Appalachian Forests in Peril

Julie A. Brooks

Appalachian Ecology- ENVS- 400

Case Study- Air Quality

Appalachian Forests in Peril

Those of us who live in Appalachia are blessed with living in an area of stunning environmental beauty and diversity. Some of the most unique ecosystems in the world exist here. Almost any type of outdoor activity one can imagine can be enjoyed in Appalachia. Amateur and professional naturalists can study a rich variety of flora and fauna. Forests and waterways provide plenty of places to hunt and fish. Hikers have many trails to enjoy, highlighted by one of the most famous routes in the world, the Appalachian Trail. Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy well-maintained commercial ski resorts. But this beautiful area is suffering because of the continued decline of air quality, which in turn is causing disease and an influx of pests that can be detrimental to an ecosystem. Although terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are rich and abundant in Appalachia, they are extremely fragile and easily damaged by a large incursion of visitors and new residents, as well as acid rain issues.

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 were supposed to solve the acid rain problem of the late 20th century, but a new study by scientists at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire finds that the Act hasn’t gone far enough. The Hubbard Brook study, overseen by the U.S. Forest Service, found that despite some decreases in acid rain-causing chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, acid rain continues to remove plant food from the soil that is necessary for tree health.

Both red spruce and the economically valuable sugar maple have died in large numbers as a result. The Hubbard Brook study also found that acid and toxic aluminum in streams and lakes continue to kill fish and other life. For about twenty years, scientists in the central and southern Appalachians have been observing tree death in the higher mountains, from North Carolina to Pennsylvania. The Great Smoky Mountains...