Connestee Falls
Natural Resources Stewardship Committee
Managing Forest Health
In 2023, the NRSC commissioned EcoForesters, a nonprofit professional forestry organization dedicated to conserving and restoring our Appalachian forests, to develop a long-term CF Forest Management Plan. The EcoForesters Forest Management Plan (FMP) is an extension of the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) created by Equinox Environmental. The purpose of the FMP is to further explore and define the conditions of the CF forested property to identify threats, to make sound forest management recommendations, and to promote ecosystem health and long-term sustainability. (View the slide presentation)
Forest Management Plan (FMP) Goals
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"Goals include, to; identify and minimize threats to ecosystem resilience such as fire, flooding, erosion, and invasive species; identify and preserve any rare, unique, or biologically important natural habitats that exist within CFPOA; to achieve a balance between managing the natural resources of Connestee Falls and human needs." (FMP, p 2)
"Connestee Falls is in a unique position to use proven and progressive forest management methods to set the standard for healthy mixed-use forests and lead as an example for other communities to follow." (FMP, p1)
Historical Forest Management
"Historically, the Southern Appalachians were heavily logged in the early and mid-20th century. Few sites were spared, though steep and inaccessible places may have been untouched, leaving a scattering of older, legacy trees. Most of the forests were clear-cut or high-graded, a technique that removed the best, most valuable timber and left the rest." (FMP, p 5)
"It is thought that this community was last extensively logged in the 1950’s or 1960’s. Along Carson Creek, a railroad bed was partially constructed and later abandoned. The Connestee Falls community originated in 1971 for development by Realtec, Inc. and in 1975 the land was transferred to CFPOA. This property is unique, as it has been under development for over 50 years.
Most of these forests have not seen any logging or the natural levels of historic disturbance since the 1960's and, therefore, have had a more or less continuous and undisturbed canopy in place for decades. Consequently, they exhibit an even-aged forest structure and are, therefore, lacking in structural diversity which correlates to biodiversity. This also prevents sunlight from reaching the forest floor and generally favors less desirable shade-tolerant and more mesophytic (moist-adapted) species, at the expense of a more diverse, and desirable, suite of trees including those that need more sun and/or are drought-tolerant (like oaks). Without management to restore or mimic the historic disturbance regimes, these forests will continue to transition away from their historic, and highly desirable composition." (FMP, p 5)
CF Current Forest Ecology
Shade-tolerant species like maple and birch are becoming more dominant, while shade-intolerant and intermediate species such as yellow-poplar, oaks, and hickories are declining. Without disturbance or management, the forest will increasingly favor shade-tolerant species, reducing the presence of more economically and ecologically valuable trees. (source: FMP, p 6)
"Where patches of mountain laurel and/or rhododendron are densely arranged, the shrubs are poised to capture some of the available growing space in the forest. They cause deep shade and impede regeneration in the understory while also causing the gradual succession of stands to more shade-tolerant species such as red maple, sourwood, and eastern white pine. The persistence of these shade-tolerant trees in the regeneration, midstory, and smaller diameter classes signifies these species will occupy a significant portion of the future forest should the current ecological processes persist." (FMP, p 6)
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Mast Trees: Oaks and hickories provide acorns and hickory nuts for wildlife. However, the circumstances of a thick shrub layer and often shade-tolerant midstory prevent the forest from naturally regenerating, particularly shade-intermediate oaks and hickories. Management to sustain oaks and hickories in the overstory, establish structural diversity for a patchwork of light dispersion, and reintroduce natural disturbance regimes is crucial.
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Early Successional Habitat: Because the property consists of a continuous canopy, little/no early successional habitat (i.e., very young forest) was found. Such habitats increase wildlife diversity and abundance by providing shelter and food sources for wildlife.
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Old Growth Forests: Though there are no old-growth forests on the property, occasional legacy trees were
observed that were likely well over 100 years old. Increasing evidence suggests that in the
Southern Appalachians, on excessively steep slopes, rocky areas, and extremely xeric areas with slow-growing trees, pockets of old-growth and individual legacy trees are not uncommon. Because of
their structure, and sometimes hollow insides, old-growth trees can provide important nesting and denning habitat for numerous wildlife species. Over decades as the forest matures, more of this old-growth habitat will develop. As large trees die, additionally valuable wildlife habitat is created in the form of large snags and downed coarse woody material. The openings caused by large fallen trees also create more diverse structure creating valuable habitat and browse for many species. -
Riparian Areas & Wetlands: The land surrounding creeks, streams, and other surface water provides critical habitat for wildlife. Numerous species are dependent on these buffer zones as their proximity to water creates habitats ideal for insects, amphibians, mammals, and birds. It is essential to create relatively undisturbed buffer zones between the surface water and the upland forest types. Healthy riparian areas are crucial for maintaining good water quality as they provide a filter for pollutants such as nutrients and sediment. An upland Southern Mountain Appalachian bog was identified in the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) prepared by Equinox, and earmarked for protection in the CF Natural Resources Stewardship Plan (NRSP).
