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CTNC’s AmeriCorps Program Wraps Up Its Inaugural Year

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Last year CTNC became the host organization for a new AmeriCorps Program, a 10-month national service program in environmental education and outreach. Our 14 AmeriCorps members wrapped up their work with a closing celebration on January 28 and a day of service the next day.

Our AmeriCorps program offers a life-changing opportunity to serve one’s community and engage people from all walks of life. In addition, there is a living stipend, health insurance, childcare assistance and professional development opportunities. Participants who complete the program can receive an education award of $5,730.

Over the past ten months, the 14 members immersed themselves into the communities where they worked and developed service projects that helped remove barriers to environmental education across North Carolina.  From building a giant inflatable whale and teaching students about the growing problem of marine debris, leading education and community outreach efforts in the Durham neighborhoods around the Ellerbe Creek Watershed, launching a new outreach program focused on monarch butterfly conservation and designing experiential education programs to engage the local community on the N.C. coast, all of the members have made a difference in people’s lives.

Together, they educated over 20,000 individuals and engaged in 3,000 outdoor public service volunteers. Plus, they created lifelong friendships, gained invaluable nonprofit experience, and answered the call of leadership in their communities. These values they will carry with them throughout their lives.

“One of my proudest moments is witnessing the personal and professional growth of the fourteen service members from start to finish,” said Nick DiColandrea, CTNC’s AmeriCorps director. “For the last ten months, these young leaders invested their passion and lives into service by protecting land and water, and educating and connecting North Carolina citizens to the outdoor places we love. “

As the first-year members of our AmeriCorps program move on to their next endeavors, we are already welcoming our second class of 18 members and getting them ready to serve their communities and become future leaders in conservation. The 2016 service year started on February 1 and ends on November 30, 2016.

Two Properties Totaling 75 Acres Protected on Saddle Mountain

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We recently purchased two forested properties totaling 75 acres on the slopes of Saddle Mountain in Alleghany and Surry counties.  To expand public recreation opportunities, CTNC intends to convey the properties to the state for inclusion in the Saddle Mountain portion of the Mitchell River Game Lands managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

The two properties contain portions of Mill Creek, rated as a trout stream and “High Quality Waters” by the NC Department of Environmental Quality.  The protection of these properties will help preserve unpolluted tributaries and portions of the main stem of Mill Creek in the headwaters of the Fisher River, the drinking water supply for the town of Dobson.  Further downstream, the Yadkin River provides drinking water for millions of residents in the North Carolina Piedmont, including Winston-Salem.

The Saddle Mountain properties are located approximately ¼-mile off the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 222 in Ennice.  The properties are visible from sections of the Parkway near Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook, north of Saddle Mountain.

CTNC purchased the properties on December 23 with generous support from Fred and Alice Stanback, the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, The Cannon Foundation, and the Tom and Elaine Wright Family Foundation.

In 2005, CTNC purchased 251 acres on Saddle Mountain and conveyed it to the state, enabling expansion of the Mitchell River Game Lands to include the vast majority of the iconic Saddle Mountain.  The project contributes to an ongoing, collaborative conservation initiative with Piedmont Land Conservancy (based in Greensboro, www.piedmontland.org) and the state that has resulted in the protection of 510 acres on Saddle Mountain since 2005.  Hunting is permitted on the state-owned portion of Saddle Mountain.  In addition, a Stanback Hiking Trail was completed there in 2014, offering hikers the opportunity to enjoy expansive views of the Piedmont to the east and the Blue Ridge mountains to the west from the top of Saddle Mountain.  The trail is accessible from Saddle Mountain Church Road.

$361,655 Awarded to Local Land Trusts in 2015

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Every day local land trusts across North Carolina protect water quality, fresh local foods, healthy communities, scenic vistas, and outdoor recreation through land conservation. These projects are bolstered by the support of landowners, private donors, federal, state and local governments, and foundations. Even then, the costs of completing the deals and stewarding properties over the long term can add up. That’s why the Conservation Trust for North Carolina has created three grant programs to help NC land trusts cover the necessary “transaction costs” involved with protecting a property: surveys, appraisals, environmental assessments, baseline documentation reports, legal fees, closing costs, and staff time, as well as future monitoring, stewardship, and legal defense expenses.

