6-a - Approval of Planned Mountains to Sea Trail Route Through Orange County

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November 2016 3 Overall, the MST is an official part of the State Parks system; however due to its statewide expanse, many segments of the trail are managed by different agencies and local governments. Local communities help by linking the MST to greenways and urban trails. Land trusts and other groups help acquire land using a combination of public and private funds. The Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail provides volunteers, public support, and serves as a clearinghouse for trail information. How is the Trail marked? The mark (or “blaze”) designating the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a white circle approximately three inches in diameter. This mark is sometimes used in conjunction with other blazes if trails overlap. What will I see as I walk the Trail? The MST will pass through a variety of landscapes in Orange County. Depending on the section of the trail, you may see rolling Piedmont farms, weathered tobacco barns, the Hillsborough historic district, a former textile village, country churches, flowing streams, hardwood and pine forests, and lake views. Who will use the Trail? Is for hikers only, or will it be open for biking and horseback riding? The MST is intended primarily for backcountry hiking, but the landowners or land management agency responsible for a particular section of trail decides on the types of allowed uses. The vast majority of the MST is natural surface trail with only a three-foot-wide tread and up to 6-8 feet of clearance through forested areas. In some places, the MST will pass through urban areas (including Hillsborough) where the trail is a paved greenway used by walkers, runners, cyclists, strollers, and people in wheelchairs. How will people access the Trail? There will be legal, managed access points along the trail, which will provide parking and trail information. Thus far there are formal access points in Eno River State Park and at River Park (downtown Hillsborough), Gold Park (West Hillsborough), and Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Another access point will be developed at Seven Mile Creek Preserve (adjacent to historic Moorefields). Additional locations in southwestern Orange County will be identified and secured as the actual trail route (MST “trail alignment”) is determined through that area. Will the MST increase the risk of fire on abutting woods and structures? The consensus among the officials in charge of large forested properties in Orange and Durham counties is that that any increase in human activity increases the risk of fire, but their experience indicates fires rarely occur along designated, maintained trails located in our forested areas. According to Chris Hirni (Orange/Durham County Ranger, NC Forest Service) there have been few forest fires in areas with public trails, including Eno River State Park (31 miles of public trails), Duke Forest (36 miles of trails), and Orange County (15 miles of trails). Mr. Hirni researched the past 10 years of fire records and found that of the total 556 fires in Durham and Orange counties, only five fires were located in forests along or near trails, and all five were extinguished with help from the Forest Service. The Alamance County Ranger (Keith Walters) reports no increased incidence of fire as a result of new trails (including MST) in his county. Similarly, the Asheville District 1 Ranger (Rob Townley) reports no human-caused incidents of fire along the MST during his eight years with the Forest Service. In many cases, establishing trails in forested areas can actually help with firefighting by enabling access to areas that might otherwise be inaccessible. Firefighters can enter the forest using all-terrain vehicles. 10