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Trail Reports
Courtesy of the Middlefork Greenway
Trail Reports: Summer 2021 By CML Staff
TRAIL REPORTS
Roan Highlands Receives a Rare Gift
The Greater Roan Highlands landscape is a 60,000 acre complex of summits and ridgelines tracing the North Carolina-Tennessee border in the north and stretching southward to the outskirts of Spruce Pine, NC. The Appalachian Trail crosses a series of grassy balds along the northern peaks of the landscape. The area has drawn scientists from around the world since the 1700s when word of its botanical riches reached European explorers. The landscape supports over 1,500 native plant species making it a global hotspot for biodiversity.
Earlier this year, Asheville-based Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) signed a letter of intent to accept the donation of approximately 7,500 acres in the Roan Highlands from conservation philanthropist Tim Sweeney (CEO of Epic Games). The donation consists of dozens of separate-but-contiguous land holdings rising to 5,300 feet in elevation and straddling the border of Avery and Mitchell counties in NC. This land supports numerous threatened and endangered plant and animal species and features some of the most extraordinary scenery in the eastern U.S. The property also includes the largest American Chestnut restoration project in the country, extensive boulder fields, rich coves, old growth forests, six waterfalls, and a system of rare heath-balds.
Once the transfer is complete, SAHC will own the land and manage it as a nature preserve. SAHC staff will continue ongoing use of the land for scientific study in collaboration with the donor. “This is the largest single gift in SAHC’s history, and the largest gift of land to a land trust that I’m aware of,” said Carl Silverstein, executive director of the land trust. “These parcels include some of the most sought-after conservation acres in the eastern United States, including over 100 miles of pristine creeks and streams. We really are honored to be entrusted with the responsibility to steward this vast mountain complex,” Silverstein added.
SAHC Senior Advisor Jay Leutze is excited about the benefits the donated land will provide for surrounding communities. “I can’t wait to take local scout troops and church groups on hikes here and to invite school kids out to learn about how healthy forests clean our drinking water for free and how migratory songbirds fly between the Roan Highlands and Central America each year,” Leutze said. “This property is the back yard for a lot of people who treasure it for the clear air and scenic views it provides. In a world that is constantly changing, our commitment is to keep this place functioning as a healthy ecosystem forever.”
The Middle Fork Greenway is a Blue Ridge Conservancy project in partnership with Watauga County, the Town of Blowing Rock, the Town of Boone, and many community partners. Following the headwaters of the New River, this greenway for pedestrians and bikers will provide a beautiful preserved corridor while also serving as protection to the river it parallels.
Some sections are already finished, and fundraising and volunteer efforts will continue until all sections of this 6.5-mile greenway are complete. The Middlefork Greenway will connect with the existing Boone Greenway, creating almost 12 miles of contiguous trail.
One way that residents of our area can help with the project’s progress is by “rounding up” on their Skyline/Skybest bills. SkyChange is a customer-funded program that helps local charitable organizations throughout the SkyLine/ SkyBest service area. Customers simply round up their bill to the next whole dollar amount each month.
It’s easy to enroll in SkyChange at www.skybest.com. And this July, SkyChange will support the Middle Fork Greenway. When thousands of people contribute a small amount by rounding up on their bills, substantial funds can be raised for good causes, including helping the Middle Fork Greenway with the next section of trail construction.
Learn more about the Middlefork Greenway at middleforkgreenway.org, and stay up to date in real-time with a visit to the organization’s Facebook page @ middleforkgreenway. Learn more about the work of the Blue Ridge Conservancy at blueridgeconservancy.org.
Share the Trails: A Guide to Trail Etiquette
The DuPont State Recreational Forest, located in Brevard, NC, about a two-hour drive from the High Country, is a beautiful destination with numerous trails, waterfalls and natural resources. After seeing a record-breaking number of visitors
Roan Mountain / Photo by Tim Sweeney Ward Dam Removal / Photo courtesy of MountainTrue
in 2020, Friends of DuPont Forest saw a need to reach out to the public with some trail etiquette guidelines.
The “Share the Trails Campaign,” introduced this summer, is an outreach campaign that serves to communicate ways for all visitors to enjoy the trails. “There appears to be a lot of confusion over trail etiquette in the outdoor community,” says Sara Landry, Executive Director of Friends of DuPont Forest. “Our hope with the Share the Trails campaign is that all trail users will educate themselves so that everyone can enjoy themselves and treat each other and the Forest with respect and kindness.”
While residents and visitors here in the High Country may be busy exploring our own nearby trail systems, the information that Friends of DuPont Forest have developed provides universally sound advice on how we can better share and maintain our own local public trails and waterways.
Some important outdoor principles to keep in mind:
Pack it in/Pack it out - please don’t leave your trash on the trails. These are public lands – help protect wildlife and waterways from trash by coming prepared to take all of your trash home with you.
Keep dogs on a leash, no matter how obedient your dog may be. Wandering dogs can be stressful for wildlife (and some humans), and may damage fragile ecosystems.
Stay off the waterfalls (and don’t move the river rocks) - waterfalls are aweinspiring, but they are also dangerous. The rocks below waterfalls and throughout a stream system provide habitat to many aquatic organisms that you may or may not be able to see. Many animals rely on their “home” rocks for protection or substrate. Moving rocks in streams and pools can do harm to these animals’ and their habitats.
As part of the Friends campaign, graphics (seen here) have been created to remind hikers, bikers and equestrians to be respectful of one another. To plan a day trip to Dupont Forest in Brevard, NC, or to learn more about Friends of Dupont and how you can help protect its natural beauty, visit www.dupontforest.com.
A “River” Reopens
Aquatic animals, including fish and salamanders, love their “trails,” too! In a huge win for local aquatic wildlife, the Ward Mill Dam on the Watauga River, just a few miles from Boone, was recently removed. The first dam was constructed at the location in 1890 and improved upon over the years. The mill complex served the community for generations providing electricity, jobs, firewood and building materials. The dam had been an obstacle for local aquatic wildlife for the past 130 years. Now, native fish such as the tangerine darter and threatened salamanders like the hellbender will be reunited and benefit from a reconnected and improved cold-water aquatic habitat.
The Ward Mill Dam Removal project has been a partnership between American Rivers, Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development, MountainTrue, the Watauga County Soil and Water Conservation District and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. The dam removal was a high priority for experts and biologists and was ranked a top priority among projects by the Southeast Aquatic Resource Partnership and “tier one, priority one” by the North Carolina Aquatic Barrier Assessment Tool.
MountainTrue’s Watauga Riverkeeper, Andy Hill, is excited about the environmental benefits and the opportunity to connect this section of Watauga River to create more recreational opportunities. “We’ve greatly improved aquatic habitat and river health, and promoted safe river recreation while honoring the historical and community cultural value of the Ward Mill.”
The Ward family continues their generations-long environmental stewardship by removing this aquatic barrier; the iconic sawmill, historic buildings and complex have been preserved in partnership with the State Historic Preservation Office. For more information on this project, visit mountaintrue.org.