Our Mountain Revolving Loan Fund grant program supports conservation projects in the mountains. The Piedmont-Coast grants program supports conservation projects in the Piedmont, Sandhills and coastal regions. The Farmland Forever Fund helps pay for transaction costs incurred when working farms are conserved, regardless of region.

In 2015, CTNC awarded 28 grants totaling $361,655 to 12 local land trusts. The grants supported 14 land acquisitions and 14 conservation easements that will permanently protect 1,306 acres in the mountains, 334 acres in the Piedmont and coast, and 844 acres of farmland.

We awarded a grant to Catawba Lands Conservancy to support their Pumpkin Creek Preserve along the Rocky River in Stanly County.  This project will protect water quality and provide public access to the river via a blueway launch site along the Carolina Thread Trail.

We also awarded Piedmont Land Conservancy a grant for their Ingram project, which adjoins Pilot Mountain State Park in Surry County. Protecting this property will provide a much-needed access point to the park from the north, connecting residents from the Town of Pilot Mountain, and will benefit water quality in Pilot Creek.

Another grant was awarded to Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy (CMLC) for their Bresnahan project in Transylvania County. This one-acre project had an enormous impact on conservation of rare habitat in western NC, as it was the linchpin in helping the US Fish and Wildlife Service secure a $750,000 grant, while also protecting a parcel that contains habitat for green salamanders. Peg and Dan Bresnahan’s gift to CMLC and the availability and flexibility of the Conservation Trust’s grant program enabled the USFWS to secure a sizable grant that will permanently protect the endangered mountain sweet pitcher plant and other mountain bog species on nearby properties.

CTNC is proud to help local land trusts complete these projects that provide access to clean water, local foods and the outdoors, support local economies, and protect the unique places we love in North Carolina.

Federal Budget Deal Supplies Two Huge Conservation Victories

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The giant compromise spending plan and tax policies that President Obama signed into law on December 18 include two key victories that will result in more natural lands being protected in the coming years.

The budget deal makes PERMANENT a set of enhanced federal tax deductions for landowners who donate a lasting conservation agreement on their land. These agreements protect clean water, family farms, and wildlife habitat by preventing development on the properties. Congress had been extending the enhanced deductions most years on an annual basis, but now that the incentives are permanent, landowners will have more certainty as they plan how to conserve their family lands. Conservation organizations across the country have been pushing for this tax law change for a decade. The result will be safer drinking water, cleaner air, more fresh local foods, and more open space!

In addition, the bill restores the Land and Water Conservation Fund for three years and increases its funding level from $306 million to $450 million. Congress had allowed this incredibly successful 50-year program to expire this fall, but the spending bill brings it back to life. The LWCF has helped fund creation and protection of hundreds of federal, state, and local parks and wildlife areas all across the country. The Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are just two of the North Carolina treasures that have received LWCF funding to acquire high priority lands. The increased funding will mean more parks, trails, and wildlife refuges in all 50 states!

While we would have preferred a permanent reinstatement for LWCF, the three-year authorization gives us (and you) time to educate our congressional delegation about why it’s essential to restore the program long-term.  A key point is that LWCF has never been a hit to the budget – the funding comes from royalties from offshore oil and gas exploration. Senator Richard Burr has been the Senate champion on this issue, and we thank him for his dogged persistence in resuscitating the program.

Meet all of our AmeriCorps Project GEOS Members!

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We’re lucky to have a great group of AmeriCorps members working throughout the state to connect more people to the outdoors and environmental education. Our AmeriCorps Project GEOS (Growing Environmental Opportunities through Service) is thriving because these folks are so dedicated to public service. Their ten-month term of service continues until late January, and then a new team will begin February 1. Here’s a quick look at each of our talented AmeriCorps members.

Megan Berthiaume – Community Garden and Wellness Program Coordinator
Alliance Medical Ministry
http://www.alliancemedicalministry.org/staff/

Born and raised in Maine, Megan moved to North Carolina in 2014. After graduating from the University of Maine with a Degree in Nutrition she served one year as an AmeriCorps VISTA at a Community Farm in Massachusetts. She is now working at a non-profit medical clinic in Raleigh where she oversees a community garden and the clinic’s wellness programs. This position helps to improve the community’s health by providing exposure to agriculture in an urban setting where there is limited access to fresh, local, and organic produce. After completing her term of service she hopes to work with community or corporate wellness programs in order to improve the health of individuals in the community.


Cynelsa Broderick – Education and Outreach Coordinator
NC State University Sustainability Office
http://sustainability.ncsu.edu/about/university-sustainability-office

Cynelsa is serving in NC State’s Sustainability Office, where her role involves bridging sustainability and diversity initiatives on campus. She’s excited to be providing environmental education and connecting resources to underserved populations. A graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Environmental Engineering and a passion for the arts, she is interested in creatively working with communities and showing the importance of not only taking care of one another but of our environment as well.


Kalysha Clark – Stormwater Smart Outreach Coordinator
Piedmont Triad Regional Council
www.ptrc.org

Kaly Clark grew up in Lexington, NC, the Barbecue Capital of the World. She attended North Carolina State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a minor in Nonprofit Studies. She is the Stormwater SMART Outreach Coordinator at Piedmont Triad Regional Council. Following the culmination of her AmeriCorps term, Kaly will be returning to NC State where she will pursue her Masters of Science in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. In her free time, she volunteers with her high school marching band and is learning German. In the future, she hopes to focus on wildlife conservation research and continue to educate people about coexisting with the natural world.


Erin Crouse – Community Partnership AmeriCorps Member
The Conservation Fund
www.conservationfund.org

Erin Crouse serves as the Community Partnership AmeriCorps member at The Conservation Fund, as part of a collaboration between The Conservation Fund, Conservation Trust for NC, and the NC Community Development Initiative to develop pilot projects around shared conservation and community economic development goals. Erin was born and raised in Western North Carolina, and even though growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains instilled an appreciation in her for the natural world, she did not consider conservation as a career path until she was an undergraduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill, and spent her summers working as a camp counselor. She is currently finishing up a Master’s degree in Natural Resources at NC State University and has a strong research interest in citizen engagement in land-use planning processes. Outside of school and AmeriCorps service, she serves as chair of the Chapel Hill Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Commission.


Danielle Frank – AmeriCorps Member
Marine Quest (at UNC Wilmington)
http://uncw.edu/marinequest/marinequeststaff.html

Danielle grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina playing in streams and rivers.  Yearly family vacations to different coasts led to her curiosity about the ocean and all of the living creatures it contains. Danielle has two degrees from UNCW – a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and a Master of Science in Environmental Studies, concentrating in Marine and Coastal Education as well as Coastal Management. She has years of experience teaching students of all ages both inside and outside of the classroom. After spending one summer with MarineQuest, she decided to serve as an AmeriCorps Member as MarineQuest’s Program Coordinator. Danielle has helped enrich the underserved communities of southeastern North Carolina during her service term. In her free time, Danielle can be found kayaking, enjoying the outdoors, reading, or spending quality time with friends and family.


Katia Griffin-Jakymec – Education and Outreach Assistant
Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/apnep/staff

Katia Griffin-Jakymec serves as Education & Outreach Assistant for the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership. She is a recent graduate of Duke University, where she studied International Comparative Studies and Documentary Studies, with experience in video production, audio documentary, and writing. She is eager to share the wonders and importance of the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system with new and underserved communities throughout the watershed and the public at large.


Amanda Miller – Community Engagement Specialist
NC Coastal Federation
http://www.nccoast.org/about-us/americorps-2/

In 2013, Amanda obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Zoology with Youth Ministry and Chemistry minors from Olivet Nazarene University. Before joining AmeriCorps she interned with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Red wolf caretaker. She has found a home on the Outer Banks volunteering with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, NEST, and playing guitar in the worship band at Wanchese Assembly of God. Her current goal is to educate others on conservation to make life-changing events through one person at a time. She believes that her service with N.C. Coastal Federation through AmeriCorps will help her reach many people to bring life-changing benefits for our great coast.


