Family and friends gather to remember 13-year-old shot and killed in Raleigh. How she was remembered tonight

On WRAL at 11: Family and friends gather to remember 13-year-old shot and killed in Raleigh. How she was remembered tonight

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig at Raleigh science museum opens this weekend

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

All assets associated with the tag: U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Forest Service Coverage

Conservationists in North Carolina could be getting a big Christmas present from the federal government.

WAS 3.5%. THAT IS BELOW THE NATIONAL RATE OF 3.7%. >> CONSERVATIONIST IN NORTH CAROLINA COULD BE GETTING A BIG CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THERE'S A POLICY CHANGE THIS WEEK FROM THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE. THIS MEANS MORE PROTECTION FOR OLD GROWTH FORESTS IN THE NANA HALA AND PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. >> WRAL CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE TALKED ADVOCATES WHO SAY THIS IS A GIFT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS >> UNLIKE NATIONAL PARKS, WHICH ARE MANAGED FOR CONSERVATION NATIONAL FORESTS ARE MANAGED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE USDA TRIES TO BALANCE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION WITH A LOGGING NEEDS OF THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE MOST RECENT MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE NET TO HALA AND PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST DOES PROTECT SOME OLD GROWTH AREAS FROM LOGGING BUT NOT ALL SAYS ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY SAM EVANS, CONSERVATION GROUPS BATTLED THAT PLAN FOR MOST OF THE PAST DECADE. >> THERE IS A LOT OF ACTUAL EXISTING REMNANT OF GROWTH OUT THERE ON THE LANDSCAPE AND IT'S IN PLACES WHERE THE FOREST SERVICE IS EMPHASIZING TIMBER PRODUCTION. SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE MOST WORRIED ABOUT. NOW, THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE IS PROPOSING TO CHANGE ITS RULES FOR OLD GROWTH FOREST. THE CHANGE WOULD REQUIRE FOREST MANAGERS NATIONWIDE TO PROTECT THEM FROM COMMERCIAL LOGGING. >> AND THAT IS A GROUNDBREAKING CHANGE, SOMETHING THAT THE FOREST SERVICE IS NEVER DONE BEFORE. AND WE'RE AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT WILL HARLAN WITH THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SAYS OLD GROWTH FORESTS ARE HOT SPOTS FOR BIODIVERSITY. >> AND THEY ALSO STORE MUCH MORE CARBON THAN YOUNGER FOR US, TOO. >> WE HAVE LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF OUR FORESTS THAT ARE IN OLD GROWTH CONDITIONS. SO THIS IS THE LAST AND BEST AND OLDEST AND MOST PRISTINE FOREST LEFT. >> ON THE ARLEN THINKS THE NEW RULE HAS TOO MANY LOOPHOLES THAT COULD STILL ALLOW LOGGING. HE'S URGING THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE TO TIGHTEN THAT UP. THE SERVICE IS ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED RULE THROUGH FEBRUARY, 7TH. >> THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE FOREST SERVICE THAT THEY WANT TO SEE THESE OLD GROWTH FOREST COMPLETELY PROTECTED FOR FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE RULE WON'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL 2025, BUT THE FOREST SERVICE IS NOW REQUIRING ANY LOGGING PROJECTS AND OLD GROWTH FOREST TO UNDERGO FEDERAL REVIEW AFFECTED IMMEDIATELY >> LAURA LESLIE, WRAL, NEWS, RALEIGH. THE TIMBER INDUSTRY HAS SIGNALED IT INTENDS TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE RULE. CHANGE THE NORTH CAROLINA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT. >> AND IF YOU WANT TO VOICE YOUR OPINION TO THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE WILL FIND A LINK TO

NC old-growth forests get more federal protection from logging

A rule change proposed this week would require all national forest managers nationwide to manage old-growth forest to maintain its old-growth characteristics, and to protect it from commercial logging.

New rule could mean more protection for NC's old-growth forests

Pisgah National Forest

Environmental advocates have filed official notice of a pending federal lawsuit over the U.S. Forest Service's management plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests. Critics say it opens too much of the forest to logging and fails to protect dozens of endangered and threatened species that live in it. 

Environmental groups to file lawsuit over latest Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest plan

Staire Creek, Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest

Valentina Aguilar, who owned a home near the fire, said she is concerned the fire will spark again.

'My neighbor called me and said your house is on fire': Record heat sparks brush fire in Johnston County

Thrush fire near a home in Johnston County

A long-awaited land management plan for Nantahala and Pisgah national forests was released Friday by the U.S. Forest Service. Environmental groups say it's a disappointment.

