On Friday, the North Carolina Supreme Court announced its decision to snatch several lawsuits from the state Court of Appeals, one of these cases being environmentalists’ appeal to stop the sale of the 79,000-acre Hofmann Forest.

The North Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to step in and hear cases before the appeals court is very rare, according to the News & Observer. 

Jim Conner, a Raleigh attorney who represents the environmentalists who are suing to stop the sale of the Hofmann Forest until the potential environmental effects have been reviewed, told the N&O he thinks the Supreme Court intercepted the Hofmann lawsuit because it recognizes the importance of the case. 

The plaintiffs appealed a decision from a Wake Superior Court judge who dismissed the lawsuit hoping to stop the sale last fall. Opponents had hoped for a decision before the sale closes, which is expected to happen within the next few weeks, the N&O reported.

Opponents of the sale argue that selling the forest could lead to irreversible environmental damage, as parts of the forest could be cleared for crops and commercial development. The forest is a critical habitat for many native species of animals including black bears.

The North Carolina Supreme court took a total of five cases from the appellate court Friday. Other cases taken include an appeal of a lower court ruling that struck down vouchers for private school tuition paid for by taxpayer dollars and Duke Energy’s appeal of a lower court ruling that ruled the company had to stop contaminating groundwater at its coal ash disposal sites, according to the N&O.