Zachary Lee – Community Engagement Specialist
NC Coastal Federation
http://www.nccoast.org/about-us/americorps-2/

Zach is originally from Spotsylvania, Virginia and grew up vacationing throughout coastal North Carolina. In 2014 he moved to Carolina Beach, and in 2015 he became a member of AmeriCorps. His service is a 10-month commitment hosted by N.C. Coastal Federation’s southeast office in Wrightsville Beach where he is designing experiential education programs to engage the local community. He is an avid surfer, traveler, and lifelong learner.


Melissa Keeney – Outreach and Education Coordinator
Durham Public Schools Hub Farm
www.thehubfarm.org

Melissa left her hometown in Maryland to study Environmental Technology & Management at NC State University in 2009 and has been working towards making communities around the Triangle more sustainable ever since. Her true passion lies with the local food movement and she’s ecstatic to have the opportunity to serve with student groups at the Durham Hub Farm. In addition to teaching students about local food production and environmental stewardship, she has been conducting community outreach to recruit volunteers and develop partnerships, scheduling student and volunteer groups, coordinating monthly workdays, creating monthly newsletters, and assisting in developing a core curriculum for the farm. Melissa is an artist and musician on the side and is excited to be showcasing her work around Durham this year!


Sam Stokes – Fire Safety Program Coordinator
Wake County Soil & Water Conservation District
http://www.wakegov.com/swcd/Pages/default.aspx

Originally from Birmingham AL, Sam is working with the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District to start a dry hydrant installation program, increasing fire safety and reducing insurance premiums for farmers. Sam most recently conducted prescribed burns and Longleaf Pine restoration with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and coordinated a film fellowship program with the Southern Environmental Law Center. Sam graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Mathematics and Economics.


Alicia Vasto  – Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator
LandTrust for Central North Carolina
http://www.landtrustcnc.org

During her service, Alicia is focusing on community outreach by developing the “Nature Inspires” Art Contest in Salisbury, and leading a Summer Paddle Series on various streams in The LandTrust’s 10-county region. She is also heading a park project in Star. Alicia returns to The LandTrust after previously interning with the organization during the summer of 2012 and completing her master’s project for The LandTrust, which was a management plan for its largest simple fee-owned property. Alicia received a B.S in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Environmental Management degree from Duke University. She is an avid explorer of America’s national parks and forests, and in her spare time enjoys reading and yoga.


Erin Victor – Environmental Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator
Keep Durham Beautiful
http://keepdurhambeautiful.org/

A Michigan native, Erin Victor is serving as the Environmental Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator at Keep Durham Beautiful. Erin recently completed her M.S. in Conservation Ecology at the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) at the University of Michigan and has a B.A. in Health Sciences with a concentration in Environmental Sciences from Kalamazoo College. Her thesis research looked at the influence of livestock grazing on vertebrate diversity in Naxos, Greece. Prior to graduate school, Erin worked on a human-elephant conflict project in Ruaha National Park in Tanzania with Wildlife Connections. Erin is passionate about environmental conservation and environmental education.


Rebecca Walling – Education Outreach Coordinator
Balsam Mountain Trust
http://www.bmtrust.org/

Becka Walling is the Education Outreach Coordinator for Balsam Mountain Trust. Her role is to expand education outreach in the community. She is working with the Adopt-A-School program in Jackson and Haywood County elementary classrooms, in addition to starting a new outreach program focused on monarch butterfly conservation and citizen science. Becka is an experienced field biologist, environmental educator, and outdoorswoman. She is passionate about working with all living things (but especially the maligned ones: invertebrates and fungi), and sharing her love of the outdoors with others. Becka holds a B.A. in Biology from Carleton College in Minnesota and an M.S. in Forest Ecology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. 


Seth Williams- Education and Outreach Coordinator
Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association
http://www.ellerbecreek.org

Seth Williams came all the way from Washington state to join the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. Seth is helping ECWA pursue its goal of further involving the community in its programs and activities as well as helping develop their Environmental Education program. Seth recently finished a three-year Peace Corps service in the small West African nation of The Gambia. During his service, Seth supported small impoverished communities through environmental education, technical support, and other forms of community outreach.

