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RESOURCES

Staff
Erica Anderson
Director of Economic and Community Development

Greenways Initiatives


Over the years, Land of Sky Regional Council has provided assistance to local governments with planning, organizing and fundraising for greenways and parks.  We have experience in grant sources and writing grants, identifying and bringing together stakeholders and producing general plans for greenways and greenways systems.  We also have organized workshops and a regional greenways conference (Blue Ridge Greenways Conference, 2005) to build local capacity for greenways projects.

Currently we are assisting with the planning of a couple regional greenways projects.  If you are interested in planning/technical assistance or in becoming involved in local or regional greenways efforts, please contact Linda Giltz

Regional Trails and Open Space Plan
French Broad/Pigeon River Watersheds

The North Carolina State Trails Program has been working with multiple-county regions across the state to develop regional trail systems that will interconnect in a comprehensive statewide trail network. Land of Sky Regional Council partnered with the State Trails Program to develop a regional trail plans for the French Broad/Pigeon River watershed. The plan covers the five-county area that includes Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties in western North Carolina. It was completed in February 2008.

This regional plan should help communities in the region work together on greenways and open space plans and plan for and make connections between communities. It will help strengthen local planning efforts and enhance funding opportunities.

The map contains existing trails, open spaces and bicycle routes and proposed local and regional trails. The plan identified these high priority regional connections/trails:

  • Along the French Broad River, from its start in Transylvania County to the Tennessee line, with walking/biking and boating trails – providing connections between cities, towns, Pisgah National Forest, the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway and the State sponsored Mountains-to-Sea Trail;
  • Connections between DuPont State Forest, Hendersonville, Brevard and Pisgah National Forest;
  • Along the Swannanoa River, connecting Black Mountain, Swannanoa and Asheville, and extending over to Old Fort in McDowell County; and
  • Connections between Canton, Clyde, Waynesville and Maggie Valley, and to the greenways in these towns.

You may view the plan and map online. Copies of the printed plan brochure are available at Land of Sky Regional Council. Contact Linda Giltz for copies or more information.

Related Plans and Resources: