A new trail and reconstructed creek in East Flat Rock are providing residents of the Dodd Meadows Community access to nature in their own backyard.

On Friday, March 22, volunteers planted native trees by the creek to officially complete the restoration.

Henderson County Habitat for Humanity partnered with Conserving Carolina, which secured a grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for the project.

It’s a continuation of another project completed last spring to revitalize the community garden in the Habitat for Humanity neighborhood.

Linda Saturno, president and CEO of Henderson County Habitat for Humanity, said the nonprofits are striving to provide a safe and sustainable environment for all to thrive.

“This actually gives these children access to nature and to help them appreciate nature and studies have shown that nature actually improves mental health outcomes later in life,” she said.

Contractors removed invasive plants from the entire four-acre area and restructured the creek to return it to the original location.

The section of Bat Fork Creek eventually flows into the French Broad River.

Kieran Roe, Conserving Carolina executive director, said the project will be beneficial for the environment in the long run.

“In some ways, what we are trying to do is recreate what was here prior to these human impacts that, really, turns out were not beneficial for the health of the stream," he said.

And the nonprofit assistance is still not done with the area.

Henderson County Beekeepers Association plans to put close to 30 beehives at the far end of the trail this summer.

 

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSNew trail, restored creek provides East Flat Rock community backyard access to nature (wlos.com)