;
- sponsoring or promoting activities designed to increase citizen participation in the forest planning process;
- fostering a spirit of cooperation with the Forest Service;
- and cooperating with other groups throughout the region who share common interests and concerns regarding our national forest.
Join us in this effort!
Full membership is $10 annually. This will cover the costs of printing and mailing information packages. Contact us for other membership and participation options.
Send membership fee with your name, address and phone number to:
Cherokee Forest Voices
- 1101 Antioch Road, Johnson City, TN 37604
- 836 Roderick Road, Knoxville, TN 37923
- 1920 Campbell Dr., Cleveland, TN 37312
Phone: 423-929-8163
Email address