Surry Business

Pilot Mountain State Park in Surry County is among 104 approved Piedmont birdwatching sites on the North Carolina Birding Trail. The organization recently announced the second of its three links from the mountains to the sea.

More than just lines on a map, the N.C. Birding Trail physically ties great bird-watching sites and “birders” with communities, businesses and other local historical and educational attractions. The goal is, “To conserve and enhance North Carolina’s bird habitat by promoting sustainable bird watching activities, economic opportunities and conservation education.”

Efforts to develop the North Carolina Birding Trail began in October 2003. The Coastal Plain Trail was laid out first. Now that the Piedmont Trail has been finished, work will begin in the Mountain Birding Trail.

Organizations involved in the N.C. Birding Trail project include N.C. Cooperative Extension, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Audubon North Carolina, N.C. State Parks, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Sea Grant North Carolina, Carolinas Bird Club, The Wildlife Society, N.C. Wildlife Federation, the College of Natural Resources at N.C. State University, The Nature Conservancy and the Town of Plymouth, North Carolina.

Approximately 400 species of birds visit North Carolina seasonally, making the state a magnet for birdwatchers. According to the American Bird Conservancy, North Carolinians who watch and feed wildlife (primarily birds) spend more than $560 million annually on their hobby.