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Appalachian Ranger District gets a new ranger

Uncategorized July 20, 2020 , by
Appalachian Ranger District
Asheville, NC –July 17, 2020 –The National Forests in North Carolina announced that Jen Barnhart will oversee management and operations as the new District Ranger on the Appalachian Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest beginning July 20, 2020.
“Jen has an excellent background in working collaboratively with others and for multiple agencies. She is well grounded in the management of district programs and has a great conservation education background,” said Forest
Supervisor Allen Nicholas. “Jen’s previous forest is similar to the Pisgah National Forest in that it experiences exceptionally high recreational demand with high expectations from the public.”
Barnhart has been a District Ranger on the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and Maine since 2016, where she built strong relationships with local communities and partners.
“It is a privilege to be selected to serve on the prestigious National Forests in North Carolina,” said Barnhart. “I’m looking forward to serving a district of employees who are hardworking, knowledgeable, and passionate about public land management. This also rings true for me with the highly capable local communities and partners that are devoted to a vastly regarded and impressive landscape.”

Image of Pisgah National Forest. Barnhart will serve as an Appalachian District Ranger.

Barnhart has a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Recreation with a minor in Forestry from Virginia Tech University and a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Science Management from the University of Minnesota.
She has a diverse background of over twenty years of experience in integrated natural resources, public service, and land management. Her positions have varied beyond working for the Forest Service with non-profit conservation organizations, universities, and land management state agencies. Barnhart has also worked as an Acting District Ranger and a District Recreation Program Manager on the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests in South Carolina and as a District Recreation Program Manager on the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana.

Pisgah National Forest to begin reopening trails and roads

Outdoors, Press Release May 15, 2020 , by
Pisgah

The Pisgah National Forest will begin to reopen many trails and roads and partially lift restrictions for dispersed camping May 14, using a site-by-site approach, including assessment of facility cleanliness, maintenance status, and health and safety of recreation areas. Facilities and services may remain limited at some sites.

Popular recreation areas that will reopen include, but are not limited to:

• Catawba Falls, TR 225
• Brown Mountain Off Highway Vehicle Area
• Black Balsam Road, FSR 816, and associated trails
• Bent Creek Road, FSR 479 and most trails and trailheads

For a complete list of trails, roads, and recreation areas that are reopening please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/pisgahreopenings. The few roads that remain closed, are only closed to motorized vehicles, non-motorized use is allowed.

Restrictions on dispersed camping will be lifted for the entire Appalachian Ranger District. Dispersed camping restrictions will also be lifted for the Grandfather Ranger District with the exception of overnight camping within the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area on the weekends, which requires a permit. For the month of May, the Forest Service will not be issuing these permits. Dispersed camping restrictions remain in place for the Pisgah Ranger District. These decisions were made in coordination with county and local partners to ensure the safety of the public and employees.

Visitors can expect restrooms to remain closed and trash services to continue to be suspended. Please pack out what you pack in and remember to use Leave No Trace Principles.

Forest Service staff will continue to perform risk assessments to determine which recreation areas can resume operations in accordance with county and local partners and current public health guidance.

The Forest Service’s highest priority is ensuring the safety of the public and their employees while supporting mission critical functions. Please review current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with local and state guidelines for social distancing and cloth face coverings.

For additional information please contact the Appalachian Ranger District at (828) 689-9694; Grandfather Ranger District at (828) 652-2144; Pisgah Ranger District at (828) 877-3265; Supervisor’s Office at (828) 257-4200.

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