THE HAW RIVER STATE PARK: Dream Becomes Reality
The
Haw River State Park was conceived in 1997 by a group of Guilford County
residents who had a dream to save forests and wetlands along the upper Haw
River. The Guilford County Open Space Committee (GCOSC), newly formed in
2000 from that group of citizens, took the dream to the Guilford and
Rockingham County Commissioners, whose support helped it become a reality in
2003 with the General Assembly’s passage of HB 1025, which authorized the
park along the upper Haw. The T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society (TGPAS)
shared in the dream from the start, as several chapter members were among
that original 1997 group of citizens, and continue to serve on the GCOSC.
The chapter wrote letters of support for the establishment of the park, and
a chapter member was one of those who brokered the purchase of the Summit
Conference Center from the Episcopal Church.
But about a year ago it appeared as if the dream would become a nightmare.
About 700 acres adjoining the Summit to the west went under option to the
BlueGreen Corporation, a Florida developer, which wanted to build 775
up-scale houses in a gated, golf-course community. To the immediate east of
the Summit another developer had installed roads and other infrastructure
for another high-end development. But local citizens rallied to form
Citizens For Haw River State Park, whose 9-member steering committee
included five TGPAS members, one of whom chaired the effort. Using yard
signs, blogs, e-mail, letters-to-the-editor and a legal team the group
applied a full-court press that convinced BlueGreen to sell its option to
the state for the park. Meanwhile, the other developer ran into financial
problems and also sold his property to the state. In a matter of a few weeks
the park expanded from 300 to over 1200 acres. Dream fulfilled!
Audubon involvement is also expanding. In 2005 and 2006 the TGPAS conducted
point counts along the upper Haw (a potential IBA), including two sites in
the park. We are also using our collaborative IBA funding to help print
birding guides and trail maps for the park, as well as to develop NC Birding
Trail signage. Most recently the chapter placed three members on the Park
Advisory Committee. This has been a 10-year process with TGPAS involvement
constant throughout, and is a lesson in dreaming, with patience and
persistence. We’ll see you at the Summit at Haw River State Park for the ANC
Annual Meeting. I think you’ll agree that the long effort paid off. |