Bladen Lakes State Forest

Bladen Lakes State Forest ( BLSF ) is about 13,300 hectares, the largest national forest in North Carolina.

It is located near Elizabethtown and is managed by the State Forestry Administration of North Carolina ( NC Forest Service ). The forest has three geographically separate areas and is divided into eight divisions. Beige superimposed on the forest of the " Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest " (training forest ), the Jones Lake State Park and State Park Singletary are all protected areas, which also include the state of North Carolina.

BLSF is a so-called working forest, that is, it must itself generate his income and is not financially supported by the state. The income consists of the annual logging, the sale of pine straw and sale of charcoal. In addition, the forest receives income through hunting income. BLSF has many special landforms, such as the " Carolina Bays ". These are egg-shaped indentations in the landscape, which form part of lakes. They are covered with moisture -loving plants and nearly impenetrable. Dry dune chains are another special part of the landscape that can be found particularly in the southeast of the Bay. Furthermore, there are BLSF river valleys, swamps and marshes.

BLSF office

Production of charcoal

Young pines stock to be harvested in the needles.

Old cemetery on the dune system

Logging

Controlled Burn

Cypress swamp in the area of BLSF