If the creekside route were chosen, one of North Carolina’s largest intact urban forests would be permanently diminished, a forest that absorbs a large portion of Carrboro’s carbon emissions and represents a crucial ecosystem asset for our entire area. Bolin Creek is a feeder stream for Jordan Lake, a drinking water source for more than a half million people.
The Town Council has voiced its interest in revisiting the controversy despite the fact the Town’s own Greenway Commission studied the many choices in 2010 and concluded way that the most likely one was an off road path along Sewell School Road, an alignment later endorsed by both towns. The project was listed at the MPO, the transit planning organization for our region, for funding and so remains a viable alternative route.
Bolin Forest west of Seawell School Road encompasses 429 acres of protected land, sequesters 9,276 metric tons of carbon a year, thanks to its tree canopy, provides important wildlife habitat, including for threatened species. The fragile riparian zone along this unique three mile stretch of Bolin Creek is the most critical ecologically of the entire forest and should be left as intact as possible. A riparian area in a forest left in its natural state provides a serene, non-urbanized environment for those seeking to connect with nature. Hundreds visit here every week. Moreover, the riparian zone is protected from paving in the riparian area under N.C.’s Jordan Lake Rules unless no practical alternatives exist, and several practical alternatives do exist. See map.
For more details, on the background on this long standing controversial proposal, please click here