There are many benefits to the greenway concept. Our region has a unique opportunity to also consider other benefits and further extend this concept. What might be the impact on regional health? (See ACE.) Greenway thinking can also improve our traffic and roadways. (See Smart Roads initiative.) Might economic impact be further extended if all greenway projects and other outdoor sites were linked by mountain bike trails to each other? The extensive tracts of national forest in the region make this possible. A pilot study might make this feasible. Other links have been added to this page for information about methods and inspiration from the success of others in our region. See the regional map and county by county news below. Pictures and maps are a great aid to enthusiasm. Send 'em on.

Things to discuss with neighbors and friends: What are your thoughts on supporting a feasibility study of linking WNC greenway sites with mountain bike trails?

Above image courtesy of National Bicycle Greenway.	Recent Jackson County News for the Greenway Project linking Dillsboro, Webster, Sylva, Cullowhee, Forest Hills 3/15/2007 Dillsboro officials discuss progress at Monteith Park Sylva Herald 10/13/05 Supporting greenways. Sylva Herald 6/3/04 County's first greenway route enters final planning stage (front page!). The Sylva Herald. Many more stories can be found by searching the Sylva Herald for "greenways". 4/14/04 Smart Roads forum part of WCU Earth Day. Smoky Mt. News. 3/25/04 A bike path is born. Bikers will be able to pass through Catamount Gap in style. The Sylva Herald. 3/24/04 Attorney encourages protest of Duke proposal Smoky Mt. News. 2/04/04 Greenway plan moves forward. Proposed routes to be unveiled Feb. 5. Smoky Mt. News. 11/19/03 Duke could make many happy by building greenway. Smoky Mt. News. 5/14/03 Greenway Roundup. A look at the region’s projects for Haywood, Jackson and Macon Counties. Smoky Mt. News. 07/27/00 Greenways specialist explains benefits of 'green' development.The Sylva Herald. 11/11/99 Sylva leaders to cooperate with other officials on greenways. Sylva Herald. Jackson County Greenway Commission 2003-2004 Other Environmental Projects Impacting Jackson County WATR Watershed Association of the Tuckeseigee River Canary Coalition Discussion Threads/Dialog. NEW!   Things to discuss with neighbors and friends: . What can we in our university community do to further support the greenway movement in our county and in our region?	Click map above to enlarge the current concept design by Jon Benson & Associates Inc.. First Concept Design by  Odell Thompson, Architect.
In Western Carolina University's  home in Jackson County, effort is underway to link the communities of Dillsboro, Webster, Sylva, Cullowhee, and Forest Hills with greenways. In the initial vision, these five communities will link their parks and recreational areas with pathways that are safe for walking, jogging and biking. The early needs are obvious: funds; and support. Funds and volunteers can support a master plan plus development of the easiest legs of the trails. Support requires a great deal of communication about and enthusiasm for the project. For further information about this multi-community project and the names of other committee members, contact David M. Bates, Greenway Coordinator for Jackson County, at 828.743.9043 or e-mail dmb8s@earthlink.net or Jim Dukes, chairman of the Jackson County Greenway Commission, at 828.586.9770.

Western North Carolina Greenway Projects

Macon

Little Tennessee River Restoration & Greenway Project - an ambitious program with significant state funding that restored and preserved a portion of the Little Tennessee River and created a greenway and other developments on a six-mile stretch of river through Franklin, NC.

• 4/20/04 Wesley's Playground gets a big push from volunteers, Franklin Press.
• 4/16/04 Great public places enrich our lives, Franklin Press.
• 1/08/03 Big plans. Macon greenway group hopes grants will pay for major improvements. Smoky Mt. News.
• 5/15/02 Four-mile stretch of Little Tennessee Greenway opens. Smoky Mt. News.

