Foothills Conservancy helps add significant new piece to Lake James State Park

A high-quality tract of land has been added to Lake James State Park, east of Asheville, NC with the help of The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina and grants from two conservation trust funds.

The property, in two parcels totaling 129 acres, features 8,900 linear feet of shoreline and a stunning view of the Linville Gorge. The Foothills Conservancy aided in negotiations for the $1.74 million acquisition funded through the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The property acquisition results in state ownership of the entire Long Arm Peninsula on the lake’s northern section. The Long Arm Peninsula and the Paddy’s Creek watershed, totaling 2,915 acres, were added to the state park in 2005 in a deal with Crescent Resources, the predecessor of Crescent Communities. The two small parcels were withheld from that agreement and had been inholdings within park boundaries.

“What a wonderful way to highlight the 100th anniversary of the State Parks with this remarkable gift,” said N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susan Kluttz. “We are grateful to the Foothills Conservancy and Crescent Communities for their generosity.”

Lake James State Park was established in 1987 and encompasses 3,644 acres on both the north and south shore of the lake. The park recorded 471,566 visitors in 2014.

Cite…

 

The following are paid links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.