Episode 412
Cradle of Forestry

Silviculture, the science of forestry, was first taught in the United States near Asheville, NC. The Biltmore Forest School, which opened its doors in 1897, was the first school of forestry in the United States. In the first quarter of the 20th century, some of the giants of American forestry began their careers and taught at the Tar Heel school, making the state known as the “cradle of forestry."

Today, forestry is one of the biggest industries in North Carolina (worth over $4 billion annually), surpassing textiles. In this episode, experts from the USDA Forest Service, School of Forestry at NCSU and the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources (DENR) share forestry's important story as the series looks at the ways we can best manage local forests for our state's economy and critical ecosystems.