[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6428614,"mediaKeyId","5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c","parentId",5888226,"title","Eco Foresters outlines forest recovery work after Hurricane Helene, offers no-cost help to landowners","audioSeconds",1027,"startMs",1261000,"endMs",2288000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c&start=1261&end=2288","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c/thumbnail_1261000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6428614/Burke-County/North-Carolina/Eco-Foresters-outlines-forest-recovery-work-after-Hurricane-Helene-offers-no-cost-help-to-landowners","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428614-449bb2cfbfa48aed6b74465d3b483175/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157671&Signature=f0o4BLSKSWswznPd3UneSNyUV2YcMKWvWh7Zs1dRJulPnOBj9CKYOicS~39y4xDBlvR7TleuhUxIAEm1Uliacj7wzgd4nf11dnp2iy~8caZQwIrqR5kivHkRiI1J3xsWGHRoizfAQSEj~63mI4QhNdcYKJ38QQ9QjxaYvIJduDrPoIwAISOICKsfXrCthet96xnum6D~nf~QIRtX50z3UfLJvnVmmDnLZsLJoZsDX4KDhQ7jo8GCULE7KfDNnrpDXhdUSw39HZ1Rs8dawata-06RHT2svws36bzJNjMIwZ92gqm9M3wBcT11aQGo1aa2dRlg~GdKV7HgXhyJeK19Yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Burke County, NC","date","2025-10-06T18:15:18Z","article","Lang Hornthal, executive director of Eco Foresters, told the Burke County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 6 that private forests in western North Carolina suffered widespread damage during Hurricane Helene and that his nonprofit is offering assessments, crews and technical assistance to affected landowners at no charge.

“Almost 46,000 total acres were damaged in Burke County,” Hornthal said, citing the North Carolina Forest Service assessment conducted after the storm. He said preliminary estimates put timber-value losses in Burke County at “over $10,000,000.”

Hornthal said the nonprofit received funding from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina to support recovery work and that the North Carolina Forest Service is expected to roll out a block-grant program “probably the first of the year” that will compensate private landowners for a percentage of timber loss. He said the program will not fully replace lost timber value but will provide an important relief to owners who lack other options.

Eco Foresters described the main barriers landowners face as access and cost: many damaged stands sit on steep ground or lack safe access for heavy equipment. “If you can’t get to it, there’s not much you can do about it,” Hornthal said, noting that reduced access also complicates wildfire control and increases potential fire size.

The group said its available services include on-the-ground crews to buck and secure logs, chainsaw and access work, invasive species control, tree planting and stream restoration, plus professional forester consultations and planning services. Hornthal urged landowners and county officials to prioritize wildfire mitigation, noting that the region could see elevated wildfire risk for several years as downed material dries.

Commissioners pressed Hornthal on the county’s need for equipment and capacity. Hornthal said Eco Foresters does not own heavy equipment and that contracting costs for bringing equipment to a site can be high; he said he would look into potential options to coordinate resources or funding.

Hornthal closed by stressing planning and education: Eco Foresters is offering workshops on invasive plant identification and management, community wildfire protection planning, and individual property assessments to guide longer-term regeneration and stewardship decisions.

Ending: Hornthal said Eco Foresters will present more detail at the board’s regular meeting; meanwhile the group encouraged landowners to contact the organization for assessments and noted some funding streams and program timelines remain “not specified” until state guidance is released.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","October Pre-Agenda Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Eco Foresters described storm damage across Burke County, estimated timber losses, and new assistance available to private landowners, and urged planning and wildfire mitigation ahead of next fire season.","taxTitle","Burke County, North Carolina","taxId",51046,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428608,"Foothills Conservancy updates commissioners on Oak Hill Park, regional trails and hurricane-relief funding",674,305000,979000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c&start=305&end=979","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c/thumbnail_305000.jpg","/articles/6428608/Burke-County/North-Carolina/Foothills-Conservancy-updates-commissioners-on-Oak-Hill-Park-regional-trails-and-hurricane-relief-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428608-4bb5b1341c64d989425b3d7210369046/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157671&Signature=D47QzRMnfosxPWdU5~2nJYID7z5e64ZeHhFjkvgLeGlbpT~4sZr5dg8aPf807i09PIxF6uYtk4VNNfsOJCKsdlarC4ru96R6GrMFCtTNFjsqgjxmIYyHTThk~mQhA7YghX9ja4CsN9oMS8TShBk4c865x4w5KqCWYhMWnChpzVOxVKqnhoCFDY23CdMyKr6sepLQxVhsh3ZHmexHYQGfIPgiCes~ZN6ZfQn91gEiflY6WRuSobJOdkjiSqMvWz3NBv1EizjpPvgWvrZVycIVoJxPseaZx67~5EUzi~ecRHWjPoeNuybc9IOJ48NOxzAKIUId-iA1eCGVeMy4OxiEXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shane Prisby, trails program director, and Andrew Coda, executive director of Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, gave the Burke County Board of Commissioners an informational briefing on Oct. 6 about regional trail projects and local recreation investments at Oak Hill Community Park and Forest.

