Even though spring is a month away, any warm ray of winter sunshine will get people out and about in the woods and streams, skipping stones and kicking up rocks.
But the U.S. Forest Service in Asheville is advising visitors to enjoy the river resources, just leave them as you find them – especially the rocks.
Rocks aren’t in rivers just for looking pretty or providing a step bridge across the stream for humans, they serve as vital habitat for many aquatic species, most notably the ancient and odd-looking hellbender salamander.
The largest salamander in North America, it can grow to 2 feet long. But the hellbender is on the North Carolina list of endangered species and the federal list of species of concern, said Lorie Stroup, fisheries biologist on the Pisgah National Forest.
“We want people to enjoy the rivers, but we want them to leave it as they found it. It’s one thing to skip a stone with your child,” Stroup said. “It’s another thing when you’re starting to move hundreds of rocks to build a dam or build some kind of chute to get a tube down.”
As we inch closer to spring, that’s what starts happening, she said, and why the Forest Service is getting ready to install more signs that say: “Don’t Move the Rocks! Moving rocks will destroy the homes of many important fish, insects and salamanders.”
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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Good article, Thanks!