The U.S. Forest Service is moving forward with the evaluation process for the Sugar Mountain Project on the Tellico Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest. This initiative is a critical opportunity to restore high-elevation forests and improve habitat for ruffed grouse and other wildlife that depend on young forest conditions.
Project Overview
The Sugar Mountain Project in its current form focuses on 12,241 acres of national forest east of Tellico Plains, Tennessee, with management activities targeting areas above 3,000 feet where ruffed grouse populations were once abundant. Over time, declining timber harvest levels, fewer natural disturbances and ongoing forest maturation have resulted in a severe loss of young forest.
Working closely with RGS & AWS, the Forest Service has identified about 294 acres for commercial timber harvest along with areas for noncommercial thinning, prescribed fire and habitat enhancements. These treatments will help create a mosaic of habitat conditions that support wildlife and long-term forest health.
Benefits for Ruffed Grouse and Other Wildlife
Ruffed grouse populations have declined by more than 70% across the Southern Appalachians since 1989, according to the Eastern Grouse Working Group. In the Tellico District specifically, surveys in the 1980s and 90s detected far more grouse than today, with recent counts averaging just one bird per year in the district. Research has shown that timber harvests can increase grouse abundance fourfold in contrast to unmanaged areas, making this work essential for attempting to slow or reverse declines (Dimmick et al. 1998).
By creating a patchwork of young forest interspersed with mature forest, the project will also benefit a variety of other species, including American woodcock, chestnut-sided warblers and numerous pollinators that rely on early-successional habitat.
Why Your Voice Matters
The project is currently in the public scoping phase of the National Environmental Policy Act process. This is the critical window when land managers need to hear from those who value healthy, diverse forests and the wildlife they support. Without strong support from conservation-minded citizens, projects like Sugar Mountain risk being delayed, altered or stopped.
A special thanks goes to those who submitted comments during the initial scoping phase. For those who did not hear about the opportunity, there will be another chance to comment when the official comment period opens following the release of the Environmental Assessment. Keep an eye on your inboxes. We will let you know when the comment period officially opens.
Read more on the Sugar Mountain Project here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/cherokee/projects/68353
Works Cited
Dimmick, R. W., Sole, J. D., Minser, W. G. and Hale, P. E. (1998). Response of ruffed grouse to forest management in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (pp. 294–302). In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 52). Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
