BARNARDSVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Residents in the Big Ivy area are raising concerns about U.S. Forest Service plans to cut old-growth forests as part of ongoing recovery work from Tropical Storm Helene.

U.S. Forest Service officials will hold a public safety meeting from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Barnardsville Elementary School gymnasium for an update on the Helene recovery efforts.

While the Forest Service says additional roads are necessary to support Helene recovery, residents and advocacy groups argue the work can be accomplished without destroying ancient forests. Friends of Big Ivy, a local conservation group, said the agency’s plan would cut down 300-year-old trees and build two roads that largely duplicate recently constructed routes.

“New roads have already been built in Big Ivy, but now the Forest Service wants to build two more new and unnecessary roads through old-growth forests,” the group said in a social media post.

The additional roads would harm hiking trails, wetlands, rare species habitats and culturally significant sites, the group said.

Friends of Big Ivy outlined 10 reasons against constructing new roads, including threats to trout streams, endangered species such as hellbenders, invasive species, floodplain management and the destruction of linear swaths of ancient forest in a designated scenic area.

The group said the Forest Service could achieve Helene recovery goals, such as removing dead trees and restoring river habitat, by improving existing roads rather than building new ones.

The public meeting is open to residents, hikers and others concerned about protecting Big Ivy’s remaining ancient forests.