Thanks to tremendous support from local government, community businesses and private donors, Blue Ridge Conservancy recently purchased 152 acres on Paddy Mountain in Ashe County. A land preservation victory seven years in the making, the purchase protects the viewshed of West Jefferson from development in perpetuity. Part of the ecologically rich Amphibolite Mountains, this tract adjoins 445 acres of protected land managed by the NC Plant Conservation Program. The Paddy Mountain purchase is part of BRC’s strategic conservation plan, and future plans for the land include hiking trails and a potential trailhead for the Northern Peaks Trail.

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The 321 Trailhead (Section 4, Phase 1) on the Middle Fork Greenway will be opening soon and two more phases of this section are in progress. The trailhead includes 27 parking spaces, benches, a picnic area, bike racks, two bridges, river access, and a large rain garden to capture stormwater runoff.

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Thanks to a generous donation of land, Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) will soon open 8.5 acres of river access along the Watauga River in Valle Crucis, NC. MaryAnn Mueller and Diana Travis gifted 6 acres, and the Tennessee Valley Authority and Watauga Tourism Development Association funded the purchase of the other 2.5 acres. This land, located just past the N.C. 194 bridge, will have a public parking area and create easier access to the Watauga River Paddle Trail.

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The newly signed North Carolina state budget includes funding for several Blue Ridge Conservancy projects as part of the $300 million allocation for conservation and outdoor recreation. The bipartisan budget, signed into law by Gov. Cooper on November 18, includes $500,000 for the Middle Fork Greenway and $150,000 for the Watauga River Paddle Trail. Also in the budget is $50,000 for a Natural Heritage Program study of the Northern Peaks Trail corridor, which will help map the trail with minimal impact on rare plants and animals.

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