An 87-acre former sod farm on the French Broad River in Mills River could be the site of a new floodplain restoration, similar to the nearby Mouth of Mud Creek restoration. The property was recently protected with the support of savvy private investors who are using their money for conservation. In December 2020, Conserving Carolina […]]]>An 87-acre former sod farm on the French Broad River in Mills River could be the site of a new floodplain restoration, similar to the nearby Mouth of Mud Creek restoration. The property was recently protected with the support of savvy private investors who are using their money for conservation.
In December 2020, Conserving Carolina purchased the King’s Bridge property, named for the bridge on Highway 191 over the river. The land now presents an opportunity for wetland restoration or possibly a public access boat ramp on the river.
“This property lends itself well to both things,” said David Lee, natural resources manager for Conserving Carolina.
A restoration on the site would expand the ecological comeback begun at the Mouth of Mud Creek, just 2.1 miles upstream. Last summer, Conserving Carolina completed this 103-acre restoration, which provides important habitat for the muskellunge—or muskie, our largest native fish—and many other kinds of wildlife. It was a story about this project in the Asheville newspaper that sparked interest in King’s Bridge for some private lenders, who ultimately made the land acquisition possible.
On the horizon for the Kings Bridge property is a potential transfer to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, which will ultimately decide the best path for the property. There is no design plan in place yet, but Lee says there is potential for one muskie slough, or a possible wetland restoration. The land corridor is along the official state paddle trail on the French Broad, which means any cleanup will be beneficial for paddlers.
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Hendersonville, NC-based land conservancy Conserving Carolina has reached an agreement to buy the railroad line from Hendersonville to Brevard, marking a major leap forward in plans for the 19-mile Ecusta Trail. In a move that was crucial, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday authorized a $7 million bridge loan that will make the […]]]>Hendersonville, NC-based land conservancy Conserving Carolina has reached an agreement to buy the railroad line from Hendersonville to Brevard, marking a major leap forward in plans for the 19-mile Ecusta Trail.
In a move that was crucial, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday authorized a $7 million bridge loan that will make the sale possible. Conserving Carolina had been negotiating the purchase for months with Kansas-based Watco, the railroad owner that operates shortline freight lines in Western North Carolina as Blue Ridge Southern Railroad.
“This project has been a longterm vision of this board for many years,” John Mitchell, the county’s director of business and community development said. About two years ago, the Board of Commissioners authorized a Greenway Master Plan. “This corridor is owned for the most part fee simple,” making it easier to convey. Watco signaled “a couple of years ago,” he said, that it was willing to sell the line. County officials and the Friends of the Ecusta Trail turned to Conserving Carolina as the buyer.
The announcement of the acquisition of the rail line came 15 months after the state Board of Transportation kicked off a string of good news for the Ecusta Trail. In August 2019 the North Carolina Board of Transportation awarded a $6.4 million grant toward the purchase of the rail corridor. In August of this year, the French Broad MPO awarded $5 million to support construction for the first 5¾ miles of the greenway. The Henderson County Tourism Development Authority has earmarked $500,000 from the county lodging tax to support the trail and the Transylvania County Tourism Board of Directors voted in March to set aside $100,000 for the project.
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There is now more land in DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF), including clear trout streams, rare wildflowers and important wildlife habitat. On July 1, 2020 Conserving Carolina conveyed 315 acres to the N.C. Forest Service, south of the main body of DuPont. This is the second phase of the Continental Divide Tract—a long-sought conservation priority […]]]>There is now more land in DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF), including clear trout streams, rare wildflowers and important wildlife habitat. On July 1, 2020 Conserving Carolina conveyed 315 acres to the N.C. Forest Service, south of the main body of DuPont. This is the second phase of the Continental Divide Tract—a long-sought conservation priority that provides the “missing link” between DSRF and a vast conservation corridor spanning over 100,000 acres.
Last year, Conserving Carolina added 402 acres to DSRF, in the first phase of the project. Now complete, the Continental Divide Tract includes 717 acres of new public land. The property straddles the Eastern Continental Divide, which separates the waters that flow toward the Atlantic seaboard from those that flow toward the Gulf of Mexico. The Continental Divide Tract protects pristine headwater streams, including tributaries of both the Green River and Reasonover Creek.
The Continental Divide Tract creates a link between DSRF and a vast corridor of conservation land that extends for over 100,000 acres along the North Carolina-South Carolina state line. This includes Jones Gap State Park, Caesar’s Head State Park, Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, Headwaters State Forest, Greenville Watershed, Jocassee Gorges and Gorges State Park—and, further west, Sumter and Nantahala National Forests. The tract also buffers two large protected summer camps—the 2,600 acre Green River Preserve and the 1400-acre YMCA Camp Greenville.
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Conserving Carolina invites the community to enjoy the work that conservation organizations have done over the years to preserve our area’s natural resources and to take in the beauty of the spring season. Starting Friday, March 6, 2020 the first trek will head to Green River Game Lands for a 7-mile, moderate out-and-back hike along […]]]>Conserving Carolina invites the community to enjoy the work that conservation organizations have done over the years to preserve our area’s natural resources and to take in the beauty of the spring season.
Starting Friday, March 6, 2020 the first trek will head to Green River Game Lands for a 7-mile, moderate out-and-back hike along the Green River Cove trail. This hike parallels the Green River with river views, cascades, stream crossings, and perhaps some early blooming spring wildflowers.
On Friday, March 20, the next hike will take place at Jocassee Gorges Management Area, where the group will follow the Foothills Trail along Laurel Fork Creek to the 80-foot Laurel Fork Falls. This out-and-back hike is 7.1 miles total, is of moderate difficulty, and will offer the opportunity to view Oconee Bells (Shortia galacifolia) in bloom!
On Friday, April 3, hikers head to DuPont State Forest for a 5.3-mile, moderate loop hike. Starting from the parking area off of Reasonover Road, the trail will lead hikers passed Fawn Lake, over an abandoned airstrip, to scenic Lake Julia. Then, the trail follows Reasonover Creek, offering a few potentially wet crossings.
On Saturday, April 4, Conserving Carolina partners with the Foothills Humane Society (FHS) a 5-mile, moderate out-and-back hike at Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve. Volunteer to walk a shelter dog from FHS! This is a great way to give the dogs exercise, socialization, and a break from the shelter.
On Friday, April 17, hikers will venture to Conserving Carolina’s Florence Nature Preserve for a 4.2-mile, moderate loop hike. The trail offers views of pristine creeks and cascades, scenic rock outcrops, the ruins of an old homesite, areas of old growth forest, and a short out and back to Rattlesnake Rock providing a scenic view of the Hickory Nut Gorge area.
On Friday, May 1, hikers will head to Pisgah National Forest for a 6.6-mile, moderate loop hike along Avery Creek before reaching Twin Falls, two 100-foot waterfalls that can be viewed at the same time.
There will be great opportunities for viewing spring wildflowers and listening to returning neotropical migratory songbirds.
Finally, on Friday, May 15, the group will head to the Black Mountains for a 5.6-mile, moderate lollipop hike to Higgins Bald, below Mount Mitchell. This hike will offer great views and the emergence of spring in a higher elevation. Before completing the journey, there will be a short jaunt to view Setrock Falls.
If you are interested in attending Conserving Carolina’s spring hikes and would like more information, please contact Pam Torlina at 828-697-5777, ext. 300 or e-mail [email protected]. You can also find information on Conserving Carolina’s website, www.conservingcarolina.org.
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What’s the opposite of saving land? For some people, what comes to mind is a housing development: the felled forests, bulldozers scraping over raw dirt, roads and buildings replacing trees. That seemed likely to happen at Little White Oak Mountain, in Polk County, near Columbus, NC. Not long ago, the mountain was slated for an […]]]>What’s the opposite of saving land? For some people, what comes to mind is a housing development: the felled forests, bulldozers scraping over raw dirt, roads and buildings replacing trees.
That seemed likely to happen at Little White Oak Mountain, in Polk County, near Columbus, NC. Not long ago, the mountain was slated for an upscale development of over 700 houses. Then, the recession hit, the housing market collapsed, and conservationists got another chance to protect the land.
Two land trusts that later merged to form Conserving Carolina bought 1,068 acres at Little White Oak Mountain in 2016. This spring, 900 acres of that property became public land—with 600 acres added to the Green River Game Lands and 300 acres added to a Polk County park.
