PARKING LOT NEAR CATAWBA FALLS NOW OPENRelease Date: Apr 16, 2012
Contact(s): Stevin Westcott, (828) 257-4215
OLD FORT, N.C. – The U.S. Forest Service today announced the completion of a parking area near Catawba Falls that gives visitors easy access to the
scenic waterway.
“Visitors to Catawba Falls have sought easy access to the area for years,” said John Crockett, ranger of the Grandfather District, Pisgah National Forest.
“I am pleased that we are able to provide access and parking to this popular area, so visitors will be able to enjoy its beauty for generations to come.”
Visitors can now leave their vehicles at the parking lot, located off Catawba River Road in Old Fort, N.C., and make the short walk to Catawba Falls. The
parking lot holds approximately 30 cars.
This opening will allow the public to use the area immediately, although the restroom facility will not be installed until sometime in June. The Forest Service
plans to have a grand opening at a later date.
The parking lot is constructed on a small piece of an 88-acre tract, which was acquired by the Forest Service in 2010 from the Foothills Conservancy.
Funding for the land purchase came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
HAPPY VALLEY FARM ON SCENIC BYWAY PRESERVED MORGANTON, NC - A scenic, historically-significant Yadkin River farm and site of the Old Time Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention is now permanently
preserved by an agricultural conservation easement completed by Tony and Tim Jones and Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina.
Located along one and half miles of NC Highway 268 in Caldwell County, 136 acres of the Jones Farm is protected from subdivision and development. Its
productive pastures, hay and corn fields, and annual agritourism activities including the Fiddlers Convention provide economic benefits that will continue
under the Jones' ownership and management of the farm.
“I didn't want to see the land sub-divided into riverfront mini-farms,” co-owner Tony Jones said. “Keeping it in one piece is the only way to preserve its character.”
Using federal and state farmland preservation grant funds awarded in the summer of 2010, Foothills Conservancy, a regional land trust based in Morganton,
purchased and received a permanent agricultural conservation easement agreement for $305,000 on March 21. Designated by North Carolina as a scenic
byway, Hwy 268 along the Jones Farm's protected open space beckons travelers and tourists back to the rural traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills.
The winding road and Jones Farm are cultural heritage assets in the heart of the quiet, scenic Happy Valley community.
“The Jones Farm is an important cultural landscape that is intimately connected to the events commemorated in the folk song `Tom Dula,' a local ballad that
gained international prominence when it launched the folk revival in the 1950s,” said Wayne Martin with the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. “The farm
is a key venue in the Historic Happy Valley project which presents the music, craft and work traditions of the region to residents and visitors alike.”
Each year, the Jones invite the community and the public to both the Fiddlers Convention - an event that draws hundreds - and an old-fashioned horse-drawn
plow day on the farm.
“The fiddler's convention started here because of the historical significance behind the farm and the popularity of the Laura Foster story in folk music circles,”
Jones said. “We're following that model to develop new opportunities to create economic benefit through agritourism.” Also, the proceeds of the easement
sale enabled the Jones to buy adjoining land to expand their farm to about 249 acres.
More than one and a half miles of the National Park Service's Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail corridor crosses the farm. It is the route traveled by
the Overmountain Victory Men from Abington, Virginia in 1780 to the Revolutionary War's Battle of Kings Mountain.
“The Jones have done a wonderful thing by dedicating their historic farm for permanent agricultural and forestry uses,” said Tom Kenney, Foothills Conservancy's
land protection director. “Our land trust and the Jones hope our successful project will lead to more farmland preservation along Happy Valley and the Yadkin River
by other landowners.”
The Jones Farm conservation easement along the Yadkin River and NC Hwy 268 is the conservancy's first project along Caldwell County's portion of the “Upper
Yadkin Way” Scenic Byway and results from the scenic byway plan prepared by Andrew Kota, the conservancy's protection & stewardship associate.
To fund the project with the Jones, Foothills Conservancy received grants in July 2010 from the N.C. Agricultural Development & Preservation Trust Fund (ADFP)
and from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. In the state's current biennial budget, the N.C. General Assembly
allocated $1.7 million to the state's ADFP trust fund. Most of the funds have gone to the purchase of permanent conservation easements on important farms
across North Carolina.
“Farms such as the Joneses' have been disappearing far too rapidly in North Carolina,” said N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Fortunately, the
Foothills Conservancy and other conservation groups are working hard to slow the loss of productive farmland, and I'm pleased that the ADFP trust fund can assist
their efforts.”
“Interest by farmers in preserving their farms by selling or donating conservation easements has been very high across the state,” Kenney said. “It's one important
tool to help keep farms intact and financially viable for farm families whose agricultural goods and services are critical to local, rural economies.” Each purchased
agricultural conservation agreement also involves a partial gift from the landowner representing a portion of the value of the appraised development and subdivision
rights given up on the farm.
“Unfortunately, the funds budgeted each year for purchased agreements are limited,” Kenney said.. “With annual funding levels as they are, land trusts are only
able to work with perhaps a dozen farmers in North Carolina each year. Fortunately, attractive federal and state conservation tax programs provide additional
incentives for owners who wish to consider partial or full donations of conservation agreements on their farm and working forest lands. Our region has many
significant farms, and our land trust continues to work with willing landowners to preserve the cultural and natural heritage of North Carolina farms.”
TAKING STEPS TO FORM TRAIL, GREENWAYBy Mike Conley
Old Fort could have an enhanced network of trails and greenways that would promote the town as a tourist destination and celebrate the natural beauty
and mountain heritage that exists there, according to a proposal from the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina.
