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This 2,000-acre swath on Backbone Mountain includes a core oldgrowth forest and at 3,200 feet is Maryland’s highest point. The area is home to black bear, bobcat and wild turkeys. The forest’s enormous trees often have large cavities perfect for black bear denning. Twenty rare, threatened and endangered plant and animals can be found in Crabtree Creek such as the Allegheny Woodrat and the Wild Bleeding Heart. With this extraordinary wildlife, mountain vistas and spectacular forests, Crabtree Creek welcomes remote recreationists for superb hunting, hiking and bird watching.

In order to prevent Crabtree Creek from going the way of previous old -growth forests along the East Coast, being aware of the potential threats is important. Commercial logging is not currently taking place near the old -growth forest, but could since no formal protections are in place to prevent this action. Also, coalmining has occurred on adjoining private lands, and a limestone quarry has been attempted on a private in-holding of the State Forest that needs protection.

Along with the mining, illegal offroad vehicle (ORV) use has been threatening the old-growth forest. Crabtree Creek is penetrated by a fire access road and illegal vehicles often go around the gates and use it. These threats combined with the potential for industrial wind energy development on the state forest along the ridgecrest of Backbone Mountain could fragment the surrounding buffer area of habitat and endanger the qualities of this rare Eastern old growth forest.

Sierra Club advocates protecting these ancient forests as a stateprotected wild land— a Maryland state equivalent of Wilderness Areas— thus preventing activities that would leave lasting human imprints. In addition, we’re asking the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to prohibit future logging of these remaining old-growth forests and their surroundings.

For more information please contact Dan Boone at ddanboone@yahoo.com or Bob DeGroot at bobdegroot@comcast.