Prisby said Oak Hill Community Park and Forest is a community-led project covering about 656 acres and offers “over 12 miles of trails” and local agriculture programs. Coda said the park has been open about two years and estimated “somewhere in that range of about 30,000 annual visitors”.

Prisby described several projects that the conservancy is advancing in and near Burke County: the Bob Benner Memorial Trail, a mountain-bike racecourse at Catawba Meadows that the organization says will be the first Interscholastic Cycling Association racecourse in western North Carolina, and the Wilderness Gateway State Trail — a proposed multi-county corridor stretching toward Catawba County intended to accommodate adaptive bikes.

Prisby said collaborating with the National Park Service has positioned the conservancy to distribute approximately $1,000,000 in congressionally appropriated hurricane-relief funding to repair trail systems, and he said some of those funds are likely to be eligible for projects maintained by Burke County. He also said the Henry Ford River Preserve project is “fully funded” and “under contract” and expected to be built in the next year and a half.

Coda noted the conservancy’s regional footprint: he said Foothills Conservancy is celebrating its 30th anniversary and has protected more than 71,500 acres across eight counties, with roughly 25,000 acres of permanent conservation impact in Burke County.

Commissioners asked about equestrian access, adaptive-bike width and trail maintenance and emergency access; Prisby said equestrian access on specific trail segments is determined by land managers and that wider trail construction can improve maintenance and emergency response access.

Ending: The board left the presentation on the agenda so the conservancy can return with a fuller slide presentation at the Oct. 20 regular meeting.","Foothills Conservancy briefed the board on Oak Hill Community Park and Forest visitor numbers, regional trail projects including the Wilderness Gateway State Trail, and a pending $1 million NPS-distributed hurricane-relief allocation that could fund trail repairs in Burke County.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428591,"Former foster youth and county DSS worker to share foster-care story at Oct. 20 meeting",44,2276000,2320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c&start=2276&end=2320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c/thumbnail_2276000.jpg","/articles/6428591/Burke-County/North-Carolina/Former-foster-youth-and-county-DSS-worker-to-share-foster-care-story-at-Oct-20-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428591-d35aff805ac1c7b2bfbd355d586d9436/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157671&Signature=UIidzPJObcufVG7K7JFDboRsY5QH6s9Fi9vew9~njusp75sWd44maLgHOVzpaMz2MbKazU8X4DKqVvb3mysS1u7Xxdb8ohm7cfnFqFWoWL66pj2Eu4wo-D7yHDKjYF00QZ78Ovj7uUybAIxsYMlQrJRotTPa1IRZGoGZmy7td1kPIu3cYR80UXDrtslSmsQO9QFKF0piCZZDLtWJAWTQxCLaSg6-uNcJB1yOQpAveRhJx64ILG7FYR4ecIf1pwQQljuzvKd93WG1zUo6WBTjC8QefPeaVIEXqHvUaqa8m~dzVd~8UaB8vuHya89CTW11m7zm1MPrq8FIzG1CZlmp6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hope Pembry, who identified herself as a former foster youth and currently a social-work professional at Burke County Department of Social Services, spoke briefly at the Oct. 6 pre-agenda meeting to preview remarks she will deliver at the Oct. 20 regular meeting in observance of foster-care awareness activities.

“I spent a majority of my childhood in foster care, and I now work as a social work professional at Burke County DSS,” Pembry said, and said she looks forward to “sharing that story at your regular meeting coming up.”

Ending: The board acknowledged Pembry’s remarks and confirmed she will present at the Oct. 20 meeting; no formal action was taken at the Oct. 6 pre-agenda session.","Hope Pembry, a Burke County DSS social-work professional who spent much of her childhood in foster care, gave a brief preview of her personal story and said she will speak at the board’s Oct. 20 regular meeting in support of foster-care awareness.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428596,"Burke County DSS unveils new 30/60/90 onboarding and QA processes; commissioners accept report 4-0",354,3761000,4115000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c&start=3761&end=4115","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c/thumbnail_3761000.jpg","/articles/6428596/Burke-County/North-Carolina/Burke-County-DSS-unveils-new-306090-onboarding-and-QA-processes-commissioners-accept-report-4-0","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428596-54f73435edbae701d5d03da946dc7157/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157671&Signature=Is~dm8Y-KDyP7~csAlk-AeVd92LbkVHVuKx~MFBsI~Tao-UDEoL6BxaPIqaVSYGb5a1dHfsLzI5vj53fmsuJ3K4RMDRb6Z9KIfMBSo3ZydZmolOOl6lMrkilKhHoVTP45dpSF~XBP~iVyhuyESugSDRDkaSqxDBkjvAmZGd1QaFG1EeR7mt5pV8QeZFBuT2LRaX9hjea0qhYLLDof1F3yFLk6GCuxjqMc1NI8gk1CJ478B~anLvHjBMxaLrA3bCSQmcpDX1gijoIPNvqGxE8buVLzqqM8FueHtHLrt0oOq4~2cAAJJbo-2Oi~uR4ofRYfcF-uNiNbyFBtqRr0Nkepw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Corey Fisher Wellman, social services director, and Seth Derner, training and quality-assurance supervisor, briefed the commissioners on Oct. 6 about newly developed staffing, onboarding and QA processes in Burke County’s child-welfare division.

