![]() ![]() Two hundred bird species, including red-eyed vireos, peregrine falcons and more than 30 kinds of warblers can be spotted in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scientists have recorded more than 10,000 species, but believe there to be nine times as many. No other area of similar size and climate has as many documented species of plants, animals and invertebrates. An International Biosphere in NC Blue Ridge Mountainsīecause of its remarkable biodiversity, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and a World Heritage Site in 1983. Covering more than half a million acres in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, the Park attracts nature-lovers, hikers, campers, fishermen, photographers, and other travelers looking for beauty, refreshment, and renewal of spirit.Ĭreated in 1934, the Park and its mountains take the name “Smoky” because of the soft, blue haze that hovers over the Great Smoky Mountains range, especially in summer. ![]() “From endemic salamanders to slime molds, this area has something for everyone.The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in America. “The Craggy Mountains are a biodiversity hotspot that should be protected for all to enjoy,” said Amanda Lytle, a Craggy BioBlitz leader and herpetologist with Western Carolina University. Ted Budd and their staff to discuss creating the Craggy National Scenic Area. The Center and its partners have been meeting with U.S. It would be North Carolina’s first-ever national scenic area.Ī national scenic area designation requires an act of Congress. The Craggy National Scenic Area would protect 16,000 acres of panoramic vistas, trout streams, waterfalls and old growth in Pisgah National Forest near Asheville, N.C. Approximately 4,000 acres of old-growth forests and 32 species on the North Carolina rare species list occur in the Craggy Mountains.Ĭonservation groups and businesses have proposed permanently protecting the Craggy Mountains as a national scenic area because of their natural beauty and biological diversity. The Craggies also have one of the greatest concentrations of old-growth forest and rare species in North Carolina. ![]() The Craggy Mountains are one of the mightiest ranges of Southern Appalachia, with at least nine peaks over 5,000 feet and Craggy Dome topping out above 6,000 feet. The data collected by bioblitz participants in June further documented the extraordinary biological diversity of the area and will be crucial in efforts to permanently protect it. The Craggy Mountains also provide habitat for several federally protected species including the endangered spruce-fir moss spider, northern long-eared bat and Carolina northern flying squirrel. “The Craggy National Scenic Area designation is urgently needed to protect this ancient forest and the astonishing array of plants and animals that depend on it.” “The bioblitz affirmed that Craggy is one of the most biologically diverse forests in the country,” said Will Harlan, Southeast director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Notable finds include the northern pygmy salamander, Canada honeysuckle, deer-hair bullrush, Goldie’s fern, round-leaved orchid and a remarkable abundance of diverse moth species. Dozens of expert naturalists and hundreds of community scientists teamed up to explore the Craggy Mountains in North Carolina and identify as many plant and animal species as possible. ![]() ASHEVILLE, N.C.- The Center for Biological Diversity and its partners recently completed a bioblitz in the proposed Craggy National Scenic Area that identified more than 1,600 organisms and 647 species. ![]()
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