These conservation lands protect mountain streams that flow into the Green River. They protect rural scenery. They expand areas for hunting, fishing, and hiking. Multi-use trails will be open for mountain biking. All of this could make Polk County more of a destination for outdoor recreation, boosting the local economy.
Kieran Roe, the executive director of Conserving Carolina, saw potential for the land to provide another community benefit, as well: affordable housing. The 1,068-acre purchase at Little White Oak Mountain included some land that wasn’t especially valuable for conservation. It’s at the foot of the mountain, along Rt. 108. Kieran reached out to another nonprofit—the Housing Assistance Corporation, based in Hendersonville—to ask if they would be interested in building affordable housing there. And they were.
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To celebrate the winter solstice – the longest night of the year – a nighttime walk to Hooker Falls will be hosted by Conserving Carolina on Saturday, December 21, 2019 in DuPont State Recreational Forest, at 7 p.m. Meet at the Hooker Falls parking lot on DuPont/Staton Road in DuPont State Recreational Forest. There is […]]]>To celebrate the winter solstice – the longest night of the year – a nighttime walk to Hooker Falls will be hosted by Conserving Carolina on Saturday, December 21, 2019 in DuPont State Recreational Forest, at 7 p.m.
Meet at the Hooker Falls parking lot on DuPont/Staton Road in DuPont State Recreational Forest. There is no charge for this event and it is open to the public.
Participants can register by emailing Pam Torlina at, [email protected], or just show up on the day of the event.
The stroll will be along a one-fourth mile trail to the base of Hooker Falls. In the dark of night we’ll create soft moonlight by shining flashlights upon the falls…creating a quiet moment to celebrate the return of the sun to the northern hemisphere.
Participants are invited to bring a thermos with a warm (non-alcoholic) drink to toast the sun’s return when arriving back at the parking lot. Bring a flashlight for use when necessary. The event will be cancelled in case of heavy rain, snow, or ice. For more information about this hike, visit Conserving Carolina’s website calendar of events.
In case of inclement weather, the website event will be updated by 12 p.m. the day of the walk if cancellation is necessary.
For your safety, do not attempt any hike beyond your ability and experience. Walkers should wear appropriate clothing and footwear and bring plenty of water. Please be sure to also bring any personal medication that you may require.
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The White Squirrel Hiking Challenge is back. You are invited to go on 8 hikes, all on lands that Conserving Carolina has helped protect. Grow your personal connection to land conservation as you experience new trails, dramatic views, famous waterfalls, and probably some places you’ve never seen before. If you complete all 8 hikes and […]]]>The White Squirrel Hiking Challenge is back. You are invited to go on 8 hikes, all on lands that Conserving Carolina has helped protect. Grow your personal connection to land conservation as you experience new trails, dramatic views, famous waterfalls, and probably some places you’ve never seen before.
If you complete all 8 hikes and you’re a Conserving Carolina member, you’ll receive an awards package including a $10 gift certificate from Mast General Store in Hendersonville, NC and an embroidered patch.
Hiking Challenge 5 features eight hikes, ranging from short strolls to strenuous treks. You can complete the hikes in any order and at your own pace. Where biking is allowed (like the Oklawaha Greenway and Weed Patch Mountain Trail), biking the trail counts.
You may have already done some of these hikes, but it’s a new experience every time. Only hikes done this October or later count toward Hiking Challenge 5.
Which hikes will you do first?
- Bearwallow Mountain
- DuPont State Recreational Forest—Waterfall Trifecta
- Florence Nature Preserve—Rattlesnake Knob
- Headwaters State Forest—Sassafrass Mountain
- Norman Wilder Forest—Drip Falls
- Oklawaha Greenway
- Weed Patch Mountain Trail—Eagle Rock and the Tunnel
- Weed Patch Mountain Trail—Grey Rock Cliff
There are more detailed instructions plus descriptions of all the hikes on the Conserving Carolina Hiking Challenge 5 page. That’s where you can go to answer FAQs, see hike descriptions and photos, and log your hikes.
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Located along the Blue Ridge Escarpment and traversing the Polk and Rutherford County lines, as the name implies, World’s Edge offers exquisite views of the surrounding mountains and Piedmont. Conserving Carolina (formerly Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy) purchased this property to save it from development in the early 2000’s. Then, the land was transferred to the […]]]>Located along the Blue Ridge Escarpment and traversing the Polk and Rutherford County lines, as the name implies, World’s Edge offers exquisite views of the surrounding mountains and Piedmont. Conserving Carolina (formerly Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy) purchased this property to save it from development in the early 2000’s. Then, the land was transferred to the state of North Carolina to be added to Chimney Rock State Park.
Following an old roadbed, the trail will lead hikers along the ridgeline, down a saddle between World’s Edge and Jude’s Gap, and into Polk County. The trail will end at the Park boundary then hikers will return the same way. There is a 948′ elevation change.
Conserving Carolina is sponsoring a Friday hiking series this fall, free, guided, and open to the public. The hikes will meet at various locations, and will leave promptly at 8:45 a.m. Hikers should plan to return to the area in the late afternoon, time varying with group size, distance of hike, and drive time. Car-pooling will be organized at the meeting locations. If you’re coming from an area closer to the trailhead, please contact Pam Torlina ([email protected]) to make other meeting arrangements.
Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear. Bring a bag lunch and/or snack and plenty of water for yourself. In case of inclement weather, call the Conserving Carolina office, ext. 300, before 8:15 a.m. on the date of the hike. Please also remember to bring any medication that you may need in the event of an emergency (ie: epinephrine, nitroglycerine, insulin, etc.).
This hike at World’s Edge will occur on Friday, October 11, 2019.
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DuPont State Recreational Forest continues to grow by leaps and bounds, with Conserving Carolina announcing an additional 402 acres added to the forest. The addition will help conserve key headwater streams along the Eastern Continental Divide and link the forest with more than 100,000 acres of existing conserved lands along the North Carolina-South Carolina border. […]]]>DuPont State Recreational Forest continues to grow by leaps and bounds, with Conserving Carolina announcing an additional 402 acres added to the forest. The addition will help conserve key headwater streams along the Eastern Continental Divide and link the forest with more than 100,000 acres of existing conserved lands along the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
In a news release, Conserving Carolina announced the new Continental Divide Property, located south of the forest in Transylvania County and extending across the Eastern Continental Divide, which separates waters that flow east toward the Atlantic and west toward the Gulf of Mexico.
“In a region blessed with an abundance of public and conserved natural lands, DuPont State Recreational Forest is already one of our greatest conservation gems,” Conserving Carolina Executive Director Kieran Roe said in the statement. “The incorporation of the Continental Divide tract will enhance it further by protecting water quality, preserving an important wildlife corridor and creating future opportunities for public recreation.”
The announcement follows on the heels of last month’s news that another 778.5 acres near Cascade Lake will be added to the forest, bringing the forest’s new total to 12,192 acres.
And according to the release, Conserving Carolina aims to purchase the remaining 314 acres of the Continental Divide tract and add it to the forest by the end of the year.
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Conserving Carolina is working on an ambitious project to completely rehabilitate the mouth of Mud Creek where it empties into the French Broad River near Fletcher, NC. The goals are to return the area to a pre-development state that provides a safe haven to musky and other fish, curbs the reach of invasive species, reduces […]]]>Conserving Carolina is working on an ambitious project to completely rehabilitate the mouth of Mud Creek where it empties into the French Broad River near Fletcher, NC.
The goals are to return the area to a pre-development state that provides a safe haven to musky and other fish, curbs the reach of invasive species, reduces pollution and helps provide a place for all that water to go when heavy rains flood the French Broad.
They’re going to work to expand the riparian buffer by planting trees and other species that would naturally be found there, creating wetland habitat, upland meadow habitat, pollinator habitat and more.
Conserving Carolina will work with federal entities to recreate an Appalachian bog habitat that has become “very scarce in the region,” and work with the state Wildlife Resources Commission to create backwater sloughs, places of slack water connected to the river that provide sanctuary to fish when spawning or in flood conditions.
Conserving Carolina has dates marked on the calendar for volunteer workdays at the project site, including one scheduled for Feb. 12 to work on removing non-native invasive species.
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