Federal plan for Nantahala and Pisgah national forests greeted with criticism from environmentalists

Craggy Falls, Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest

North Carolina's Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are among the most visited in the country. The future of roughly half of the combined forests is now in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service after eight years of arguments about its highest and best use.

<p>AND THE WRAL APP ON YOUR TV OR STREAMING DEVICE. NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS AND KNOWN FOR THAT REASON. A PART OF THE ROLLING VIEWS. THESE TREES ARE PART OF THE NANA HALA AND PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST AND BETWEEN THEM. &gt;&gt; THEY COVER MORE THAN A MILLION ACRES IN 18 COUNTIES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ANNOUNCE ITS LATEST MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE FOREST. WRO CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE REPORTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF OLD GROWTH FOREST COULD BE OPEN FOR LOG. &gt;&gt; IDENTIFY AS I FEEL CALM. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT LOGGING IS ALLOWED AND NATIONAL FOREST. BUT AS PART OF THE REASON THEY WERE CREATED MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, I'M LIKE NATIONAL PARKS WHICH ARE PROTECTED UNDER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL FORESTS ARE UNDER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ONE OF THE STATUTORY PURPOSES FOR HAVING NATIONAL FOREST. THIS GOES BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING. &gt;&gt; PUBLIC PLANS AND THE IN THE U.S. IT IS FOR TIMBER HARVEST. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A PART OF NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING. SAM EVANS IS AN ATTORNEY AT THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER. ONE OF THE MANY GROUPS WHO OBJECTED TO A U.S. FOREST SERVICE PROPOSAL TO ALLOW MORE LOGGING IN THE OLD GROWTH AREAS OF THE NET. A LEFTIST OF FOREST. &gt;&gt; IT'S PART OF THE LATEST FOR US PLANT, WHICH IS A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO MANAGE IT. SO THIS &gt;&gt; BESIDES THE NEXT 3 WHERE THE LOGGING WILL OCCUR, HOW MUCH WILL OCCUR AND WHAT PLACES WILL BE PROTECTED? WILL HARLAN WITH THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SAYS NAT A LEFTIST? THE IS THE MOST POPULAR NATIONAL FOREST IN THE COUNTRY. &gt;&gt; HE SAYS HIS GROUP DOESN'T OPPOSE ALL LOGGING, BUT THE LATEST PLAN WOULD PUT 45,000 ACRES OF OLD GROWTH FOREST AT RISK, INCLUDING SOME OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY IS MOST FAMOUS VEST AS LIKE CRAGGY SCENIC OVERLOOK THOUSANDS OF MILES OF HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS ARE ATTRACTING MILLIONS OF VISITORS. &gt;&gt; WATERFALL WONDERLAND, SAND RARE SPECIES. THIS IS A GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY. HOTSPOT. SO WHEN YOU PUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THIS FOR US IS FAR MORE VALUABLE STANDING THEN CUT DOWN. HOWEVER, IT'S ALSO VALUABLE TO THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. &gt;&gt; JOHN HATCHER WITH THE NC FORESTRY ASSOCIATION SAYS IN THE PAST THE FOREST SUPPORTED LOGGING JOBS. BUT IN RECENT DECADES, NATIONAL FOREST MANAGERS HAVE ALLOWED FEWER TREES TO BE CUT. A LOT OF BUSINESSES. &gt;&gt; A LOT OF INDUSTRIES THAT GO OUT OF BUSINESS DUE TO THAT LACK OF HARVESTING THE NATIONAL FOR HATTERAS AS THE NET TO HELP HIS THE FOREST CAN EASILY SUPPORT A BALANCE OF RECREATION CONSERVATION AND TIMBER HARVESTING. &gt;&gt; HE SAYS MANAGE LOGGING CAN ALSO HELP LOWER THE RISK OF DISEASE AND CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE. THIS IS NOT A RIGHT TO SERVE. &gt;&gt; JUST HARVESTING TIMBER FOR THE SAKE OF DRIVING A CROSSING AND LATE IN THE LANDSCAPE. VERY BEST THAT FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. MAYBE IT SHOULD BE A GOOD PART OF SYSTEM. LAURA LESLIE WRAL, NEWS, RALEIGH. &gt;&gt; THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE DECLINED SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR AN INTERVIEW. THIS PLAN HAS BEEN DELAYED SEVERAL YEARS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE RECORD NUMBER OF PUBLIC OBJECTIONS TO THE DRAFT PROPOSAL. THE FINAL</p>

New federal plan could open parts of western NC forests to logging