Marielle DeJong of The Pisgah Conservancy on the Future of Pisgah National Forest

There's more people than ever that are not just enjoying Pisgah because, of course, visitation continues to rise.

But more people want volunteer opportunities and are paying attention to different ways to get involved.

You know, whether it's getting the TPC license plate or it's going out for a trail day or picking up litter as they see it.

You know, people are participating and that's a wonderful thing.

Today on the Blue Ridge podcast.

Our guest is Marielle DeYoung, Donor Engagement Officer for the Pisgah Conservancy, the only nonprofit organization that is solely dedicated to supporting the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest.

I'm your host, John Page.

Let's begin.

Pisgah National Forest is one of Western North Carolina's most treasured public lands.

Millions of people come here each year to hike, camp, fish, climb, bike, and chase waterfalls.

But maintaining a forest this large and keeping it healthy is a massive undertaking that requires far more than the U.S. Forest Service can do alone.

That's where the Pisgah Conservancy comes in.

Founded in 2015, the organization helps plan, fund, and carry out projects that protect and improve the forest for future generations.

A Brevard native, Marielle has spent much of her career helping people connect with and care for public lands.

After serving as Chief Operating and Development Officer for Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, she joined the Pisgah Conservancy in 2024 as its Donor Engagement Officer.

In this episode, Marielle explains how the Pisgah Conservancy works alongside the U.S. Forest Service to care for one of the country's busiest public lands.

We discuss a years-long restoration of graveyard fields, including the construction of a new access trail, and explore some of the biggest challenges facing the region, from invasive species removal to habitat restoration.

She also shares ways people can get involved, reflects on Hurricane Helene's impact, and offers reasons for optimism about the future of Pisgah National Forest.

It seemed only fitting to record this conversation in Pisgah National Forest, so we met along a trail at Graveyard Fields in mid-June.

Marielle was a Moorhead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

To start the conversation, I asked her what drew her back to Western North Carolina after college.