This Land, Your Land

Repairs and renovations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District's Lock and Dam #1 on the Cape Fear River will require the area's boat launch and picnic area to close tomorrow until the project is completed, the Corps says.

The first part of the project, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will repair a 40-foot-deep scour hole from almost 100 years of water pouring over the low-head dam.

The Corps will host a visitor day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 10 to show off the project, which will be visible from the overlook at the old lockmaster's house.

Boaters traveling up or down the river can still get through the locks by booking at least 48 hours in advance. To book a lockage, call Lockmaster Phil Edge at 910-483-7746 or Ranger Tom Charles at 910-874-0883. Canoe portage may be available – call well in advance to inquire.

An alternative boat launch is available at Elwell's Ferry, operated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, about six miles upstream of Lock and Dam #1 on Route 87.

Authorities are looking for people who know about the death of a nesting female loggerhead turtle that was hit and killed by an vehicle on the beach at Ocracoke Island last Friday night. The National Park Service says it's the first time a nesting sea turtle has been killed by an ORV at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

(Note: there's a photo of the dead turtle at the first link above. It's not pretty.)

The turtle had crawled out of the ocean and attempted to lay a nest between Ramps 70 and 72. The turtle was hit by an off-road vehicle and dragged approximately 12 feet, causing fatal injuries.

The vehicle that struck and killed the turtle is likely to have been a four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle or pick-up truck, the Park Service says.

Vehicles are prohibited on the beach from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. during turtle nesting season. Loggerhead turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

If you know anything about this incident, call the Dare Community Crime Line at 252-473-3111.

The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy is under contract to buy an 8,000-acre tract in Transylvania County that it eventually wants to sell to the state, in order to allow public access, Blue Ridge Now reported earlier this month.

The Conservancy will pay the family of former U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor $33 million, 40 to 50 percent less than the appraised value of the land.

It is one of the largest single tracts of private land in Western North Carolina, and is described as pristine and mostly level with large open meadows and numerous water features. The endangered green salamander can be found on the land.

"The forested tract, home to native brook trout, extensive timber resources, rare bogs and stunning waterfalls (see below) encompasses most of the pristine headwaters and main stem of the East Fork of the French Broad River," the Conservancy says in a news release.

"One of the significant features of the tract is Sassafras Mountain," Blue Ridge Now says. "The conserved tract occupies the northern end of the mountain, which is the highest point in South Carolina. It is bordered by the Jocassee Gorges Management Area, Greenville Watershed and the Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve in South Carolina."

A section of the 80-mile Foothills Trail also runs through the tract.

Conservancy Executive Director Kieran Roe said the tract would most likely fall under the authority of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and become a game land.

"The acquisition ... will open up over 50 miles of streams teeming with rainbow, brown, and the elusive Southern Appalachian-strain of brook trout, the region’s only native trout," the news release says.

The Conservancy is "seeking private funding sources to purchase the property and has submitted a $5.4 million application to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Roe, however, understands that getting money from the state could be challenging," Blue Ridge Now says.

This is not usually a commentary blog; we're trying just to update folks on what's going on in parks, forests and other public recreation land in North Carolina.

But one thing we advocate on the main Carolina Outdoors Guide site and elsewhere is do not screw around at the top of waterfalls. It's way too easy to lose your footing and wind up dead. It happens every summer.

On June 7, a 28-year-old Asheville woman wading in the pool above Rainbow Falls in the Pisgah Forest was swept over the 125-foot falls and killed. Two friends hiking with her saw her slip, and pulled her body from the river below the falls, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"The Rainbow Falls death is the second at a Western North Carolina waterfall in less than two weeks," the newspaper said.

"A Wake County man died at Elk River Falls in Avery County on May 29. The following day, a man and woman were injured in an accident at Upper Whitewater Falls near Cashiers in Jackson County."

The National Forest Service recently announced its plan to increase or establish fees at several day-use sites in each of the four National Forests in North Carolina.

"Public input is welcomed, and will be evaluated by a regional advisory board this fall before any changes are approved by the Regional Forester," news releases from the Forest Service say. "Fee changes are being considered due to the increasing costs of operating and maintaining recreation facilities, and to enable the Forest Service to add amenities requested by forest visitors at various recreation sites."

