Project abstract summaryomb number 4040 0019EXPIRATION date 02 28 2022FUNDING opportunity numbercfda s applicant namedescriptive title of applicant s projectproject abstractthe blue ridge rcand d is a…

Project abstract summaryomb number 4040 0019EXPIRATION date 02 28 2022FUNDING opportunity numbercfda s applicant namedescriptive title of applicant s projectproject abstractthe blue ridge rcand d is a 501 c 3 non profit organization that works with local communities to improve the quality of life and standard of living in our seven county area alleghany, ashe, avery, mitchell, watauga, wilkes, and yancey our mission is to make the blue ridge rcand d council a vehicle to coordinate a multi county effort to improve the natural and human resources to make the seven county area a better place to live, work, and play the objectives of the corporation are to address needs and opportunities in the area of water management, land management, community development, and land conservation celo bogs restoration projectthe celo bogs restoration project proposes to restore and improve 3 4 acres in two separate wetlands on the same piece of property restorative work will include removing invasive plant species which are recently present at both bogs, removing certain native hardwood species such as alder alnus and red maple acer rubrum that are encroaching on the wetlands, changing the plant communing and hydrology, and destroying habitat for the threatened BOG turtle glyptemys muhlenbergii and plants of concern including queen of the prairie filipendula rubra a long term management strategy will be created after work has been done to insure long term biological diversity and function of both wetland complexes bogs UT to rockhouse creek restoration projectthe UT to rockhouse creek restoration project contains a farm property that includes a headwater tributary, two ponds, barn buildings, and a home the two unused ponds are located on the property above the dwelling units the removal of the ponds and restoration of the creek will improve aquatic habitat, reduce downstream erosion, and protect a headwater stream in the grassy creek watershed the landowner, who works for a local non profit, wishes to protect the land, and provide educational opportunities on the property additionally, there is opportunity to enhance the UT upstream of the two ponds and to remove encroaching invasive species this project will focus on realigning and restoring a UT to rockhouse creek, planting stream banks with native riparian vegetation, and incorporating an educational project along the creek and protected farm jensen farm restoration projectthe unnamed tributary UT to dutch creek is located on a farm property that includes barn buildings, farm infrastructure, and an active working farm the UT flows off the adjacent mountains and passes under clarks creek road, where IT becomes a straightened channel with no riparian vegetation before merging with dutch creek existing aquatic habitat quality is poor and localized water quality is impacted by no riparian vegetation and open access to farm livestock eric heigl, with blue ridge conservancy, contacted blue ridge rcand d to explore options to restore the UT and to discuss a future connector trail for the area the proposed project will restore a UT to dutch creek which will improve aquatic habitat, create a native riparian corridor, and help improve water quality by filtering overland farm run off the landowners will also be developing new water sources for farm livestock, fencing out the UT, and removing existing creek access for the animals in addition, the landowners have granted permission to develop a trail on the property that will ultimately connect the nearby valle crucis conference center upstream with the community of valle crucis downstream