Closing the Gap on the Uwharrie National Recreational Trail
The Uwharrie National Recreational Trail in central North Carolina is a popular route running north from Montgomery County to the Birkhead Mountains Wilderness Area. While 75 percent of this 40-mile trail lies within Uwharrie National Forest; the rest is on private property.
Using money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and working with the Land Trust for Central North Carolina and the North Carolina Zoo, the U.S. Forest Service has eliminated one of the four gaps in the trail. The owners of the other parcels are willing to sell, so now it is up to Congress to appropriate additional LWCF funds to finish the job.
This area is home to some of the state’s most pristine streams, several rare mussel species, and the Schweinitz’s sunflower, an endangered species found only in the Piedmont region. The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to provide $500,000 in the coming year, and the Senate is now debating the matter.
On this and our other goals in the region, we are stepping up efforts to engage students at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
For More Information
- Frank Peterman, Director, Southeast Regional Office, The Wilderness Society, 404-272-9453