In addition to individual day-use areas, the Forest Service is proposing a change in the cost of seasonal passes for OHV trail complexes in all national forests within North Carolina.

News releases for the individual forests (below) detail the amount of the fee increases. Approved changes would go into effect for the 2011 recreation season.

The site in the Croatan National Forest being considered for a fee increase is Black Swamp OHV Trail Complex.

Sites in the Nantahala National Forest being considered for fee increases include Wayehutta OHV Trail Complex, Dirty John Shooting Range, Panthertop Shooting Range and Jackrabbit Recreation Area (swimming beach). New fees are being proposed at Moss Knob Shooting Range and Wine Spring Horse Camp.

Sites in the Pisgah National Forest being considered for fee increases are Brown Mountain OHV Trail Complex, Sliding Rock Recreation Area and Roan Mountain Recreation Area. A new restroom is being installed at Wolf Ford Recreation Area, with a new fee being proposed there.

Sites in the Uwharrie National Forest being considered for fee increases include Badin Lake OHV Trail Complex and Canebrake Horse Camp. Some trails at Badin Lake OHV Trail Complex are being improved with Recovery Act funds, but will still have significant and recurring maintenance needs.

Comments should be mailed by July 30 to USDA Forest Service, National Forests in North Carolina, ATTN: Recreation Fee Proposals, 160A Zillicoa Street, Asheville NC 28801, or e-mailed to comments-southern-north-carolina@fs.fed.us with “Recreation Fees” in the subject line.

Several organizations have combined to offer a reward of up to $10,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the deaths of two radio-collared red wolves that were found in Hyde County in April.

The red wolves, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, were found dead on April 23 near Englehard in the eastern part of Hyde County and on April 27 near Scranton in the western part of Hyde County.

The maximum criminal penalties for the unlawful taking of a red wolf are one year imprisonment and $100,000 fine per individual animal.

The red wolf (Canis rufus) was declared extinct in the wild in 1980. By 1987, enough red wolves were bred in captivity to begin a restoration program at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, and today more than 100 red wolves roam their native habitats in five northeastern North Carolina counties.

The Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife, Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, and Humane Society National Council member Cathy Kangas have contributed to the reward.

Anyone with information on the deaths of these red wolves or any other red wolves, past or future, should contact Special Agent Sandra Allred at (919) 856-4786, Wildlife Refuge Officer Chris Smith at (252) 926-4021 or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Officer Robert Wayne at (252) 216-8225.

If you have any thoughts about whether the National Park Service should build a free public boat ramp next to the Coast Guard station at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, you have a month to make them known to those in charge of the project.

The Park Service and the state Wildlife Resources Commission are preparing an Environmental Assessment for the proposed construction of two boat ramps, docks and approximately 40-60 parking spaces, and dredging to provide access into the Hatteras Ferry Channel, a Park Service news release says.

The ramps would be for boats that draw up to five feet of water and fit on trailers.

A 30-day "public scoping period," from June 15 to July 15, is a required part of the process to prepare an Environmental Assessment.

Comment online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha. Click on “Public Boating Access Area at Hatteras” to see the related documents. Or comment by mail to: Superintendent, Outer Banks Group, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, NC 27954. Your comments need to be postmarked by July 15, 2010.

A new attraction has risen from the sands at Jockeys Ridge State Park: a 60-foot-high wind turbine erected near the visitor center.

The turbine will supply electric power to the 420-acre park, according to the state Division of Parks and Recreation. The turbine and outdoor exhibits that explain its operation cost $140,000, which came from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, the principal funding source for state parks' capital projects and land acquisition.

The windmill has a 23-foot blade-span. It is on a single pole near the visitor center and several hundred yards from the 80-foot-high sand dune that gives the Dare County state park its name. The windswept park is also popular for hang gliding and kite flying. (The state's news release did not include a photo of the new turbine.)

"Exactly how much power the turbine will produce is not known ..." the state's news release says. "Park officials anticipate its power generation will offset most of the cost of supplying the visitor center, which includes an exhibit hall, an auditorium and park offices."