The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will conduct a prescribed burn at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area in February when conditions are suitable, according to Park Superintendent Shederick Mole.
The burn will be conducted in cooperation with the N.C. Forest Service at the Vista Point access on a date to be determined. A 155-acre area will be affected from near the public entrance to the RV campsites and shoreline. The public will not be allowed to enter this area during the burn event.
Prescribed burns are used as a resource management tool by the state parks system. Some plant communities and animal species rely on periodic fire for their existence. The prescribed burn also will reduce the amount of potential wildfire fuel. The prescribed burn will help protect the park’s resources and neighboring landowners if lightning, arson or carelessness sparks a wildfire.
In order to minimize smoke and assure the fire is controlled, the low-intensity, prescribed burn will only be carried out under strictly defined weather conditions of a fire management plan. On the selected day, the burn will begin in the late morning and will likely end by mid-afternoon.
On the day when the fire is to begin, an alert will be posted on the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area page of the division’s website. For further information, call the park office at (919) 362-0586.
See what ended up on The News of Orange County's cutting room floor.
Showing posts with label parks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parks. Show all posts
Friday, February 10, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Trail improvements planned at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
Construction to improve the Summit Trail at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area in Durham County will begin Monday, Feb. 6, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
The trail and all park facilities will remain open during the construction period and available to the public, but vehicles and construction equipment may be traveling on parts of the 0.6-mile trail in backcountry areas of the park. Other trails in the state natural area will be unaffected. The project is expected to be completed in approximately two weeks.
For further information on the project, contact officials at Eno River State Park at (919) 383-1686.
The trail and all park facilities will remain open during the construction period and available to the public, but vehicles and construction equipment may be traveling on parts of the 0.6-mile trail in backcountry areas of the park. Other trails in the state natural area will be unaffected. The project is expected to be completed in approximately two weeks.
For further information on the project, contact officials at Eno River State Park at (919) 383-1686.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Record-level attendance at North Carolina State Parks continued in 2011
Visitation at North Carolina’s state parks and state recreation areas continued at a record level in 2011 with 14.25 million visits, matching the all-time record set in 2009 and posting a slight increase from 14.19 visits in 2010, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
Among 39 state parks and state recreation areas, 15 reported increases in attendance in 2011. Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Dare County reported the highest attendance at 1.32 million visits, down slightly from 1.47 million last year.
Eno River State Park, including the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area saw a 5 percent increase in attendance between 2010 and 2011 and a 54 percent change in the month of December from 2010 to 2011. Falls Lake State Recreation Area saw an 8 percent change from 2010 to 2011.
“State parks make a strong contribution to North Carolina’s tourism economy as well as to the economies of local communities in which they’re located,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. “Their continued record attendance reflects the value that North Carolinians and visitors to this state place on outdoor recreation and our natural resources. In addition, families continue to benefit from the affordable recreation and education opportunities in these special places.”
A 2008 economic study revealed that travelers spend an average of $23.56 a day to enjoy the state parks. The analysis by North Carolina State University’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management estimated the state parks system’s total annual economic impact at more than $400 million.
During the past 25 years, the state parks system has seen a dramatic 102 percent increase in visitation. In 1986, 7 million people visited state parks and state recreation areas.
Several state parks that reported higher attendance in 2011 were able to offer new amenities to visitors. A new 700-foot swim beach and picnic area at Lake James State Park opened for its first full season, and the park experienced a 70 percent jump in visitation. Improvements at other state parks contributed to increased visitation, including a renovated marina at Carolina Beach State Park, a new equestrian trail network at Medoc Mountain State Park and a number of hiking trail projects, including a volunteer-built summit trail at Elk Knob State Park.
The state parks system manages more than 215,000 acres within state parks, state recreation areas and a system of state natural areas dedicated to conservation of rare resources. Through its New Parks for a New Century initiative, six new state parks have been added to the system since 2003.
For a complete list of 2011 attendance records, see the website.
Among 39 state parks and state recreation areas, 15 reported increases in attendance in 2011. Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Dare County reported the highest attendance at 1.32 million visits, down slightly from 1.47 million last year.
Eno River State Park, including the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area saw a 5 percent increase in attendance between 2010 and 2011 and a 54 percent change in the month of December from 2010 to 2011. Falls Lake State Recreation Area saw an 8 percent change from 2010 to 2011.
