Funding received for Phase 2 of Oak Hill Park
FCNC Awarded $225,000 in Grant Funding for
Oak Hill Community Park and Forest
MORGANTON, N.C. — Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC) announces the next phase of development at Oak Hill Community Park and Forest in Morganton, NC, funded by $225,000 in grants from the Beaver Family Foundation, TSH Charitable Foundation and Duke Energy Foundation, and a direct appropriation from the State of North Carolina, thanks to Representative Hugh Blackwell.
This next phase of park infrastructure will expand the public trail system by four miles, furnish a restroom facility at the trailhead, create a sensory garden and orchard in a meadow near the parking area and advance a community agriculture program on the fertile farmland areas of the park property.
“Conservation is far more meaningful than just preserving forests, farms, rivers and streams when people can interact with the natural landscape and one another,” said Andrew Kota, executive director at FCNC. He continued, “We can actually build stronger communities and improve lives through places like Oak Hill Community Park and Forest. It is a community asset, and every investment made is for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of this region, now and for generations to come. Forest stewardship, stream restoration, public trails, community and educational events, science projects, a community agriculture program and sensory garden; the list of opportunities for positive community impact through the park is boundless.”
Park visitors will notice much activity in the upcoming months, beginning at the trailhead area where a footprint for the restroom facility will be cleared, followed by a well, plumbing and electric lines before the prefabricated facility is installed.
Agricultural activities began this spring at Oak Hill Park with crop cultivation by a local, culturally diverse farming family, and will expand over the coming years into an incubator farm that supports sustainable food production and promotes equitable access to farmland and healthy food. To support this program, grant funds will be used to drill two agricultural wells that will supply fresh water to a drip irrigation system across 40 acres of production area.
A sensory garden and orchard is an outdoor space with various plants and other elements that stimulate, heighten, and engage the senses, enticing visitors to reach out and touch, to inhale fragrances, to listen, and to actively experience the garden with all their senses. Funding from TSH Charitable Foundation will allow FCNC to design and create a unique sensory orchard with an inclusive trail that will allow everyone, regardless of their level of physical or cognitive ability, to experience the sights, sounds, textures, aromas and flavors of local agriculture. The orchard and pathway will showcase shrub and tree fruit varieties and eventually include interactive art sculptures made from natural materials and decommissioned farm implements.
Four miles of new, natural surface trails will expand the multi-use public trail system by the end of the summer. This new trail section will connect to the existing beginner trail system and form a loop through areas of the park where FCNC has implemented various land stewardship techniques, allowing users to explore one of the most established tree canopy areas in the park. The new trail will provide an intermediate-level mountain bike experience that can be enjoyed by new and experienced riders alike.
“The public response to Oak Hill Community Park & Forest has been overwhelming,” said Shane Prisby, FCNC’s trails program director. “Each time I learn how the trails have become part of someone’s daily routine, I am reminded of why FCNC’s work and efforts are so important. It has been truly wonderful watching the park blossom into the community asset that was envisioned from the start, and I am fortunate to work on the trails infrastructure which I see as the heart of public access to the property. The trails guide users through the park and are designed to highlight the various natural communities and FCNC projects throughout the landscape.”
Support Oak Hill through Summer Appeal Fundraising Match
FCNC's annual summer fundraiser appeal is underway. The conservancy has secured $55,000 of challenge match funds thanks to a few very generous supporters*. From now until August 31, every donation to support FCNC's conservation work will be matched dollar-for-dollar, with a goal of raising $110,000.
The summer appeal match is an opportunity to double the giving impact. "If you are considering a donation to Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, please donate now," says Katherine Ehrlichman, Development Director. She goes on to say "Your donation will support Oak Hill Community Park and Forest and awards us the privilege of continuing the important work we’re doing in our community to build public trails and maintain Oak Hill Community Park and Forest, offer environmental education and volunteer programs to the community, and so much more".
*Susie Hamrick-Jones and Gresham Orrison; Alex and Anne Bernhardt; Truist; Greybeard Realty; FCNC Board of Directors: Martha & Chip Whitfield; Nell & Tim Bovender; Carol & Jeff MacKinney; Susan Powers; Sally Craig; Jim Sain.
About FCNC
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is a nationally accredited regional land trust that inspires conservation in Western North Carolina by permanently protecting land and water for the benefit of people and all living things. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Foothills Conservancy has conserved more than 70,000 acres in its eight-county service area: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell and Rutherford, in three major river basins: the Broad, Catawba and Yadkin. Information about Foothills Conservancy, including ways to support its work, can be found online at www.foothillsconservancy.org or by calling 828-437-9930.
