Environmental Stewardship
Rails to Trails More than 15 years ago, when the Ecusta Paper Mill closed, freight trains stopped moving on the rail line connecting Hendersonville, North Carolina, to Brevard. Local communities quickly turned their attention to a possible rails-to-trails project. This local vision is now a reality, thanks to the work of local leaders and the support of Watco and the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad. When Watco started the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad in 2014, a group of legislators approached the company about railbanking the out-of-service line. Watco committed to work with the community on a trail conversion if no business use could be found within five years. True to its word, the company gave the community an opportunity to secure the corridor as a trail for generations to come, and the Ecusta Trail will now become a reality. We are grateful to the entire team at Watco for making this dream come true for our region and for their care of the communities they serve. John Mitchell, Henderson County Manager
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