Haywood County

• 21/21/03. Haywood aims to add greenways. Asheville Citizen-Times.
• Canton.
• Richland Creek.
  • 5/07/03 Wetlands installation planned at Lake Junaluska. Smoky Mt. News.
• Maggie Valley (Brenda O'Keefe: Joey's Pancake House, Maggie Valley, NC (828)926.0212 -- Jonathan Creek Greenway) 
• and Haywood Waterways Association (Director, Ron Moser (828) 456.5195; ronmoser@asap-com.com) provides support to all three

Swain County

• 3/24/04 Cherokee landowners support streambank restoration efforts Smoky Mt. News.
• 2/11/04 Promoting the Tuck Bryson City appeals to river enthusiasts with improved infrastructure. Smoky Mt. News.
• 2/20/02 Greenway construction to begin in Swain County. Smoky Mt. News.
• 4/25/04 Front page for this week shows picture of waterfall at end of short walk. Smoky Mountain Times, Bryson City. Use paper's search box to hunt for other current news on greenway projects.
  
  Graham County
• The Graham Star at Robbinsville does not have online archives at this time.

Clay County

• November 11-14, 2004 IMBA Trailbuilding School for Mt. Biking
• The Haysvilles papers, Clay County Progress and The Smoky Mountain Sentinel, are not online.
   

Cherokee County

• The Cherokee Scout and the Andrews Journal online newspapers do not have archive searching at this time. http://www.thecherokeescout.com/   |   http://www.theandrewsjournal.com/

Transylvania County

• The Transylvania Times at Brevard is not online.

Henderson County

• 4/14/04 Henderson County Apple Country Greenway Commission meeting. Hendersonville News.
• 10/5/03 Brevard's greenway a pleasurable walk. Hendersonville News.
• 9/26/03 Brevard bikeway: First phase of bike and walking path opens today. Hendersonville News.
• Henderson County, Becky Rideout:  Henderson Co, NC -- Mud Creek Watershed Restoration

Council.

Buncombe County

• 3/1/04 Project plan to be shown by RiverLink. Hendersonville News.
• 10/28/03 Greenway plan opens up urban forest. Asheville Citizen Times.
• Buncombe County (Karen Cragnolin: RivewrLink Inc, Buncombe Co, Asheville, NC -- French Broad River Park and Greenway).

Madison County

• The News-Record & Sentinel in Marshall is not online.
• Madison County, Rick Morgan:  Mars Hill NC

Other

• Other regional agencies supporting greenways development
• TVA (watershed development teams: Richie Ruth (865.632.1460) reruth@tva.gov; 
• Susan Fuhr, Team Manager, Cherokee-Douglas / French Broad River Watershed Team
• Robert (Woody) Farrell, Team Manager, Little Tennessee Watershed
• NC Department of Transportation (NCDOTnet). 
• Customer Service Office within North Carolina: 1-877-DOT-4-YOU (1 (877) 368-4968); 
• Western North Carolina Division 11, Ron Watson, Chief Traffic Engineer (828) 586-2141 ext 201 or ext 226.
• WNC Outdoor Groups. Smoky Mt. News.
• Map of Counties in WNC leading to county newspaper information.

North Carolina

• North Carolina State Trails Information
• The North Carolina Rail-Trails

National

• Greenways, Inc. - planning, design and consulting focusing in greenways, alternative transportation, rails-to-trails, open space and park planning.
• National Bicycle Greenway (NBG) - working to gather and coordinate the resources needed to create and maintain a coast-to-coast network of multi-use transportation and recreational bicycle trails. Site includes a bicycle route director.
• East Coast Greenway Alliance - promoting a 2,500 mile traffic-free path linking East Coast cities from Maine to Florida - an urban alternative to the Appalachian Trail.
• American Discovery Trail - links more than 200 local trails across the country.
• Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse

WCU Faculty project ideas:

1. Track the national Greenway movement.
2. Collate and advance greenway curriculum developments, integrating school curriculum and greenway use.
3. Take pictures from various trail spots that would be linked to the concept map of the trails.
4. Hike portions of the trail to develop an idea of the issues when a publicly acceptable trail area emerges.
5. Look for and develop funding options: state trails funding; TVA funding; etc.
6. Curriculum integration ideas, e.g.: environmentalism (also eco-tourism); history (also heritage-tourism); outdoor classrooms; outdoor education.
7. Are there other suggestions, other question threads that should be started? See email address below.