Friends of Big Ivy: Protecting an Ancient Forest

BIG TREES, BIG WATERFALLS: the old-growth of big ivy

Big Ivy is the crown jewel of the Craggy Mountains in Pisgah National Forest. Its cascading creeks and waterfalls, old-growth forests, and panoramic vistas are legacies we hope to protect for future generations. Big Ivy’s wild forests shelter dozens of rare plants and animals, and its pristine headwaters are home to native trout. The forest also boasts a rich cultural legacy of historic homestead sites, heritage plants, and campgrounds.

Friends of Big Ivy is the founding organization that helped launch the I HEART CRAGGY campaign. It aims to protect all of Big Ivy and the Craggy Mountain section of Pisgah National Forest as the 16,000-acre Craggy Wilderness and National Scenic Area.

The Craggy-Big Ivy forest contains the third-highest density of rare species on the Pisgah-Nantahala and over 4,000 acres of old-growth forest, one of the largest patches of old-growth in the East. Part of a 100,000-acre block of protected lands—one of the largest in the East—Craggy-Big Ivy is a rare and precious living legacy, with big trees, big mountains, and big waterfalls.

The Craggy-Big Ivy forest forms the headwaters of the Ivy River, an important tributary of the French Broad and the water source for the town of Weaverville. Craggy-Big Ivy Ivy has a diverse array of habitats that shelter at least 44 rare species documented in the area. Big Ivy has some of the healthiest and mature forests in the Pisgah-Nantahala and was identified by The Nature Conservancy as one of the most important core forests in the Southern Blue Ridge.

Craggy-Big Ivy is one of the most popular and important recreation destinations in Southern Appalachia. Its prized trout streams, wildlife, waterfalls, swimming holes, rugged trails, and scenic overlooks attract thousands of outdoor enthusiasts annually.

It is an essential part of the Blue Ridge Parkway viewshed and provides outstanding scenery for area homes and businesses, enhancing the value of local real estate. Big Ivy is also an economic engine that brought blockbuster movies to these mountains; Last of the Mohicans, Songcatcher, and The Hunger Games were all filmed in Big Ivy.

Craggy-Big Ivy also preserves the region’s cultural heritage. Local families have used the forest to hunt, fish, hike, camp, and swim for over two centuries. Big Ivy safeguards traditional local uses of the land and expands economic opportunities for recreation and tourism.

Big Ivy is part of the the Craggy Mountains, globally significant wildlands only 19 miles from downtown Asheville, one of the country’s most popular outdoor adventure hubs. Unlike most ancient forests in remote, far-away places, the Craggies offer accessible old-growth to a diverse population of users, including public housing communities, people of color, and youth. 

The Craggies are a global biodiversity hotspot, especially for salamanders. They are the salamander capital of the world, home to dozens of species, including some micro-endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. They also shelter dozens of other rare and endangered species, including owls, bats, warblers, and flying squirrels. The Craggies also protect the headwaters of the Ivy River, miles of trout streams, and the drinking water supply for nearly a half-million people. Dozens of cascades — including 70-foot Douglas Falls — thunder down its rugged slopes.

The Craggy Mountains are also one of the most popular recreation areas in the country—an outdoor oasis for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, fly fishing, and trail running. It’s a beloved part of Pisgah National Forest, the second-most-visited national forest in the country. The Craggy Mountains are the backdrop of Asheville’s stunning scenery and the backbone of the regional economy. Hollywood blockbusters have been filmed in the Craggies, including The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans. 

Forest Keeper and Friends of Big Ivy have mobilized to permanently protect the Craggies. They have organized the I HEART CRAGGY campaign: a coalition of over 120 local, regional, and national businesses and organizations supporting the Craggy Mountain Wilderness and Scenic Area Campaign—including the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Carolina Climbers Coalition, Outdoor Gear Builders of Western North Carolina, MountainTrue, Liberty Bicycles, Mountain BizWorks, the Dogwood Alliance, and the Southern Environmental Law Center.

We’re organizing youth rallies, bio-blitzes, downtown events, a speaker series, canvassing caravans, and community meetings to double the number of comments and attract even more widespread and diverse support for Big Ivy and the Craggies. We hope to secure a Craggy Mountain Wilderness and National Scenic Area recommendation from the U.S. Forest Service in its final 30-year management plan, and we are working with Congressional leaders to introduce the Craggy Wilderness and National Scenic Area Act. This campaign is a rare and urgent opportunity to protect a recreation oasis, and a global biodiversity hotspot, and one the wildest and most ancient forests in the country. 

You can reach Friends of Big Ivy at friendsofbigivy@gmail.com.