MORGANTON, NC (January 18, 2017)…On Saturday, February 18, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina hosts a guided hike on a conservancy-owned property, known as the Ivy Creek property, in the South Mountains of Burke County.
The hike is easy with a couple of short inclines. Participants will be able to see the impacts of the recent Chestnut Knob Fire, which burned through this section of forest in fall of 2016. The route also features views of the South Mountains and the state park.
Foothills Conservancy acquired the 377-acre Icy Creek property in July 2016. The property has high conservation value due to its adjacency to existing public lands, and its tributary streams to the Henry Fork River, an “Outstanding Resource Waters” river. The conservancy will eventually add the property to South Mountains State Park to expand and buffer the current park area, and protect significant wildlife habitats and natural communities.
The out-and-back hike is expected to take no more than two hours. Participants are asked to wear appropriate footwear and pack water and snacks or lunch.
Hikers will meet in Morganton at 10:00 a.m. and carpool to the trailhead. The hike is free to Foothills Conservancy members and $10 for non-members. RSVP is required. RSVP by Thursday, February 15 by emailing bwillardpatton@foothillsconservancy.org or calling 828-437-9930. Additional details (including the meet-up location) will be provided to those who register.
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is a nationally accredited, nonprofit regional land trust based in Morganton. The conservancy works cooperatively with landowners and public/private conservation partners to preserve and protect significant natural areas and open spaces. Focus areas include watersheds, forests and farmland across the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains and foothills in eight counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell, and Rutherford. Since 1995, Foothills Conservancy has protected more than 50,000 acres, including lands added to South Mountains, Lake James and Chimney Rock state parks; Wilson Creek, South Mountains and the Johns River state game lands; Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Information about Foothills Conservancy, including ways to support its work, can be found online at www.foothillsconservancy.org or by calling 828-437-9930.