New River Conservancy’s (NRC) $2.5M acquisition of Elk Shoals Methodist Camp in 2018 protects close to three miles of the New River at Elk Shoals. Elk Shoals offers 270 acres of land that includes a swim beach, a former chapel, and hiking trails. NRC donated the property to New River State Park,(NRSP) which will open the area in phases as it is brought up to North Carolina State Park standards. The property is now the most upstream access of New River State Park, adding about 14 river miles to the 26.5 miles previously managed by the park.
New River Conservancy and New River State Park partnered with Foggy Mountain Nursery to repair riverbank erosion and restore stream vegetation at the Elk Shoals access of the New River State Park. One reason NRC was drawn to Camp Elk Shoals were the known threatened and endangered species on the property, such as plants like the Virginia Spiraea, Seep Mudalia and Spherical Bulb Nodding Moss. In the river’s waters, Spike Mussels have been found, along with species endemic to the New River, like the Kanawha Minnow and Kanawha Darters, which are found nowhere else on Earth. The restoration process is part of an ongoing effort to rewild the property.
Rewilding seeks to reinstate natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species – allowing them to shape the landscape and the habitats within. Rewilding encourages a balance between people and the rest of nature so that we thrive together.
The Elk Shoals property is about five miles east of West Jefferson, and around 12 miles south and upriver from the Wagoner Access point of New River State Park.
The New River Conservancy organization has worked every day since the early 1970’s to protect the woods, waters and wildlife of the iconic New River and its watershed. NRC is a 501©3 nonprofit. Donations are welcome and tax deductible.