Nature-centered quarry gets wildlife designation

By Julie Ball, Staff Writer

March 17, 2004 11:35 p.m.

SWANNANOA - A quarry isn't the first place you'd expect to find bluebird boxes and a butterfly garden.

But at the Grove Stone and Sand Quarry, they've put in a one-mile nature trail, planted plots of clover and rye to attract deer and wild turkeys and converted an old landfill into a butterfly garden.

"A lot of the employees on the weekends, they bring their families. They use the (nature) trail," said Jason Conner, environmental director for Hedrick Industries, Grove Stone's parent company. "It's been extremely positive for the employees. It gives them a chance to see wildlife. It gives their kids a chance to see wildlife."

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation recognized the company's efforts earlier this year by designating Grove Stone a Wildlife and Industry Together site. It is one of only 14 such sites in the state and only the second site in Western North Carolina. The other site is the WNC Nature Center. A third location, the Macon County landfill, is currently seeking the designation.

The quarry property covers about 1,600 acres in Swannanoa.

"It's common to see deer and bears," said Lee Bell, superintendent at Grove Stone. "In the spring and summer and fall, I see them (bears) every day. They like us out here."

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation recognition program grew out of a similar effort to certify backyard wildlife habitats for individual homeowners, according to Tim Gestwicki, regional manager of the nonprofit group.

In this case, the back yards happen to be a lot bigger. The idea is that corporations own a lot of land in North Carolina, and it's important to encourage them to create wildlife habitat areas, Gestwicki said.

"The neat thing about this particular site is they have a whole quarry tour, and they've created a nature trail brochure," Gestwicki said.

An educational component is one of the requirements of the program. Businesses also must maintain "active wildlife habitat projects" and partnerships with the community.

Volunteers from the Black Mountain Fire Department and Explorers Post helped build the nature trail.

Contact Ball at 232-5851 or JBall@CITIZEN- TIMES.com.ON THE NET: www.ncwf.org