“State parks make a strong contribution to North Carolina’s tourism economy as well as to the economies of local communities in which they’re located,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. “Their continued record attendance reflects the value that North Carolinians and visitors to this state place on outdoor recreation and our natural resources. In addition, families continue to benefit from the affordable recreation and education opportunities in these special places.”
A 2008 economic study revealed that travelers spend an average of $23.56 a day to enjoy the state parks. The analysis by North Carolina State University’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management estimated the state parks system’s total annual economic impact at more than $400 million.
During the past 25 years, the state parks system has seen a dramatic 102 percent increase in visitation. In 1986, 7 million people visited state parks and state recreation areas.
Several state parks that reported higher attendance in 2011 were able to offer new amenities to visitors. A new 700-foot swim beach and picnic area at Lake James State Park opened for its first full season, and the park experienced a 70 percent jump in visitation. Improvements at other state parks contributed to increased visitation, including a renovated marina at Carolina Beach State Park, a new equestrian trail network at Medoc Mountain State Park and a number of hiking trail projects, including a volunteer-built summit trail at Elk Knob State Park.
The state parks system manages more than 215,000 acres within state parks, state recreation areas and a system of state natural areas dedicated to conservation of rare resources. Through its New Parks for a New Century initiative, six new state parks have been added to the system since 2003.
For a complete list of 2011 attendance records, see the website.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Blue Ridge Parkway history now online
The history of the Blue Ridge Parkway, America's most-visited national park system site, is now online.
The new collection, "Driving Through Time: The Digital Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina," was created through a collaborative project based at the library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"Driving Through Time," available online, presents photographs, maps, news articles, oral histories and essays documenting development and construction of the parkway's North Carolina segment.
The site invites users to explore parkway history chronologically, geographically or by dozens of topics from access roads and automobiles to wildlife and workmen. An interactive maps feature layers historical maps atop current road maps and satellite images. The comparisons provide insight into the parkway's development and its impact on pre-parkway towns, farms, roads and topography.
The 469-mile parkway radically altered the landscape of 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties when it was built between 1934 and 1987, and its construction sparked intense controversy, said Anne Mitchell Whisnant, adjunct associate professor of history at UNC and the project's scholarly adviser.
Whisnant, author of the parkway history "Super-Scenic Motorway" (UNC Press, 2006) and the children's book "When the Parkway Came" (Primary Source Publishers, 2010), was often frustrated as she combed archives and historic documents and tried to translate conflicts about routing and land rights into words.
"I found myself thinking, 'If only I could see and show what and where they're talking about, it would be so much easier to explain the arguments,' " she said. "'Driving Through Time' makes the park's history visible and accessible to historians, planners, local communities, landowners and anyone who wants to know more about this American landmark."
At the heart of the project are thousands of items from three institutions that collaborated to create the site: The Wilson Special Collections Library at UNC; the Blue Ridge Parkway headquarters (a division of the National Park Service, located in Asheville); and the North Carolina State Archives.
Materials in the online collection include:
• Historic photographs showing construction of the parkway and images of communities it passed through;
• Maps depicting private land parcels purchased for the parkway, proposed alternate routes, landscape planning and the completed parkway;
• Letters and documents pertaining to the community of Little Switzerland in McDowell and Mitchell counties, which sued the parkway;
• Oral histories from parkway designers and laborers;
• Images by the late N.C. photographer Hugh Morton, depicting the parkway as it passed Grandfather Mountain, which he owned.
Eleven essays share more insight into the building of the parkway and its impact. Whisnant and her students wrote about issues including competition between the tourism and logging industries, the parkway's impact on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and selection of the parkway route.
Also included are K-12 lesson plans that faculty from the School of Education developed to help students use the site's extensive primary source materials and interpretive essays.
"Driving Through Time" was made possible by a $150,000 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services under provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, as administered by the State Library of North Carolina.
The new collection, "Driving Through Time: The Digital Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina," was created through a collaborative project based at the library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"Driving Through Time," available online, presents photographs, maps, news articles, oral histories and essays documenting development and construction of the parkway's North Carolina segment.
The site invites users to explore parkway history chronologically, geographically or by dozens of topics from access roads and automobiles to wildlife and workmen. An interactive maps feature layers historical maps atop current road maps and satellite images. The comparisons provide insight into the parkway's development and its impact on pre-parkway towns, farms, roads and topography.
The 469-mile parkway radically altered the landscape of 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties when it was built between 1934 and 1987, and its construction sparked intense controversy, said Anne Mitchell Whisnant, adjunct associate professor of history at UNC and the project's scholarly adviser.
Whisnant, author of the parkway history "Super-Scenic Motorway" (UNC Press, 2006) and the children's book "When the Parkway Came" (Primary Source Publishers, 2010), was often frustrated as she combed archives and historic documents and tried to translate conflicts about routing and land rights into words.
"I found myself thinking, 'If only I could see and show what and where they're talking about, it would be so much easier to explain the arguments,' " she said. "'Driving Through Time' makes the park's history visible and accessible to historians, planners, local communities, landowners and anyone who wants to know more about this American landmark."
At the heart of the project are thousands of items from three institutions that collaborated to create the site: The Wilson Special Collections Library at UNC; the Blue Ridge Parkway headquarters (a division of the National Park Service, located in Asheville); and the North Carolina State Archives.
Materials in the online collection include:
• Historic photographs showing construction of the parkway and images of communities it passed through;
• Maps depicting private land parcels purchased for the parkway, proposed alternate routes, landscape planning and the completed parkway;
• Letters and documents pertaining to the community of Little Switzerland in McDowell and Mitchell counties, which sued the parkway;
• Oral histories from parkway designers and laborers;
• Images by the late N.C. photographer Hugh Morton, depicting the parkway as it passed Grandfather Mountain, which he owned.
Eleven essays share more insight into the building of the parkway and its impact. Whisnant and her students wrote about issues including competition between the tourism and logging industries, the parkway's impact on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and selection of the parkway route.
Also included are K-12 lesson plans that faculty from the School of Education developed to help students use the site's extensive primary source materials and interpretive essays.
"Driving Through Time" was made possible by a $150,000 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services under provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, as administered by the State Library of North Carolina.
North Carolina expects positive effects from U.S. tourism initiatives
The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development applauded the initiatives President Barack Obama announced Thursday, Jan. 19, to boost international tourism.
“We've been actively positioning North Carolina as a preferred international travel destination for nearly 20 years,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco. “Attracting international visitors to North Carolina is very important because they tend to stay longer and spend more of their money at North Carolina businesses.”
The president’s initiatives—which include national parks promotion, increased tourist visa processing and adding Charlotte Douglas International Airport and three others to the Global Entry program—are designed to bolster employment, which is at the heart of North Carolina’s tourism marketing activity.
“Today's announcement marks a turning point for our industry and provides us with unparalleled opportunity to work toward a national travel and tourism strategy,” Lynn Minges, Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding in the N. C. Department of Commerce, said Thursday. “These efforts to make it easier for international visitors to get here will have a positive impact on North Carolina's economy because their spending supports jobs and adds to tax revenues in the state.”
According to the U.S. Travel Association, international tourism represents a significant part of North Carolina’s $17 billion tourism industry:
• International travelers spend $590 million a year in North Carolina.
• That total accounts for 7,500 jobs in the state.
• The spending generates $98 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.
Elements of the new initiative carry special resonance for North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway, which routes travelers across 250 miles of scenery in the western part of the state, is the most visited section of the U.S. National Park System, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park. Other properties in the National Park System include the Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout national seashores.
The addition of Charlotte Douglas (CLT) to the Global Entry program—created by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection—makes the airport more inviting to international travelers. The airport, which ranks seventh in the world in takeoffs and landings, has nonstop direct service from more than 30 international cities.
Coinciding with the announcement of the new national tourism initiatives, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle was sworn in as one of 32 members of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The board advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry.
“We've been actively positioning North Carolina as a preferred international travel destination for nearly 20 years,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco. “Attracting international visitors to North Carolina is very important because they tend to stay longer and spend more of their money at North Carolina businesses.”
The president’s initiatives—which include national parks promotion, increased tourist visa processing and adding Charlotte Douglas International Airport and three others to the Global Entry program—are designed to bolster employment, which is at the heart of North Carolina’s tourism marketing activity.
“Today's announcement marks a turning point for our industry and provides us with unparalleled opportunity to work toward a national travel and tourism strategy,” Lynn Minges, Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding in the N. C. Department of Commerce, said Thursday. “These efforts to make it easier for international visitors to get here will have a positive impact on North Carolina's economy because their spending supports jobs and adds to tax revenues in the state.”
