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Happy anniversary, Uwharrie National Forest

by | Jan 8, 2019 | Uncategorized

By Mark Scott, director of Market Montgomery Chamber & Tourism • The Uwharrie National Forest is having an anniversary this month as it was designated as a national forest on Jan. 12 in 19?? (You have to complete the quiz below to find out what year.)

The Uwharrie National Forest is an important part of Montgomery County, the Uwharrie Region and the entire Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina. Many businesses factor in the proximity of “green space” and recreational opportunities for their potential employees when they decide where to locate; High Point, Greensboro and Winston Salem officials point to the health, recreation and tourism benefits of locating near the Uwharrie National Forest. That’s why Market Montgomery Chamber & Tourism is proud to represent this area on the Piedmont Legacy Trails Steering Committee and the Piedmont Triad Outdoor Recreation Committee. We help bring much-needed exposure to our area to the masses just 60 miles away.

Uwharrie National Forest Quiz

  1. True or false: The land currently designated the Uwharrie National Forest was first purchased by the federal government in 1931 when it was referred to as the Uwharrie Reservation?
  2. True or false: The Uwharrie National Forest was given federal designation in the early 1960s by President John F. Kennedy?
  3. The Uwharrie National Forest is one of four national forests in North Carolina. Name the other three.
  4. The Uwharrie National Forest makes up approximately what percentage of land in Montgomery County? A) 6 percent; B) 13 percent; C) 38 percent; or D) 79 percent?
  5. Approximately what percentage of the Uwharrie National Forest is in Montgomery County? A) 20 percent; B) 40 percent; C) 60 percent; or D) 80 percent?
  6. The Uwharrie National Forest is approximately how many square miles? A) 12; B) 48; C) 80; or D) 102?

Answers:

  1. True
  2. True
  3. Others given national forest designation by President Kennedy in 1961 were the Nantahala, Pisgah and Croatan National Forests.
  4. The Uwharrie National Forest includes approximately 40,850 acres in Montgomery County, or about 13 percent of all county land.
  5. The Uwharrie National Forest totals 51,572.06 acres so, with nearly 41,000 of those acres in Montgomery County, the county has about 80 percent of the forest.
  6. A square mile is 640 acres, so 51,572 acres is just over 80 square miles.

Photo credit: Mike Lanier, A Different Perspective