- Last summer I spent a few days in Transylvania County and one of the highlights of my trip was a visit to the Cradle of Forestry.

This is the Cradle of Forestry historic site in Pisgah National Forest.

And you can learn all about the roots of forestry right here.

And it's pretty neat when you consider there's a school on site that dates back to 1898.

Inside there's a discovery zone with all kinds of hands-on exhibits.

Let's go explore.

- Forestry is a profession that is the art and science of managing air forest lands for all the goods and services that they can provide to mankind on a sustainable basis.

- Robert, tell me about this building on site here.

- This historic structure, it's actually a replica of the very first school of forestry in America.

Most people are well aware that North Carolina is first applied, but fewer people realize that North Carolina is also the birthplace of the profession of forestry in the United States.

In 1892, George Vanderbilt hired the very first trained American forester.

There were only two in the country at the time, his name was Gifford Pinchot.

He came here and wrote and implemented the very first scientific forest management plant ever anywhere in this country.

But he left it for three years and was destined to play a much greater role in forestry.

And that's when Vanderbilt replaced him with Dr.

Carl Schenck, a German forester who came here in 1895.

Pinchot and Dr.

Schenck really started the probation of forestry.

- [Deborah] Tell us about some of the activities that visitors can enjoy outside and inside the Cradle of Forestry.

- First of all, we have an exhibit hall that has a movie theater and gift shops and educational rooms.

And then we have three and a half miles of paved trail.

We're standing on the Biltmore Campus Trail, which has seven historical structures throughout, including the the school house.

But the two things that kids really enjoy here is that in the exhibit hall there's a helicopter that they can climb into and by pressing a button they can see what it is like to fly over a wildfire.

The second greatest attraction we have here again for children and adults alike is that we have a locomotive on display.

It's a climax engine that was constructed in 1914 and was used here in Western North Carolina.

- [Deborah] What's the mission of the Cradle of Forestry Historic Site?

- The mission is obviously to preserve and commemorate the birthplace of the profession of forestry in America.

That's what makes us unique.

And then second of all, we want to promote the profession of forestry in general and what it means to this nation.

[soft music] - The Cradle of Forestry is at 11250 Pisgah highway in Pisgah Forest.

And it's open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The museum closes in the winter but reopens in early spring.

For more information, give them a call at [828] 877-3130 or go online to gofindoutdoors.org.