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Land trusts report hurricane recovery, stream-repair programs and progress on Gateway Park and Deaverview Mountain
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Summary
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and partners described post-hurricane recovery work, adopt-a-stream repairs, a Middle Swannanoa restoration study and progress toward acquiring Deaverview Mountain with federal and state matching grants.
Representatives from land trusts updated Buncombe County’s Land Conservation Advisory Board on hurricane recovery work, community stream repairs and several land‑protection and park projects, including a joint purchase plan for Deaverview Mountain.
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy staff described a newly formed recovery, resilience and planning effort focused on the River Arts District and portions of the Swannanoa River watershed. The group has launched stakeholder meetings and produced a Wildlands Engineering assessment for the “Middle Swannanoa” area near Warren Wilson.
Staff said the conservancy started an adopt‑a‑stream program in January that used grant funds and volunteer crews to repair “thousands of linear feet” of streams on private properties with hand‑tool stabilization work, live staking and matting. The program accepts web applications for sites; staff said they typically work on roughly 100–200 linear feet per site but can assess larger needs.
The conservancy reported progress on several park projects: design work for Gateway Park on Riverside Drive is to begin with Equinox, with construction hoped for next summer; a potential pocket park on Delia Road near the soccer complex is under consideration for passive recreation and restoration; and managed properties such as Karen Craig Nolan Park are in good condition following restoration work.
Michelle (Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy) updated the board on Richmond Hill frontage: the conservancy purchased a developer‑owned parcel adjacent to Richmond Hill Park and plans to hold the property for up to five years while working to annex it into the City of Asheville and transfer title for park use. She warned that the parcel sustained substantial hurricane blowdown and is currently not safe for public access.
Michelle also described Deaverview Mountain (342 acres) and said a partner purchased the land to take it off the market; SHC and Buncombe County must raise about $8 million to complete a joint purchase that would make it Buncombe County’s largest park. The county has received a Federal Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant — funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund — for more than $4 million covering roughly half the purchase price. SHC said it obtained state Land and Water Conservation Fund support for about the other half. SHC will act as a pass‑through for funding while the county purchases the property directly.
Panelists said that because federal and state grants carry administration timelines, they are managing contingency plans, including a previously submitted $1 million request to the county open‑space bond that SHC no longer needs if federal/state funds finalize. The board discussed how grant timing and the state budgeting process could delay state funding and how that interacts with federal grant deadlines.
Board members and staff agreed to continue coordinating grants, design work and community stakeholder meetings ahead of anticipated project closings and future site visits.
