In the current atmosphere of exponential development in this area we call home, it is important to maintain and continue access to public forests and trails. A proposal to improve access to a small but pristine area of national forest is about to come to public attention. This area is at the end of Shope Creek Road in the Riceville Valley, off of Riceville and Bull Mountain roads.
Currently, there is a gate that was placed by private-land owners, with approval of the U.S. Forest Service, to limit access to the public. There is now a National Forest Service Roads Analysis that [expresses] interest in improving public access and possibly [performing] some logging in the area. As it is, practical access to this public land appears to be only available to the adjacent landowners via a private gate on a public road.
There will be an open house, hosted by the National Forest Service, in the Riceville Community Center on Riceville Road on Thursday, April 26, from 4 to 7 p.m., that will display plans and accept comments and questions. I would encourage anyone interested in public access to our local public land to plan to attend. Further information is available by contacting the National Forest Service in Burnsville.
— Bruce Bernadt
Asheville
