Boardwalk at Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary
By Gina Malone
It doesn’t take an immense parcel of land to offer bountiful natural gifts to a community. At around 8 acres, the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary (BLBS) in North Asheville attracts an estimated 100,000 visitors each year. Birders have spotted and recorded 234 bird species there through the years.
The sanctuary’s history goes back to 1988 when the community raised more than $400,000 to save 4 acres from commercial development. Today, the Blue Ridge Audubon manages 8 acres of wetlands and the Lake View Park Commission owns 4 acres. Both properties are protected as nature preserves. The sanctuary includes a boardwalk, a gazebo, overlooks and a gathering platform.
A fundraising campaign is underway to raise $100,000 for improvements to the boardwalk, signage, a security gate and a parking lot. The newly renovated boardwalk will be named after Tom Tribble, who recently stepped down from the Blue Ridge Audubon board of directors where he had served since 2008, including six years as board president.
“During that time, Tom filled a huge number of roles for Blue Ridge Audubon including leading s
cores of bird outings, conducting dozens of speaking engagements to various groups and overseeing the caretaking of BLBS,” says John Koon, president of Blue Ridge Audubon. “He has been the leader of a generation of volunteers who transformed BLBS from a tract of land saved from development into a really special nature preserve with emphasis on accessibility and interpretive interaction with birds and their habitat.”
Koon cites his time in the Navy while stationed in Africa as the beginning of his own fascination with birds. “But the community of birds and birders here in Asheville,” he says, “was really what has cemented my love of birds and my commitment to protecting them and the places they depend upon to survive.”
Phase One improvements will begin early this month, with construction of segments of the boardwalk, some of which were damaged by Hurricane Helene. “The entire eastern stretch will be replaced with more durable synthetic planks that will withstand weathering and provide more secure footing,” Koon says. “Other big improvements will come to the back half of the parking lot which currently is gravel and can get quite messy during wet weather.”
This second phase, which also includes new signage and fencing, is scheduled for completion next spring, with a celebration and dedication of the boardwalk planned for April.
Casey First, whose column “A Bird’s Note” appears in The Laurel each month, is a Blue Ridge Audubon board member and owns Wild Birds Unlimited of North Asheville. “The Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary is a hidden gem in Asheville and a haven for both birds and people,” First says. “The sanctuary has been a passion project of Tom’s spanning many decades. His tireless dedication to the sanctuary, the community it serves and, of course, the birds is nothing short of amazing. Without Tom, the sanctuary as we know it would not exist.”
Even small tracts of land near developed areas provide critical rest stops for migrating birds and habitat for resident species, says Koon. “But it is equally important for the community,” he adds, “not just for birdwatching but as a quiet refuge for contemplation, relaxing or recreation. By protecting places like this that are important for birds, we find that we are also protecting places that people need.”
Learn more about the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary and volunteering opportunities, and donate to the project at BlueRidgeAudubon.org.
