0325-GCG-FoothillsConservancy_ESG25_12-18 (2) - Flipbook - Page 16
Extending the
Wilderness Gateway
State Trail
Natural Area. FCNC played a key role in securing these
public lands for the North Carolina Division of Parks
and Recreation through a multi-phase transfer from
private to state ownership.
The 22-acre tract also contains a segment of Bakers
Creek, a subwatershed of the Second Broad River and
VEIN MOUNTAIN
MCDOWELL COUNTY
22 ACRES
In June, FCNC secured a pivotal 22-acre property
along Vein Mountain Road in southern McDowell
County, an acquisition that strengthens the
permanent protection of sensitive natural habitat
and advances the development of the future
potential habitat for several uncommon and vulnerable
species identi昀椀ed by the Natural Heritage Program of
North Carolina: the four-toed salamander, bog turtle,
and mole salamander. Protecting this property helps
safeguard critical habitat corridors for these species,
which face increasing pressure from habitat loss.
Wilderness Gateway State Trail (WGST), a planned
Beyond its ecological value, the property is a vital
170-mile public trail system spanning Catawba,
piece of the WGST route. When complete, the trail
Burke, McDowell, and Rutherford counties.
will connect more than 80,000 acres of contiguous
With funding support from the NC Complete
the Trail Program, the land was acquired from
longtime conservation partner Tim Sweeney,
whose collaboration with FCNC has resulted in the
protection of tens of thousands of acres across the
conserved lands across the South Mountains, linking
Chimney Rock State Park to the city of Hickory. This
trail system will support ecotourism and outdoor
recreation in rural communities, contributing to more
diverse and sustainable local economies.
region. While relatively small in size, the new parcel
This acquisition marks an important step in
holds outsized conservation and recreation value. It
FCNC’s long-term vision: protecting ecologically
forms a strategic connector between two signi昀椀cant
rich landscapes while enhancing public recreation,
conserved landscapes: Box Creek Wilderness—owned
connection, and stewardship across Western
by Sweeney and permanently protected under a
North Carolina.
conservation easement held by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service—and the 6,000-acre Bobs Creek State
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