Effective immediately, public access is suspended to the eastern half of Franklin State Forest in Franklin and Marion Counties in Middle Tennessee.
This week, criminals claimed to have spiked areas of the forest where loggers are conducting a harvest operation.
Spiking is where a metal rod or other material is hammered into a tree trunk either near the base of a tree where a logger or firefighter might cut, or higher up where it would affect a sawmill. Contact with the spike damages saw blades, can cause flying metal and wood pieces, and make chainsaws kickback, which can result in serious injuries or death to workers or wildland firefighters. It also damages the tree.
This poses a very serious threat to the safety of forest visitors, state forest management staff, and logging crews, as well as locals employed at sawmills.
During the investigation, and until the area is determined to be safe for all visitors, the half of the forest to the east of State Highway 156 is closed to all public access, including foot traffic, horseback riding, bicycles, ATVs, and other motorized vehicles.
This partial closure will have no impact to access to state forest land to the west of State Highway 156.
You can find more information on tn.gov.