When we think of rainforests in the United States, we generally think of Hawaii or Puerto Rico. However temperate rainforest cover much more of the country than tropical, stretching through the Pacific Northwest in California, Oregon, and Washington. The country’s much-less known temperate rainforest sits in the Appalachians, reaching through areas like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Filmmaker and YouTuber Aidin Robbins visited this area, exploring the deep ecology and history found in the region.
The Appalachian Rainforest
The Appalachian rainforest, a rare temperate rainforest in the eastern United States, boasts incredible biodiversity with over 20,000 species, including unique mosses, ferns, and trees. Heavy rainfall, cool summers, and mild winters define this ecosystem. Unlike tropical rainforests, it features spruce-fir and cove forests. Ancient glaciers shaped peaks like Mount Mitchell and Clingmans Dome, creating biological islands where species evolved in isolation, resembling Canadian landscapes.
Dense terrain initially blocked colonial expansion, preserving the forest as a refuge for indigenous groups like the Cherokee and wildlife such as black bears. In the 19th century, settlers, using Cherokee trails, mapped and exploited the region through logging and mining. By the 1930s, industrial logging destroyed most old-growth forests, leaving only scattered remnants. Activists, including George Masa, pushed for conservation, establishing Mount Mitchell as a state park in 1915 and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. The park’s creation displaced over 700 families, erasing much of their history, though cemeteries endure as quiet markers.
Today, black bear populations thrive, growing from 600 to nearly 2,000 since 1970. The Cherokee’s ancient trails, now roads and park paths, connect the region to its past. This rainforest, shaped by nature and human activity, reflects resilience and beauty. Its story intertwines cultural heritage, environmental recovery, and the enduring presence of those who loved and shaped this land.
