Foothills Conservancy gives property to Valdese for parks and rec use, state trail connection

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC) has transferred 5.63 acres along Micol Creek to the Town of Valdese, placing the property into public ownership and securing an important piece of the planned Wilderness Gateway State Trail corridor in Burke County.

Located along U.S. 70/East Main Street across from Children’s Park, the property provides opportunities for both future trail access and expanded public open space.

The land includes about 1,250 feet along Micol Creek and will become part of the Town of Valdese’s community recreation system, allowing the town and Valdese Parks & Recreation to explore additional passive recreation, picnicking, green space, and overflow parking for Children’s Park.

It also secures access for a potential route of the Wilderness Gateway State Trail, a developing state trail that will ultimately connect communities and public lands across Western North Carolina.

“This transfer is a great example of how long-distance trails are built: one strategic connection at a time,” said FCNC Land Protection Director Tom Kenney. “By working with the Town of Valdese and our partners to place this property into public ownership, we’re creating an immediate benefit for the community while securing an important piece of a much larger trail vision.”

The project began with property owner Dennis Jaschob’s willingness to see the land protected and ultimately used for the benefit of the community.

Jaschob, who has since passed away, worked with local partners to explore options for the property when the Town of Valdese was not in a position to purchase it directly.

FCNC acquired the property in December 2022 based on funding from the state’s Complete the Trails fund, administered through the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. The program provides funding for land acquisition and other needs associated with development of North Carolina’s state trail system.

Complete the Trails funding also supported costs associated with transferring the Micol Creek property to the Town of Valdese.

The project demonstrates the role conservation organizations can play in helping communities accomplish long-term recreation and conservation goals. FCNC was able to acquire and hold the property while the partners worked toward public ownership and its addition to the community’s growing trail and recreation network.

“When Dennis Jaschob first approached me about protecting this property, we knew it was a special piece of land, but the town was not in a position to purchase it,” said Beth Heile, executive director of Burke River Trail Association. “The Complete the Trails Fund and Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina gave us a way to connect the pieces. I’m especially grateful that Dennis lived to see the property protected and know that the land would ultimately serve the community.”

Heile said this can expand Children’s Park, advance the WIlderness Gateway State Trail, and help create a connection between the Burke River Trail and downtown Valdese.

The Burke River Trail Association has played an important role in planning the connection between the property, the Burke River Trail and downtown Valdese, as well as supporting trail development and volunteer efforts.

Friends of Valdese Recreation, for which Heile is the president and founder, has also been involved with the project from its early stages. The organization will continue to help support and care for the property as it becomes part of Valdese’s public recreation system.

The transfer represents another step forward for the Wilderness Gateway State Trail, which is being developed through partnerships among local governments, conservation organizations, state agencies, landowners and community groups.

Rather than existing as one continuous trail today, the larger trail network is taking shape over time as individual sections and connections are secured and developed.

“Projects like this require patience, partnership and a willingness to plan for what a community may need for trail decades from now,” said Kenney. “The land is now protected for public use, and as the future Wilderness Gateway State Trail continues to grow, this property will help connect Valdese to an even larger network of outdoor recreation opportunities.”

FCNC is grateful to the Town of Valdese and Valdese Parks & Recreation for accepting the property into public ownership; to Burke River Trail Association and Friends of Valdese Recreation for their planning, volunteer support and long-term commitment to the property; and to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation for administering the Complete the Trails Fund that made the acquisition and transfer possible. FCNC also recognizes the late Dennis Jaschob, whose willingness to see his property protected helped make the project possible.

FCNC also recognizes the important contributions of N.C. Rep. Hugh Blackwell and N.C. Sen. Warren Daniel for supporting state investment in trail development through North Carolina’s budget.