A Study in Sustainable Tourism

1. The Haw River Trail A Study in Sustainable Tourism

2. The Haw RiverThe Economic Lifeline of Alamance County • 1850-1980s – The Haw River was a Major Hub of the United States Textile Industry. • Mid 20th Century - 8 Large Textile Mills on the Haw River in Alamance County Alone. Cone Mills- once the world leader in corduroy production

3. The Legacy of Progress • The Bleaching and Dyeing Required in the Textile Manufacturing Process Created an Extraordinary Amount of Water Pollution; • Haw River Became Synonymous with Pollution. • Local Memories of the River: • River was a Different Color Each Day of the Week • Mountains of Foam 10 Feet Tall

4. After the Mill Is Gone • 1980-2000s- The Textile Industry Headed for Greener Pastures. • Left Behind Opportunity in Riparian Areas • The Challenge: How to Turn a “Run of the Mill” River into an Economic Engine. Textile Pollution on the Yangtze River

5. Confluence of Events • 2006 Memorandum of Understanding • Every Local Government on the Haw River • Agreement to Further Conservation and Recreational Goals • Haw River Designated as Official Route of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail • Coordinator Hired by Alamance County Partners • Funded by Z. Smith Reynolds Grant to Elon University • Match provided by Alamance County, City of Burlington, City of Graham

6. Haw River Trail Partnership“Conservation Through Recreation” • Provide Safe, Legal Access to the Haw Through Haw River Trail/Mountains to Sea Trail and the Haw River Paddle Trail. • Improve Community Attitudes Towards the River Through Increased Exposure. • Preserve a Scenic Corridor for the Trail Through Conservation of a 500 Foot Buffer. • Create a Sustainable, Non-Depleting Economic Engine that brings dollars from outside Alamance County into the local economy.

7. SeizingOpportunity • Utilized Our History • Developed Logo and Brochures that Draw on the Haw’s Historical Richness • Used “Fort and Wall” Construction • Use Grant Funds to Create “Forts” • Use Momentum to Connect the “Wall” Through Donations • Take Advantage of our Proximity to Triangle, Triad

8. Initial Progress 2006-2009Paddle Trail Alamance County Alone • Grown from 4 “Formal” Paddle Accesses to 8 • 3 More in Construction • Added 18 miles and 4 Dam Portages to Paddle Trail • Working to Become the First State-Designated Paddle Trail in North Carolina.

9. Initial Progress 2006-2009Land Trail Alamance County Only: • Added 4 Miles of Land Trail • Sustainable Pace of 2 Miles per Year. • 3 New Parks of 15 Acres or More

10. Initial Progress 2006-2009Conservation Efforts • River-wide: • 1,250 Acres Conserved • 22,500 Linear ft. of River Frontage • Alamance County • 222 Acres Conserved • 12,250 Linear ft. of River Frontage

11. Initial Progress 2006-2009Economic Benefits • 7 New “River Focused” Small Businesses Have Opened Since 2006 • $2 million in Grant FundsExpended in Alamance County • $30,000 in Property Donationsto Local Governments Yee-Haw! River Paddle brings 125-175 people to paddle on the Haw River each April.

12. Things We Should Have Done Right the First Time • Delineate Primary Goals/Secondary Goals • What are You Trying to Accomplish? • Local Recreation, Tourism, Conservation, Education? • Find Your Hook • What Do You Have That the Next County Doesn’t? • Measure Your Public Support • Under the Radar vs. Consensus Building

13. More Things We Should Have Done Right the First Time • Planning; • Plan Promotion; • Fundraising; • Acquisition; • Design; • Construction; • Maintenance; • Public Promotion. • Align Your Goals with State/Federal Goals • Hire a “Trail Guy.” • Assign Responsibilities for Each of the 8 Steps of Trail Building:

14. Additional Information • Visit www.thehaw.org • Brian Baker 336/229-2229 Brian.baker@alamance-nc.com