Over 80,000 of woodland acres became the home of America's first
forestry school and the heart of the East's first national forest formed
under the Weeks Act.
When George Vanderbilt constructed the Biltmore House, he hired forester
Gifford Pinchot and, later, Dr. Carl A. Schenck to manage his forests.
Now comprising more than 500,000 acres, Pisgah National Forest holds a
vast history and breathtaking natural scenery. The forest sits in the
heart of the southern Appalachians and includes Linville Gorge, Catawba
Falls, Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River, Roan Mountain, Max Patch,
Shining Rock Wilderness and Mount Pisgah. Author and naturalist Marci
Spencer treks through the human, political and natural history that has
formed Pisgah National Forest.