According to the U.S. Travel Association, international tourism represents a significant part of North Carolina’s $17 billion tourism industry:
• International travelers spend $590 million a year in North Carolina.
• That total accounts for 7,500 jobs in the state.
• The spending generates $98 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.
Elements of the new initiative carry special resonance for North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway, which routes travelers across 250 miles of scenery in the western part of the state, is the most visited section of the U.S. National Park System, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park. Other properties in the National Park System include the Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout national seashores.
The addition of Charlotte Douglas (CLT) to the Global Entry program—created by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection—makes the airport more inviting to international travelers. The airport, which ranks seventh in the world in takeoffs and landings, has nonstop direct service from more than 30 international cities.
Coinciding with the announcement of the new national tourism initiatives, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle was sworn in as one of 32 members of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The board advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
North Carolina state parks offering First Day Hikes on Jan. 1
State parks in North Carolina are creating a new tradition for New Year’s Day by offering First Day Hikes on trails across the state, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
First Day Hikes guided by rangers and volunteers will be held at 28 state parks. All state parks and state recreation areas will be open on the holiday with cold-weather recreation opportunities as well as warm visitor centers with exhibit halls presenting cultural and natural history.
“Connecting with the outdoors brings a sense of rejuvenation that’s especially appropriate on New Year’s Day, and state parks are the perfect place for that experience,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director. “We would hope that exploring our natural areas on Jan. 1 will become a tradition for every citizen.”
Detailed information about scheduled hikes in North Carolina’s state parks can be found under “Education” on the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation website.
First Day Hikes are being promoted in North Carolina in concert with a national effort by America’s State Parks and the National Association of State Park Directors. News about hiking opportunities in all 50 states, along with tips on winter hiking, can be found on the America’s State Parks website. The effort promotes a healthy lifestyle as well as appreciation of natural resources.
“Studies have proven that getting outdoors is one good way to relax and recharge the body, mind and spirit,” said Phil McKnelly, NASPD executive director. “We hope that hiking along a trail in a state park will become part of an individual’s or family’s regular exercise routine.”
First Day Hikes guided by rangers and volunteers will be held at 28 state parks. All state parks and state recreation areas will be open on the holiday with cold-weather recreation opportunities as well as warm visitor centers with exhibit halls presenting cultural and natural history.
“Connecting with the outdoors brings a sense of rejuvenation that’s especially appropriate on New Year’s Day, and state parks are the perfect place for that experience,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director. “We would hope that exploring our natural areas on Jan. 1 will become a tradition for every citizen.”
Detailed information about scheduled hikes in North Carolina’s state parks can be found under “Education” on the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation website.
First Day Hikes are being promoted in North Carolina in concert with a national effort by America’s State Parks and the National Association of State Park Directors. News about hiking opportunities in all 50 states, along with tips on winter hiking, can be found on the America’s State Parks website. The effort promotes a healthy lifestyle as well as appreciation of natural resources.
“Studies have proven that getting outdoors is one good way to relax and recharge the body, mind and spirit,” said Phil McKnelly, NASPD executive director. “We hope that hiking along a trail in a state park will become part of an individual’s or family’s regular exercise routine.”
Pilot Mountain State Park will conduct prescribed burn
The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will conduct a prescribed burn at Pilot Mountain State Park in Surry County between mid-December and mid-January, when conditions are suitable, according to Park Superintendent Matt Windsor.
The burn will be conducted in upper elevations of the park’s mountain section. The public will not be allowed to enter this mountain section during the burn event, although the river section and corridor trail will remain open.
Prescribed burns are used as a resource management tool by the state parks system. Some plant communities and animal species rely on periodic fire for their existence. The prescribed burn will also reduce the amount of potential wildfire fuel. The prescribed burn will help protect the park’s resources and neighboring landowners if lightning, arson or carelessness sparks a wildfire.
In order to minimize smoke and assure the fire is controlled, the low-intensity, prescribed burn will only be carried out under strictly defined weather conditions of a fire management plan. On the selected day, the burn will begin in the late morning and will likely end on the same day, though smoke may be visible at high elevations in the evening.
On the day when the fire is to begin, safety signs will be posted on area roadways to alert motorists and an alert will be posted on the Pilot Mountain State Park page of the division’s website. For further information, call the park office at (336) 325-2355.
