National nonprofit plants hundreds of trees to help restore Helene-affected waterways

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, many homes were destroyed, along with the environments that surrounded them. Many waterways were destroyed, too, forever changing the habitats of numerous freshwater species, one of which — fishable mountain trout — is a staple of the state’s economy.

Off a narrow, winding road in McDowell County that’s still closed to through traffic, residents are still recovering along Buck Creek, a small mountain creek where Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc a year ago and a popular stream for fishing, according to Zoe Mihalas, headwaters programs director for Trout Unlimited.

According to a 2023 report from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the mountain trout fishing industry contributed a $1.38 billion impact. The industry is only growing, as a previous evaluation in 2015 reported the impact to be $383 million.

The increase in the economic impact of trout fishing, according to the WRC, is due to the increase in freshwater anglers in North Carolina. The number of license holders increased 53% from 2014 to 2023.

Now, along the banks of Buck Creek, hundreds of little trees can be seen growing along the stream that still runs through, an effort by local and national Trout Unlimited chapter members and staff, as well as community volunteers to not only restore the waterways but bring a sense of hope to nearby residents still recovering. The trees, which are a diverse blend of River Birch, Oak, Tulip Poplar, and Sycamore, were planted at around 5-6 feet tall, so that they have higher chances of surviving, Mihalas said.

Jeff Wright is the Southern Appalachians Program Manager for Trout Unlimited and said that although small, the creek became victim to a massive landslide. One property owner on Buck Creek had a house on the property and reached out to Trout Unlimited as they didn’t know where to begin when it came to restoration.

Wright said the first step is restoring vegetation in the areas because it helps reestablish the bank and mitigate erosion to protect the waterways. In cooperation with the Arbor Day Foundation, Trout Unlimited volunteers were able to get 200 trees planted in the area.

Buck Creek was the kickoff of tree plantings across the areas affected by Helene, Wright said. Roan Mountain, Tenn., was another location. The organization has also hosted tree giveaway days in areas affected such as Morganton, Marion, and Boone at local farmers markets.

Wright said that the organization has secured another pot of funding that will allow for the plantings of thousands of more trees. Currently, Trout Unlimited is in a planning phase to work with local chapters to see where they want planting locations.

Trout Unlimited typically does riparian plantings to deal with erosion caused by agricultural issues or for stream restoration projects. The organization has done tree plantings for disaster relief before but has been leading the effort with tree planting since Hurricane Helene.

If people want to get involved in planting to restore local waterways, Wright said they should keep watch on the organization’s events page to see what pops up in the area.

“One of the most important things we can get from people right now is coming out and lending a hand, “ Wright said.