Training staff described a 30/60/90-day onboarding model that pairs new hires with field mentors and includes milestone-based goals and side-by-side field mentoring. Derner said the agency implemented Path/SEA for child-welfare intake and assessments on Aug. 11 and that supervisors will run regular case reviews to improve consistency and reduce errors.

Derner said the department is building step-by-step guides to translate state policy into consistent field practice, to make institutional knowledge more resilient to turnover and to provide better reporting for supervisors and county decision-makers. He said staff will use data to identify trends, monitor funding streams and support timely decision-making.

Commissioners voted to accept the DSS monthly operational report. A motion to accept the report was made and the board recorded a vote of 4–0 in favor.

Ending: The DSS team will continue implementing the training and QA measures and report back to commissioners; the presentation was accepted as presented.","DSS presented a new structured onboarding plan, use of the Path/NC systems, and a quality-assurance framework; the board voted unanimously (4–0) to accept the monthly operational report.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428602,"County planner schedules public hearing for rezoning near Lake James; planning board approved unanimously",121,2364000,2485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c&start=2364&end=2485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5888226-4d2b626fdb7d3bbc0bc8955bc2ac691c/thumbnail_2364000.jpg","/articles/6428602/Burke-County/North-Carolina/County-planner-schedules-public-hearing-for-rezoning-near-Lake-James-planning-board-approved-unanimously","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428602-33cd2844e8815cb38c141966b2a9e918/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157671&Signature=l~y2PImLFlHmv~3jdF5E4K328VL-Q9hAh2blsh7XR8xPSNOrquWkIvZW1F5nGgybCgxRRJe5eaxD-S2zO-vsISta~40u7WCqZJsWopdhM3XazSasMc3leYO5hrmZnwMIUBCdzaRDRlYO5DvDQYiurA2vy7dZs3354d5LSDanBD3G4U~F0kPY33ClLMydGsRSZDSNMM-lgHKNwTcLC7LZmwya3jFMn1aF1YjxLYZq-Wocp1PsC-llirUDVZqUEHIxYlvNLUlEBTCXLIwcMB1rjetc4H3WWkzrJ1e4OjeKcbSKn~zsUNcENr1K8m8TkxInZePrA6wh5qBzw~-YmDdYyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Patrick Dickinson, a county planner, told commissioners on Oct. 6 that Ricardo and Christy Guillen have applied to rezone an 11.18-acre vacant parcel (PIN 1764093110) off NC-126 between the Southpointe neighborhood and Waters Edge near Lake James. The request is to change from Residential-1 to Planned Residential Mixed Use.

Dickinson said the parcel is in Linville Township and within the Lake James critical watershed. He said the applicant recently acquired a right-of-way to the property and that any multi-unit development would require a site plan subject to Planning Board review. The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval and there were no public comments at the planner’s presentation.

Dickinson said the rezoning request aligns with the county’s comprehensive plan, Blueprint Burke, and that a public hearing will be scheduled for the Oct. 20 regular meeting. The board left the item on the agenda without objection.

Ending: The public hearing will occur at the county’s Oct. 20 regular meeting; specific development proposals and site-plan materials will be considered if and when a site plan is submitted.","A landowner application to rezone an 11.18-acre vacant parcel in Linville Township to Planned Residential Mixed Use was presented; the planning board recommended approval and a public hearing will be held at the Oct. 20 regular meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Eco Foresters outlines forest recovery work after Hurricane Helene, offers no-cost help to landowners

Foothills Conservancy updates commissioners on Oak Hill Park, regional trails and hurricane-relief funding

Former foster youth and county DSS worker to share foster-care story at Oct. 20 meeting

Burke County DSS unveils new 30/60/90 onboarding and QA processes; commissioners accept report 4-0

County planner schedules public hearing for rezoning near Lake James; planning board approved unanimously