June 14, 2006 - Representatives Nathan Deal (GA-10) and Charles Norwood (GA-9) have introduced the Chattahoochee National Forest Act of 2006, a bill that would establish the 13,382-acre Mountaintown National Scenic Area and would further protect 8,448 acres of the Chattahoochee National Forest by designating that parcel a Wilderness Area.

Located in northeastern Georgia, just a two-hour drive from Atlanta, the Chattahoochee National Forest contains nearly 750,000 acres of pristine evergreen and broadleaf conifer stands, old-growth forest, steep gorges and cold, clear streams.  The forest is home to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and Brasstown Bald, the tallest mountain in Georgia.

Expanding on this rugged forest, the proposed Mountaintown National Scenic Area would officially protect the Mountaintown Roadless Area. Situated on the western edge of the Chattahoochee NF, the Mountaintown area is notable for its pristine lands, hidden waterfalls, rocky streams and towering stands of hemlock and white pine. The 5.6 mile Mountaintown Creek Trail offers the intrepid hiker some of north Georgia's most challenging and rewarding treks.

The new legislation also would create 11 new wilderness areas within the Chattahoochee National Forest, bringing Georgia's total to 25 separate wilderness areas covering 494,978 acres. According to the Wilderness Act of 1964, any area to be considered for wilderness designation must retain a "primeval character" and have no human habitation or development. Once protected, all logging, road-building and mechanized vehicle use in the wilderness area is prohibited, though many types of recreation are encouraged, including hunting, fishing, skiing, swimming, hiking, camping, bird watching, and even horseback riding.

Importantly, much of the land to be protected under the bill had at one point been subjected to severe over-logging. The continued successful rebound of these forests, coupled with permanent federal protection, would be an important step not only for the forests of Georgia, but for all eastern states dealing with the issues of shrinking forestland, pressure from loggers, and expanding development sprawl.