Sept. 13, 2026
Bracken Preserve’s more than 430 acres of nearby natural playground has been formally added to the Old-Growth Forest Network, a national charitable network that touts itself as a protector of “old-growth, native forests where people of all generations can experience biodiversity and the beauty of nature.”
With this inclusion, Bracken Preserve becomes one of only two North Carolina locations to be recognized by the OFGN since 2011. A total of 60 forests across the country have been recognized by OGFN as focal points in their community because of their easily accessible greenspaces where people can gather and recreate.
“Brevard is a gateway to Western North Carolina’s incredible forests and outdoor recreation opportunities,” OGFN Southeast Regional Manager Ciera Wilbur said in a news release. “It is clear that the community in Brevard cares deeply for Bracken Preserve and that the preserve is a representation of the community’s passion for the outdoors. OGFN is proud to recognize Bracken Preserve as a Community Forest that brings people and nature together.”
The organization’s goal is to ensure the preservation and recognition of at least one forest in every forested county in the United States and to create a roadmap of family-friendly hikes that showcase the beauty and diversity of the nation’s oldest and most precious forests.
The designation was celebrated by members of Brevard’s Planning Board and City Council, as well as cycling advocates Pisgah Area SORBA and regional land trust nonprofit Conserving Carolina, Friday at a private dedication ceremony that celebrated the history and ecology of Bracken Preserve before those assembled hiked the newly added Mac Morrow Trail within the preserve.
Bracken Preserve is adjacent to Pisgah National Forest and its trails connect to Forest Service Road 475-C, which provides access to the Fish Hatchery and the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. The property’s forests are estimated to be around a century old with a mix of oak-pine, mixed upland hardwood, and cove forest types with species ranging from maple, birch, and hemlock to red, black, scarlet oak, pitch and table mountain pine.
The City of Brevard has owned the property due west of downtown for over a century, but it was not opened to the public until July 2012. Local leadership was able to fund the establishment of a permanent conservation easement on the Bracken Mountain property in 2005 through a $1.04 million grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
The City of Brevard purchased an additional 34 acres adjacent to Bracken Preserve west of downtown Brevard in 2023 with the help of Conserving Carolina, the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority, and private donors. The property’s natural footprint was expaned to now include more than seven miles of trails within the preserve for hiking and access for mountain biking.
A full list and map of OGFN forests can be viewed at www.oldgrowthforest.net/network-forests.