After a year of recovery and New River clean ups, the New River Conservancy (NRC) and The Conservation Fund are donating a three-acre parcel property to Ashe County to serve as the first public access on the North Fork of the New River. Utilizing donations from across the country and North Carolina’s “Great Trails State” grant program, NRC sought out the project to help people enjoy the river and support the recreation economies impacted by Helene.
“Our goal since Helene has always been to get back on the horse and continue the fantastic growth in protection for the New River that people from across the watershed have been working on for decades. Our year has been full of clean-ups and restoration, but we wanted something to commemorate the one-year anniversary that showed, we’re not just recovering, we’re growing in the right direction, and our supporters made it happen,” said NRC Executive Director, Andrew Downs.
Todd McNeill, Chair of the Ashe County Commissioners expressed his excitement for the project: “This new access is an incredible gift to our community! It represents resilience after Helene and creates new opportunities for people here at home to enjoy the beauty of the North Fork of the New River. Ashe County is proud to accept this land and will maintain it as a public park in perpetuity, so that local families can enjoy it for generations to come.”
The project is also viewed as an important milestone in Lansing, one of the communities hit hardest by Helene, and local organizations are offering significant support to develop the facilities needed at the access park.
James Littlejohn, President of the Greater Lansing Area Development organization (GLAD) recently presented the NRC with a $10,000 donation to support the project and says: “This is a big deal for the people that live here and those that visit. GLAD is excited to help partner with NRC and help make the North Fork more accessible. It’s a big win for Lansing!”
The Conservation Fund, a national non-profit that creates nature-based solutions for vibrant communities and sustainable economies, played a significant role in getting this project across the finish line in the immediate wake of Helene.
“This New River access point is a timely reminder that conservation and economic development go hand-in-hand in Western North Carolina and Ashe County,” said Guenevere Abernathy, North Carolina state director for The Conservation Fund. “Whether you’re a paddler, an angler, or a local business owner, this new access point will give you more options for spending time outside while strengthening the local economy in Lansing and beyond.”
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein visited Lansing on Saturday, Sept. 27 to commemorate the Hurricane Helene recovery effort while celebrating the groundbreaking for a new access point on the New River’s North Fork on Deep Ford Road.
With a shovel in hand, Stein began the morning at Deep Ford Road with county commissioners and the New River Conservancy, discussing the river’s restoration after Helene. NRC officials said volunteers removed more than 78,000 pounds of trash and debris from the river in the months following the storm. The nonprofit also planted more than 36,000 trees along the river’s banks.
Stein discussed what the new access point means to the local community while reflecting on western North Carolina’s larger recovery effort.
“This is an intense day,” Stein told the group that had gathered by the riverside. “There’s a mishmash of emotions. It’s a somber day, but today is also a day of gratitude for how far you’ve come. You all inspire me and motivate my team with your passion and heart.”
“This (access point) will open the river to people who have never experienced it before,” said Stein, who emphasized the “growing connections” the ancient river forges between locals and residents kayaking and canoeing it.
(Original news reports from Ashe Post and Times, Jesse Campbell & staff)
