Holmes Educational State Forest

Holmes Educational State Forest
North Carolina State Forest
Named for: Dr. John S. Holmes [1]
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Henderson
Coordinates 35°14′22″N 82°34′34″W / 35.23944°N 82.57611°W / 35.23944; -82.57611Coordinates: 35°14′22″N 82°34′34″W / 35.23944°N 82.57611°W / 35.23944; -82.57611 [2]
Area 235 acres (95.1 ha) [3]
Dedicated 1977
Management North Carolina Forest Service
Visitation 36,244 [4]
IUCN category VI - Managed Resource Protected Area
Nearest city Hendersonville, North Carolina
Location of Holmes Educational State Forest in North Carolina
Website: DuPont State Recreational Forest

Holmes Educational State Forest (HESF) is a 235-acre (0.95 km2) state forest, located in Henderson County, North Carolina.[3][4] It is near the much larger DuPont State Recreational Forest, which is responsible for its management.[4] The forest is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it has rugged terrain with a mixture of hardwood forest, rhododendron, and flame azalea.

The forest's primary purpose is education and promotion of forest resources.[4] Forest rangers regularly conduct outdoor classes for schools and other groups from spring to fall. The forest also has self-guided interpretive trails, which teach visitors about forestry through the use of trail-side exhibits, displays and audio boxes. In addition, the forest offers a small network of hiking trails, a picnic area with a shelter and a group campground.

The state originally purchased the forest in 1938 to establish a tree nursery, which was subsequently constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The state received a federal grant in 1972 to convert the nursery into an educational state forest. The forest was opened in May 1977, during its dedication to North Carolina's first state forester, Dr. John S. Holmes.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Alexia Jones Helsley; George Alexander Jones (2007). A Guide to Historic Henderson County, North Carolina. The History Press. pp. 103 & 142. ISBN 978-1-59629-275-8.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Holmes State Forest Nursery
  3. 1 2 "NC Forest Service Natural Assets" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. January 23, 2014. p. 17. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "DuPont State Recreational Forest Fiscal Year 2014 Legislative Report" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. October 1, 2014. p. 8. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
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