0299-GCG-FoothillsConservancy ESG24-FINALb (1) - Flipbook - Page 30
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina
2024 Stewardship
5
2 full-time FCNC staff &
3 interns monitored properties
for change detection in 2024
Natural Disturbance
and Forest
Management
By Ryan Sparks
Stewardship Director
The impact of Hurricane Helene on our Southern Appalachian
96
properties monitored
in 8 counties
forests was signi昀椀cant and severe. While some areas of forest
were decimated by landslides and raging 昀氀oodwaters, the
majority of forestlands will recover, and some may be even
more resilient and healthy as a result.
Southern Appalachian forests have been changing and
developing in response to natural disturbances like wind,
昀椀re, snow, and ice for millions of years. Wind may be the
18,574
acres monitored
1,886
acres attributed to the
largest property monitored
5
properties over 1,000
acres monitored
3
acres attributed to the
smallest property monitored
28
most impactful agent of natural disturbance across eastern
hardwood forests, causing pulses of tree mortality and changes
to forest structure that are irregular across the landscape
and affecting the composition of tree species in the forest for