The burn will be conducted in upper elevations of the park’s mountain section. The public will not be allowed to enter this mountain section during the burn event, although the river section and corridor trail will remain open.
Prescribed burns are used as a resource management tool by the state parks system. Some plant communities and animal species rely on periodic fire for their existence. The prescribed burn will also reduce the amount of potential wildfire fuel. The prescribed burn will help protect the park’s resources and neighboring landowners if lightning, arson or carelessness sparks a wildfire.
In order to minimize smoke and assure the fire is controlled, the low-intensity, prescribed burn will only be carried out under strictly defined weather conditions of a fire management plan. On the selected day, the burn will begin in the late morning and will likely end on the same day, though smoke may be visible at high elevations in the evening.
On the day when the fire is to begin, safety signs will be posted on area roadways to alert motorists and an alert will be posted on the Pilot Mountain State Park page of the division’s website. For further information, call the park office at (336) 325-2355.
Eno River hosts New Year's Day hike
The Eno River New Year's Day hike is as traditional to the Triangle's first day of the year as black-eyed peas and resolutions.
Each year on Jan. 1 the Eno River Association sponsors a fun-filled afternoon of guided hikes, refreshments and merriment. This year we will offer two hike options, a longer 4- or 5-mile hike as well as a shorter, approximately 2-mile route.
There will be something for everyone, so come one, come all and enjoy New Year's Day at the Eno.
The New Year's Day hike starts from the Eno River State Park Headquarters (Few's Ford Access area, 6101 Cole Mill Road in Durham) at the very end of Cole Mill Road northwest of Durham.
Hot chocolate, marshmallows and popcorn will be served around the fire at the end of the hike. Celebrate with us as we walk together in the beautiful and protected trails at the Eno River State Park, a place that volunteers and conservationists have worked to help protect over the past four-and-a-half decades.
For more information visit www.enoriver.org or contact the Eno River Association at (919) 620‐9099 or email association@enoriver.org.
Each year on Jan. 1 the Eno River Association sponsors a fun-filled afternoon of guided hikes, refreshments and merriment. This year we will offer two hike options, a longer 4- or 5-mile hike as well as a shorter, approximately 2-mile route.
There will be something for everyone, so come one, come all and enjoy New Year's Day at the Eno.
The New Year's Day hike starts from the Eno River State Park Headquarters (Few's Ford Access area, 6101 Cole Mill Road in Durham) at the very end of Cole Mill Road northwest of Durham.
Hot chocolate, marshmallows and popcorn will be served around the fire at the end of the hike. Celebrate with us as we walk together in the beautiful and protected trails at the Eno River State Park, a place that volunteers and conservationists have worked to help protect over the past four-and-a-half decades.
For more information visit www.enoriver.org or contact the Eno River Association at (919) 620‐9099 or email association@enoriver.org.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Gold Park dog park closed today and tomorrow
The dog park at the Town of Hillsborough’s Gold Park will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 10 and 11, for mulch replenishment.
As a reminder, dogs are allowed off leash only inside the fenced dog park. Orange County’s leash law still applies at all town parks. Under the ordinance, dogs must be restrained when outside and must be walked with a handheld leash.
Dog walkers also are reminded to pick up after their dogs. Bags are provided at Gold Park, which includes a water fountain as well for dogs. Look for it at the bottom of the fountain near the large picnic shelter. Turnip Patch Park, located at 333 W. King St., has a similar feature on its water fountain.
Gold Park, located at 415 Dimmocks Mill Road, is open daily from 8 a.m. until 30 minutes after dusk.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sculpture tour: 'Joiners'
Karen Ives' sculpture, "Joiners," will sit at Turnip Patch Park as part of the Hillsborough Arts Council's first-ever sculpture tour, which runs through Sept. 30.
"Joiners," a wooden piece painted yellow and brown, imitates the figure and stance of an animal, drawing from Polynesian and African art. Ives said she tends to draw from organic forms as well as the sights, sounds and smells in the world around her.
For more information, see the Wednesday, May 4, edition of the News of Orange
Friday, April 22, 2011
We've come this far by faith
The Fairview community finally cut the ribbon on its new park Saturday, April 9, at a ceremony at 2 p.m. Orange County commissioners, Hillsborough town board members and folks from the community gathered together to celebrate and echo how long a journey it had been. After decades of waiting, the park finally came to fruition and includes new play equipment, a baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts and walking trails.
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