The proposal for new trail concepts was presented Monday evening at the Old Fort Board of Aldermen's regular meeting. Tom Kenney, land protection
director for Foothills Conservancy, and Carol Price, director of the McDowell Tourism Development Authority, spoke to the aldermen about new trail
concepts for Old Fort and the mountains around the town.
“We looked at all these great natural lands,” said Kenney. “We tried to create new trails and connect them to existing ones.”
In his presentation, Kenney said a loop trail could be created that would start at Catawba Falls and run toward Ridgecrest and connect to Point Lookout
Trail there. The U.S. Forest Service is now working to improve and enhance the tourism potential Catawba Falls. Hopefully, a trail will be created running to
the upper part of Catawba Falls, which is difficult to reach.
“It can only get better and better in terms of tourism,” said Kenney of Catawba Falls.
Furthermore, Kenney and Price recommended that the Assault on Mount Mitchell be expanded or enhanced to draw more people to Old Fort. The Young's
Ridge Trail, also called Kitsuma Trail, offers breathtaking views of the mountains for hikers.
Furthermore, a greenway park could be developed that would run along Mill Creek from the Mountain Gateway Museum to Davidson's Fort Historic Park. To
do this, the town would have to apply for $150,000 in state grant money to pay for the feasibility study and trail design work. This is similar to what the city of
Marion did when it started work on the Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway.
One part of this proposed greenway would run between the former Old Fort Finishing plant and Interstate 40 and would involve minimal construction because
of the level terrain. It would also require little maintenance.
“That's why it is so appealing,” said Kenney.
Foothills Conservancy wants to work with willing property owners to make this new greenway become a reality.
“It helps your town become more walkable,” said Price.
The town of Old Fort would be the applicant for this $150,000 state grant. Town officials said they support the idea.
“I think it sounds exciting,” said Mayor Pro Tem Sue Gibbs.
“I think everyone's for it,” said Mayor Garland Norton.
"Conserving the Farm is the Right Thing to Do” LANDOWNERS DONATE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON SCENIC RUTHERFORD COUNTY FARM
March 1, 2012
Increasingly, landowners are considering donating conservation easements to Foothills Conservancy to permanently protect the farms and lands they love in the
Blue Ridge Mountains and foothills.
Attractive state and federal conservation tax benefits are one incentive that helps make donation possible.
Carlisle and Kathy Whitlock recently donated a conservation easement on their 76-acre Rutherford County cattle farm just east of the Hickory Nut Gorge to protect
it forever from intensive subdivision and development.
The agricultural easement project falls under Foothills Conservancy's working farm and forest lands conservation program. The easement allows the Whitlocks and
all future owners to use the land for agricultural purposes in a manner compatible with the permanent conservation of the property's natural resources. The Whitlocks
donated development and subdivision rights to Foothills Conservancy, and, as a result, are entitled to claim special federal and state conservation tax benefits.
“Conserving the farm is the right thing to do,” Mr. Whitlock said. “It's important to protect one of the most beautiful areas of the county and these spectacular views of
the Hickory Nut Gorge.”
Mrs. Whitlock agreed, saying, “My heart has always been in the mountains, and we want to help protect this land forever.”
Currently Durham residents, Mr. Whitlock and his wife plan to retire and move to their Rutherford County property full-time where they will build a home and farm the
conserved land.
A gravel road leads westward into the property from a paved public road. Within moments it is apparent why the Whitlocks chose their property. The stunning view to
the west consists of thousands of acres of protected mountain land above Lake Lure and in the Hickory Nut Gorge, including Chimney Rock State Park, Rumbling Bald
and Weed Patch Mountain. On a clear, cloudless day, it is as if one can almost touch these magnificent North Carolina mountain treasures.
Sloping gently westward, the mostly-pastured property borders the headwaters of Maple Creek and encompasses several of its tributary streams. Trees along these
Streams will protect water quality for downstream users. Forested bottomlands near Maple Creek harbor an excellent example of a unique, yet fairly common, Low
Elevation Seep natural community recognized by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. A farm conservation plan developed by the Rutherford County, USDA -
Natural Resource Conservation Service, will guide the Whitlock's ongoing agricultural stewardship of their protected farm.
Foothills Conservancy received a grant of $5,200 from Conservation Trust for North Carolina's Mountain Revolving Loan Fund Mini-Grant Program for a portion of the costs
related to the Whitlock conservation easement. The grant program provides support for direct land and easement transaction costs including options, surveys, appraisals, environmental assessments, baseline documentation reports, legal and other closing fees.
Lake James State Park opens new hiking trail at Paddy's Creek AreaMarch 2
RALEIGH - A new, 3.6-mile hiking trail has opened in the Paddy's Creek Area of Lake James State Park in Burke and McDowell counties, according to the N.C. Division of
Parks and Recreation.
The Mill's Creek Trail loop begins and ends at the parking area serving the new picnic grounds and swim beach in the Paddy's Creek Area. The addition of the Mill's Creek
Trail brings the total to six miles of hiking trails within the Paddy's Creek Area that opened in September 2010. There are currently three other trails covering 2.5 miles in that
area.
The park will offer a guided hike of Mill's Creek Trail at 10 a.m. March 10. Hikers should meet at the Paddy's Creek Area office.
Lake James State Park continues to develop recreation opportunities at the Paddy's Creek Area, created from 2,915 acres acquired in 2005 from Crescent Resources Inc. For
more information about the trail, contact the park office at 828-584-7728.