Pristine Water and Land Protected Along Blue Ridge Parkway in Alleghany County

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We just purchased a 31-acre property along the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 228.9 in Alleghany County.

Conservation of the property ensures that views from the Parkway will remain forested and undeveloped. The two creeks on the property that drain into Little Glade Creek will continue to provide excellent water quality between the creek’s source on Bullhead Mountain and historic Little Glade Mill Pond a mile downstream.

CTNC identified this property as a high priority in its Blue Ridge Parkway conservation plan due to its proximity to the Parkway, importance to water quality in Little Glade Creek, and healthy wildlife habitat.

CTNC plans to donate the Little Glade Creek property to the National Park Service for inclusion in the Parkway’s official boundary.  The donation will likely occur in 2016 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

“Blue Ridge Parkway travelers will be able to enjoy views of this forested property forever,” said CTNC land protection director Rusty Painter.  “Pristine waters flowing in Little Glade Creek will be preserved as well,” he added.

The Conservation Trust for North Carolina has now conserved 57 properties on the Blue Ridge Parkway, totaling 32,465 acres.  Other land trusts that conserve land in Alleghany County include the Blue Ridge Conservancy, based in Boone (http://blueridgeconservancy.org/), and the New River Conservancy, based in West Jefferson (http://newriverconservancy.org/).  The Blue Ridge Conservancy protected 102 acres around Little Glade Mill Pond in 2004, and Parkway visitors can hike a 0.3-mile loop trail around the peaceful pond or picnic on its banks.

CTNC Grants Help Land Trusts Conserve Ten Properties

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In August CTNC awarded ten grants totaling $168,808 to eight land trusts to pay for transaction costs involved with conserving land. The grants will help protect water and wildlife habitat on 891 acres and will leverage $3.7 million. Grants cover surveys, appraisals, environmental assessments, baseline documentation reports, legal fees, closing costs, and staff time, as well as future monitoring, stewardship, and legal defense expenses.

Funded projects include a 210-acre property in Jackson County with excellent water quality, significant wildlife habitat, and scenic views.  When the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust completes the project, it will be a critical piece of protected land connecting the Nantahala National Forest to the Tuckasegee River Corridor.

Piedmont Land Conservancy received a grant to conserve 66 acres in Yadkin County.  The landowner works closely with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to maintain a diversity of wildlife habitats on the property including forestland, meadows, and ephemeral pools for migrating waterfowl.

The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust was awarded a grant to help acquire 24 acres of barrier island habitat and coastal wetlands on Ocracoke Island in Hyde County.  The property is one of the largest remaining parcels in private ownership on Ocracoke Island and will be permanently protected Trust to provide important bird habitat, a buffer of conservation lands around Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and public access and education through an interpretive nature trail and boardwalk.

So far this year CTNC has awarded over $249,000 to land trusts across the state to help with land protection transaction costs.

Conservation Trust for North Carolina Earns Continued National Accreditation

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LTAC_seal_greenThe Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) has achieved renewed land trust accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance.

CTNC was awarded renewed accreditation this August and is one of 317 land trusts from across the country that are now accredited. Accredited land trusts are authorized to display a seal indicating to the public that they meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust and ensure that conservation efforts are permanent. The seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation.

“The Conservation Trust for North Carolina is one of the first land trusts to achieve renewed accreditation, a significant achievement and  major milestone for the accreditation program. CTNC is an important member of the accredited land trust community that protects more than three quarters of the 20,645,165 acres currently owned or protected by a conservation easement held by a land trust,” said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. “Accreditation renewal, which must be completed every five years, provides the public with an assurance that accredited land trusts continue to meet exceedingly high standards for quality.”

Each land trust that achieved renewed accreditation submitted extensive documentation and underwent a rigorous review. “Through accreditation renewal, land trusts are part of an important evaluation and improvement process that verifies their operations continue to be effective, strategic and in accordance with strict requirements,” said Van Ryn.

“We are proud to receive national re-accreditation and we look forward to continuing our work with willing landowners and local land trusts to save more of the places people love across North Carolina,” said Reid Wilson, CTNC Executive Director.

The Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s mission is to conserve land to provide safe drinking water, clean air, fresh local foods, and recreational opportunities for all North Carolina families to enjoy, for generations to come.  CTNC accomplishes its mission through three major initiatives: assisting 23 local land trusts, connecting people to nature, and protecting land along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  CTNC is one of fourteen local land trusts in North Carolina that have been accredited.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., awards the accreditation seal to community institutions that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Commission is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts from around the country. See a complete list of all recently accredited land trusts online at http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/land-trust-locator. More information on the accreditation program is available on the Commission’s website, www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

 Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the place people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,200 member land trusts supported by more than 5 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operated several regional offices. More information about the Alliance is available at www.landtrustalliance.org.

Historic Blowing Rock Trail Restored and Dedicated to Much-beloved Kirby Brown

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On August 22, 2015, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) and U.S. Forest Service held a dedication and ribbon cutting for the historic – and recently restored – Upper Thunderhole/China Creek Trail in Blowing Rock. The trail was dedicated to Kirby Brown, a beloved, longtime Blowing Rock homeowner and passionate conservation advocate.

“Kirby Brown was the first person to invite us into her home to talk with her friends and neighbors about CTNC and our efforts to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway back in 1998,” said Margaret Newbold, CTNC Associate Director. “And since Kirby knows everyone in Blowing Rock our story spread quickly! We owe our success in the area to Kirby Brown.”

More than 60 people came out to celebrate and dedicate this historic U.S Forest Service trail to Brown, a lifelong hiker, birder, and explorer of natural places across the globe. “She loves her Blue Ridge Mountains and wants the wilds, the streams, and the views to be there for all of us and the next generations. She was truly honored today,” said Juliana Henderson, Kirby’s daughter.

Kirby’s love for the mountains and Blowing Rock, as well as her fervent belief that young people should be connected to the outdoors, inspired the Conservation Trust to place an NC Youth Conservation Corps (NCYCC) crew on the trail this summer to restore it for public use. For seven weeks the NCYCC crew cleared the trail, installed water bars, switchbacks, and rock steps, making the trail more accessible and safer for families to enjoy. The crew also built a kiosk with information about the trail and Kirby Brown. The crew included Brittany Watkins from Lenoir, NC.

According to the Blowing Rock Historical Society, the Upper Thunderhole Trail was built in the 1920s by the (now demolished) Mayview Manor Hotel to enable guests to access pristine China Creek and Thunderhole Creek for hiking, hunting, and fishing. The trail passes through both Pisgah National Forest and National Park Service land, including a 192-acre parcel along China Creek that the Conservation Trust saved from development in 2001 and is now part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The China Creek/Thunderhole area contains some of the last remaining old growth forest in the East, with trees over 300 years old.

John Wilson, a CTNC board member whose family owns The Blowing Rock attraction, said, “This spectacular trail adds a tremendous, new outdoor recreation opportunity for visitors to Blowing Rock and the High Country. There is no better person to dedicate it to than Kirby, who has been such an inspiration to so many who love and work to protect these mountains.”

The Upper Thunderhole trailhead is across Laurel Lane from the Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve at 1500 Laurel Lane. From the trailhead, the trail descends over 1,000 vertical feet in just under two miles en route to China Creek. The trail then extends approximately 1.5 miles downstream along China Creek over more even terrain to Forest Service Road 4071. Upper Thunderhole hikers also have the option to hike upstream on China Creek to Moses Cone Memorial Park and the Sandy Flat rest area on U.S. 221.

An unidentified hiker on the refurbished trail was heard to exclaim, “This is the best thing to happen in Blowing Rock in 30 years!”

Financial support for this NCYCC crew came from the U.S. Forest Service and numerous individual donors who contributed in Kirby Brown’s honor.

The NCYCC, a partnership between the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, is a comprehensive youth development program that uses the natural world as a platform for teaching environmental stewardship, job and leadership skills, community service and personal responsibility.  Four crews deployed around the state in the summer of 2015.  Each crew had six to eight crew members between the ages of 16 and 24, and one to two highly trained crew leaders. The crews worked seven hours a day, five days a week, for seven weeks, and were paid minimum wage.  Each day also included a one-hour educational program focused on conservation and social topics.  The crews lived together at campsites near their respective work projects.

