We had an exciting surprise one fine August morning: a walkingstick on our car door handle. They are not uncommon but they are rarely seen, mainly because they are shy and generally nocturnal and most active between 9 PM and 3 AM. Also, imagine how well camouflaged they are on the ground or on trees. Note: this one is not upside down on the handle — what might look like its head in this photograph is actually its “tail”.
Over the past 10 years, Asheville has lost 6.4 percent of its urban forest canopy– the equivalent of more than 900 acres of trees–mostly as a result of the development necessary to meet the demands of a growing city.
During this period, the City has not had any meaningful ordinance language, programs or policies in place to counter this devastating loss of tree canopy, nor bring a better balance between development and preserving our urban forest.
Read moreProvided by Randy Richardson, Outdoor Program Director
Since our outdoor programs are cancelled until further notice, we’ve decided to send monthly hike suggestions that our members can explore safely on their own. Our first recommended hike for the month of July is the Shut-in Trail from the Mills River Valley Overlook. The trail was built by George Vanderbilt around 1890 and this section features sections of the original well-built rock walls supporting the trail. A highlight in mid to late July is a sunny wet meadow with hundreds of turks cap lilies less than a mile north of the overlook. On the way you can also find lovely starry campion and leatherflower in bloom. Heading south from the overlook, one can find lots of Solomon’s seal and plume, as well as some uncommon species like featherbells and pale corydalis. As a bonus, the Mills River Overlook offers one of the finest views (in both directions) along this section of the parkway. A few pictures are included here from a visit on July 19th of 2019.
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