These are 1,231,961 acres in the SAA region, with 752,654 acres on national forest land. About 435 million cubic feet of timber are harvested annually, almost equally divided between softwood and hardwood species. Half is used for sawlogs and the other half for pulpwood and composition board. Mining is significant only in southwestern Virginia. Old Growth Forest is loosely defined as forest with trees over 100 years of age, but the definition of old growth is currently being refined.
Recent surveys indicate that far more old growth acres exist.
On the Grandfather Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest, over 36,000 acres of old growth were recently identified, much of it previously undocumented. The southern Appalachian region is the headwaters of nine major rivers, and is one of the most diverse bioregions in the temperate world. The Conasauga River and the Clinch-Powell River drainages are the habitat for more species of fish than any other rivers in North America. State Natural Heritage programs indicate that there are 190 aquatic species that are endangered, threatened, or of special concern within the SAA region. Outstanding diversity in species of mussels in the Tennessee River basin is globally recognized.