Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

University of North Carolina Asheville

Forestry in Western North Carolina

'A typical campsite'

Forestry is an integral part of the identity of western North Carolina. The science of forestry in the United States was born in the Cradle of Forestry following the initation of forest management and experimentation in the Biltmore Forest School begun by George W. Vanderbilt on his estate in western North Carolina. This collection, largely photographic, helps tell the story of the early years of forestry in North Carolina, in the United States and the contributions of many individuals to the development of of the United States Forest Service.  The large body of digital images were derived from the National Forests in North Caroolina Historic Photographs (NFNC) collection (approximately 1800 images) and from the U.S. Forest Service Southern Experimental Station (USFS) collections (approximately 3000 images). The photographs were digitized through collaborative projects initiated by the National Forests in North Carolina in 2010 and the US Forest Service Southern Experimantal Station in 2001.