Cherokee National Forest Resting in the heart of the Southern
Appalachian mountain range, the Cherokee National Forest is
located in one of the world's most diverse areas. These
mountains are home to more than 20,000 species of plants and
animals. The Cherokee spans 640,000 acres in extreme eastern
Tennessee, along the North Carolina border. The forest’s
majestic slopes, tumbling streams, and diverse vegetation
provide habitat to abundant wildlife, as well as a multitude of
diverse recreational activities for visitors. What We Are Doing
The southern pine beetle is the most damaging insect killer of
pine trees in the southeastern United States. In Tennessee
alone, more than 400,000 acres of pine forest have been killed,
including extensive damage in the Cherokee National Forest that
has destroyed wildlife habitat and increased the risk of forest
fires. By planting more than 25,000 shortleaf pine and pitch
pine trees, we are helping to restore natural native pine
communities, add critical wildlife habitat and b