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Rock Outcrops: Several rock outcrops were found across the property. Rock outcrop habitats are comprised of numerous distinct ecological community types and are associated with many wildlife and plant species, some of which are rare. Unfortunately, these habitats cannot be created or mimicked, making them extremely valuable for wildlife and a priority for habitat protection and wildlife conservation.
(source: FMP pages 8-9)
EcoForester Recommendations
#1: Invasive Species Control: It is a high priority to treat the invasive species infestations before they spread and become much harder to control. It is always easier, and less costly, to control non-native plants earlier than to wait to respond to increasingly worse infestations.
#2: Native Vine Control: Controlling grapevines is recommended where the health and vitality of the forest is at risk.
#3: Hemlock Treatment (continual): We recommend continually treating the hemlocks in best health and those that have the best future growth potential into the canopy. Preserving these hemlocks may preserve the species in this forest and help retain an aesthetic evergreen component in the forest.
*Recommendations #4 - #7 are focused on renewal and maintenance of forest diversity, which ensures longevity and minimizes the risk of wildfires. EcoForesters developed a plan that accounts for all forest types within Connestee Falls. Each forest type is aligned with a specific management protocol based on the vegetation it contains. Specific details for each forest type can be found in the comprehensive plan.
#4: Prescribed Fires**: Conduct prescribed fires to promote fire-tolerant vegetation, encourage wildlife, reduce fuels, and to enhance forest health. Prescribed fires can help diversify forest composition and improve wildlife habitat and forage. In addition, these fires can help reduce the abundance of fuels (a thick shrub layer, litter, and duff) in the understory, thereby reducing the risk and/or potential severity of forest fires in the future.
**NRSC Note: A 2026 site visit by the North Carolina Forest Service concluded that prescribed fire is not a suitable option for Connestee. Instead, NRSC will pursue mechanical mitigation—specifically thinning and chipping—to reduce wildfire risk.
#5: Heath Shrub Reduction Forest Stand Improvement: Reduce the evergreen shrub layer where present to promote desirable advanced regeneration and allow for seedling establishment.
#6: Free Thinning Forest Stand Improvement: Free thinning focuses on the removal of competing trees from ecologically more valuable tree species.
#7: Cull Tree Removal: Some undesired overstory trees should be culled (killed) during other thinnings.
#8: Create /Maintain Trails, Signage, Erosion: Maintaining and creating low impact trails can aid in improving access to the interior of the forest and can aid in connectivity to the property. While these trails are primarily for recreation, they can also serve as firebreaks (for prescribed or wildfires) and can be a sound investment for the property.
#9: Landowner Buy-In Firewise: In the Connestee Falls community, developed areas are at a higher risk and serve as principal ignition points for wildfires. These include residences, outbuildings, roads, overhead power lines, grills, fire pits, construction sites, etc. The CFPOA has received a Firewise assessment. For any reduction in fire risk, there must be buy-in from the individual landowners.
#10: Erosion Mitigation: Sedimentation has a negative effect on stream health in that it disturbs the life cycle of invertebrates as well as small fish as it enters waterways. Water diversions and control structures (like broad-based dips, water bars, or slope reversals) should be installed to slow the erosion.
#11: Riparian Buffer Maintenance: To prevent future erosion and to facilitate healthy aquatic habitat and prevent erosion, we recommend maintaining a wooded riparian buffer along streams.
#12: Early Successional Habitat Creation: Early successional habitat (young forests, less than approximately 15 years in age) could be created and/or maintained to encourage structural and species diversity on a landscape scale.
#13: Convert Dam Spillways Into Native Wildflower Meadows: Increase the native pollinator habitat and create a more diverse community/habitat by converting the dam spillways into native wildflower meadows.
#14: Boundary Marking: It is highly beneficial, for CFPOA as the landowner, to have clearly marked property boundaries. Well-marked lines may protect a landowner from liability issues.
NRSC Next Steps
Year 1 Invasives Treatment
Year 1 Mechanical Mitigation
FireWise
Bog Management Plan