On January 27, BRC and community leaders in Ashe County gathered at the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the official protection of Paddy Mountain. This purchase brings the total amount of land conserved by BRC in Ashe County to 7,400 acres
Read MoreThanks 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreThanks 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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