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Trail News: From the NC Mountains to the Sea
 
December 2009
 
 
Happy Holidays!
So much has happened on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail since our November newsletter. We hope you'll take a moment to read about recent accomplishments and about ways you can get involved.
 
Two Great Ways to Help the Trail
annual meeting 20081)      Attend FMST's annual meeting - Saturday, February 6 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Haw River State Park north of Greensboro. E-mail Kate Dixon for more information or to RSVP and get directions.
 
2)      Become a member or make a year-end gift. You can make donations online (or print out a membership form if you prefer to use the mail). Your donation will help make the dream of a statewide trail come true.

GREAT PROGRESS IN THE TRIANGLE

12 Miles of New Trail Funded

Raleigh and Clayton (in Johnston County just south of Raleigh) have just received federal stimulus funds to help them build a total of 12 miles of the trail. Raleigh's 8-mile section will connect directly to the 46 miles already built at Falls Lake by FMST and Triangle Greenway Council volunteers.  Clayton's section will connect up to Raleigh's planned 26-mile section (of which the funded 8 miles are the first part) within three or four years.  You can read more about these two sections in the

Raleigh News & Observer and Clayton News-Star.
 

Bridge Funded in Durham County

Meanwhile, Durham County has given its section of trail a huge boost by donating $55,000 toward construction of a 110-foot steel pedestrian bridge over Little Lick Creek.  Durham's gift will burnt out bridgebe added to the $150,000 already committed for the bridge through NC State Parks' Recreational Trails grant program. FMST volunteers have already built trail leading up to both banks of the creek, and the bridge will link the entire system of 46 miles of trail together. FMST volunteer Eric Motzno will be leading the charge to get the bridge installed.

 

New Trail to be Built in Orange County

A little further west, the Orange Water & Sewer Authority (OWASA) board just voted to allow us to build trail through their Cane Creek reservoir near Chapel Hill. FMST volunteers Jim Suiter and Shawn Williams have agreed to lead trail construction efforts at the lake.

 

New Members to Join FMST Board

FMST is welcoming three new members to its board in January.  Jim Anderson of Chapel Hill is President of Fuller Land & Development Company. Jim has already been a big help to FMST through his work fundraising and organizing a trail workday for employees at his former company, Crosland. Terry Smith, a retired documentation executive from Morehead City, has been a tireless worker on trail projects statewide and has helped spread the word about FMST in the coastal area. Don Walton who serves as "task force leader" for 140 miles of the MST through the Carolina Mountain Club in Asheville is a retired chief financial officer from Grove Park Inn.

Thanks to Jim Hallsey

We also thank Jim Hallsey, who is retiring from the board at the end of this year. Early in his career at NC State Parks, Jim served as the State Trail Coordinator. His vision of a statewide trail motivated the Secretary of NCDENR to propose the creation of the MST in 1977, and Jim has continued to promote the trail ever since.

 

Since retiring to Ashe County, Jim has led volunteers to rapidly build the MST along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we expect to dedicate this section of trail next October.  Jim's passion for the MST, wisdom about organizational development, and great knowledge about trails have been a tremendous help to FMST over the years.

 

Twenty-two Newly Certified Sawyers

 
chainsawEarlier this month, 22 FMST volunteers took a class to

be certified to operate a chainsaw on public lands. It's great to have so many new, skilled volunteers. The photos illustrate they had a good time while learning.

 
Become an MST Fan on Facebook
If you're on Facebook, join us on the FMST Fan Page. It's filled with photos and updates on activities, trail workdays, hiker news, and more.
BECOME A MEMBER OF FMST TODAY!
 
Financial donations make this trail possible. You can join MST 
online (or print and mail your membership form).
 
Your donation will leave a legacy for future generations. 
 
Thanks for your support of the trail!
 
 
Photo of 2008 annual meeting by Becka Walling. File photo of what bridge over Little Lick Creek might look like. Photo of chainsaw class by Jeff Brewer. Photos in banner by Becka Walling and Glenn Strouhal.
Contact Info
Kate Dixon
Executive Director
Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail