High Country briefs: Parkway plates will fund Cone Park project

Money from Blue Ridge Parkway license plates will help the  national scenic highway blossom.

Money raised though the sale of the specialty license plates will be used for a $10,000 restoration project around the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park near Blowing Rock. It’s the first expenditure from revenues generated through the sale of the license plates. The money will be used to clear trees that have competed with and inhibited the growth of a large stand of ornamental hydrangeas that were once a prominent part of the estate’s gardens.

Blowing Rock residents Lowell and Ineke Thomas have helped spearhead a volunteer effort to restore the hydrangeas, which are located around Bass Lake. There are about 600 of the ornamental bushes left, though there were probably 1,500 at the height of the Cones’ tenure during the 1930s.

The funds for the license plate are collected by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, a private fund-raising organization that supports various park projects. The foundation also contributed money from its general endowment fund toward the restoration effort.

According to the foundation, the hydrangea garden was planted in the early 1900’s. About 200 specimens are planted along the carriage trail at the lake, but the growth of competing trees have blocked sunlight and prevented the bushes from blooming. The $10,000 will pay for extended employment of seasonal maintenance staff so the trees can be cleared.

Over 8,000 of the Blue Ridge Parkway license plates have been sold. The green, yellow and blue tag is an official state tag and features the slogan “Share The Journey.” The tag costs an additional $30 over the cost of a regular state license plate. Of the fee, $20 goes tot he foundation and $10 supports other state roadside enhancement projects like the wildflower-planting program.

Houck Medford, director of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, said it was important to have a highly visible and local project for the first expenditure of tag money. “It was critical for us to do the first project in the High Country where there’s the greatest level of support, and at a parkway icon that everyone recognizes, which is the Moses Cone Estate,” he said.

The park service submits project proposals to the foundation based on need. “We only make awards for projects which have lasting value and enhance the quality of the visitor experience,” Medford said.

The foundation also raises money from personal contributions, endowment funds, an on-site store, and grants.

The tags can be ordered through the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles or through the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. For more information, visit www.brpfoundation.org.

—Scott Nicholson, staff writer

Fall blows in more forest fires

The N.C. Forest Service reported two forest fires in Watauga County within the last week, bringing the fall fire season to a dangerous start.

Forest ranger Edwin Greene responded to a fire on Shawnee Road in the Matney community Sunday night, around midnight. Greene issued a court citation to Jay Fleming of Twin Pines in Matney for allowing the fire to escape.

Three-tenths of an acre was burned.

The following Monday, Greene responded to another blaze, this time on Tater Hill Road around 4 p.m. A debris burn beside a house had gotten out of hand.

“They went back in the house and didn’t even know it was burning till we got there,” Greene said.

Greene issued a court citation to Toney Gwin of Clint Norris Road, who he said started the debris fire when cleaning the house. An acre was burned.

“These are the first ones that we’ve had,” Greene said, though he’s not surprised. “But it’s been real dry. Nobody likes to have a court citation, but if they can’t learn, you’ve got to do something.”

According to forest ranger Rudy Johnson, the fall fire season typically lasts from October through December, depending on the weather.

The parties cited Sunday and Monday did not need burning permits, as they were burning after 4 p.m. Johnson acknowledged that, as a general rule, burning is safer at this time, due to lower wind speed and higher humidity. However, one must still exercise proper precaution.

Johnson recommends clearing the area around the fire before burning to ensure there is nothing nearby that could potentially serve as a fuel. Having tools, such as a water hose, shovel and rake, on hand is also a necessity, and Johnson suggests thoroughly soaking the area around the fire first.

Another necessity is staying with the fire while it burns, to ensure it does not escape. Once through, one must also ensure the fire is fully extinguished. Johnson said coals and embers can burn unnoticed for up to three days.

For more information, call the local N.C. Forest Service office at 265-5375.

—Frank Ruggiero, staff writer