About Us
The Asheville Field Office was established in the late 1970s and once served the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Today, the office focuses on conservation in the Southern Appalachians and the upper Piedmont of North Carolina. Our biologists have developed special expertise in key habitats of southern Appalachia and the upper Piedmont including:
- High-elevation habitats like spruce-fir forests, grassy balds, and high cliffs.
- Southern Appalachian mountain bogs.
- Caves, mines, and other bat habitat.
- Grassland and other open habitats important for pollinators and rare plants.
- Streams and rivers.
We also support the management and development of Mountain Bogs National Wildlife Refuge – a refuge focused on conserving southern Appalachian Mountain bogs and the rare plants and animals that depend on them.
Our Mission
The conservation of our nation’s most imperiled species is at the heart of our office’s work. Working with partners, we deploy a three-pronged approached to imperiled species conservation:
- Habitat management – We work to improve habitat, which can range from identifying and eliminating sources sources of water pollution to encouraging the development of pollinator habitat.
- Population management – We support efforts to hold, propagate, and rear rare species in captivity, and stock captively-raised individuals into appropriate habitat in the wild.
- Education – We use a variety of tools, including both digital and traditional media and environmental education to provide a deeper understanding our most imperiled species and special habitats.