NC Youth Conservation Corps Completes Trail & Recreational Projects

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The North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps (NCYCC) just finished up its summer session August 9, completing high priority conservation and community service projects that will enhance North Carolina’s protected lands and create more recreation opportunities for North Carolina families.  The NCYCC deployed four crews of 16 to 24 year-olds from across the state.  Each crew consisted of six to eight youth working with one to two highly trained crew leaders. The crews started work on June 21 and camped the entire seven weeks.

One NCYCC crew restored a U.S. Forest Service trail near Blowing Rock.  A second crew completed a variety of projects for the National Park Service along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Price Lake.  A third crew worked on trail construction and facility improvements for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Falls Lake and Jordan Lake, trail work and invasive plant removal for the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association in Durham, and launched a new public park at Shiloh Landing (near Tarboro and Princeville) for Edgecombe County.  The fourth crew built a new boardwalk at Lake Waccamaw State Park, worked in two Wake County parks, and made improvements to a Mecklenburg County nature preserve owned by the Catawba Lands Conservancy.

The crews’ work included the following specifics:  

Thunderhole/China Creek Trail – Watauga and Caldwell Counties

  • 5 miles of trail construction and maintenance and completion of a new kiosk at the trailhead

Blue Ridge Parkway between Mileposts 260 and 305 – Watauga, Caldwell, and Avery Counties

  • Trail maintenance on the Boone Fork Trail, Green Knob Trail, Rough Ridge Trail, and Tanawha Trail
  • Removal and construction of historic fencing at the Julian Price Picnic Area, Moses Cone Manor, and Sims Creek Overlook

Falls Lake Visitor Assistance Center – Wake County

  • Construction of wildlife viewing blind and features for a nature play area

Jordan Lake – Chatham County

  • 2.7 miles of trail construction and maintenance

Shiloh Landing – Edgecombe County

  • Construction of one mile of new trail, five benches, and two picnic tables

Beaver Marsh Nature Preserve – Durham County

  • Trail construction and maintenance that included four new boardwalk sections and invasive plant removal

Lake Waccamaw State Park – Columbus County

  • 150 feet of new boardwalk construction

Seven Oaks Nature Preserve – Mecklenburg County

  • 50 acres of invasive plant removal, trash pick-up, habitat restoration, and trail maintenance

Harris Lake County Park – Wake County

  • Construction of 60 feet of new boardwalk for the park’s disc golf course

Lake Crabtree County Park – Wake County

  • Construction of a new building to house the park’s historic hand dug well for public viewing and invasive plant removal

“The crews did excellent work, often amid challenging conditions, to improve, restore, and preserve our natural areas for greater public enjoyment,” said Jan Pender, NCYCC Director.  “In the process, they gained job and life skills, learned personal responsibility, strengthened their appreciation for the outdoors, and gave back to their communities.”

“The North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps assisted the Blue Ridge Parkway in important trail and resource protection work in highly used areas,” said Matt Henderson, National Park Service District Facility Manager. “The youth’s work will also help enhance the visitor experience in the North Carolina high country for both locals and the traveling public who enjoy the Parkway’s trails, picnic areas, and scenic views.”

“After working with the North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps, not only did I learn a great deal about the people in my crew, but I learned a lot about myself,” said NCYCC crew member Blake Barnette.  “I also learned what an impact such a small group can make on the environment.  It’s definitely something I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life.”

The NCYCC crews were sponsored by: Conservation Trust for North Carolina; Vermont Youth Conservation Corps; Woodson Family Foundation; Fred and Alice Stanback; Bill and Nancy Stanback; U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Blue Ridgeway Parkway Foundation; Kulynych Family Foundation; BB&T; Cape Fear Resource, Conservation & Development, Inc.; Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space; Pepsi Bottling Ventures; Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation; North Carolina Electric Membership Cooperatives; Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association; Columbia Sportswear; Great Outdoor Provision Company; 84 Lumber; New Generation Leaders of Edgecombe County; National Park Service; Catawba Lands Conservancy; North Carolina State Parks; and many generous individual donors!  Thank you so much!

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