Pisgah National Forest -- September 22, 2026: he North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is officially putting boots on the ground for an expansive, 10-year habitat restoration initiative across Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. The long-term recovery effort addresses the extensive damage left behind by Tropical Storm Helene, focusing on rehabilitating fragile mountain ecosystems and restoring access for outdoor recreation.
The work is being directed by the agency's newly formed Helene Restoration Division (HRD), created following a historic $290 million Good Neighbor Agreement signed between NCWRC and the U.S. Forest Service.
The Scope of Destruction: When the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene tore through Western North Carolina in late September 2024, torrential rain unleashed widespread flooding, landslides, and mudslides. The storm blew down tens of thousands of timber acres, destroyed culverts, washed out forest service roads, and caused catastrophic siltation across delicate mountain headwaters.
A Historic Partnership: Funded through federal relief allocations, the $290 million Good Neighbor Agreement represents the largest cooperative pact of its kind in Forest Service history. The agreement allows the state wildlife agency to deploy dedicated crews directly onto federal forest land, cutting through administrative bottlenecks to speed up on-the-ground recovery.
Building the Restoration Division: Led by Division Chief Doug Besler, the HRD has spent recent months assembling specialized field crews, acquiring heavy machinery, and coordinating closely with U.S. Forest Service personnel to assess damaged acreage. Besler noted that given the vast footprint of the storm, identifying high-impact target areas is critical to ensuring long-term ecological return on investment.
Core Priorities for the Decade Ahead:
Aquatic Habitat & Native Fisheries: Restoring damaged streambanks, removing debris blockages, and reopening natural stream corridors critical for native brook trout and sensitive aquatic species like the Appalachian elktoe mussel.
Terrestrial Habitat & Wildlife Openings: Clearing dangerous blowdowns, managing wildlife openings, and supporting game species and species of greatest conservation need.
Invasive Species Mitigation: Treating aggressive non-native plant species that quickly colonize storm-disturbed soil and outcompete native mountain flora.
Public Access Infrastructure: Reconstructing blown-out crossings and repairing decommissioned forest service access roads to reconnect hunters, anglers, and hikers with public lands.
Early Milestones on the Ground: The division has already completed its first major pilot recovery project in Pisgah National Forest. Crews removed four collapsed culverts along an inaccessible Forest Service road and replaced them with stabilized stream ford crossings. The project reopened access to a crucial wildlife opening, restored free upstream passage for native brook trout, and allowed crews to enter the tract to treat invasive vegetation.
State wildlife officials emphasize that while basic access has returned to large portions of both national forests, full ecological healing will require years of sustained, strategic intervention.
Sources:
NC Wildlife
Strategic Partnership In