Fool a Carnivore

Two Great Ways to Celebrate Earth Day in Fort Mill

Date: / By Nancy Olah

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Although Earth Day is technically tomorrow (April 22), many communities are holding their events this weekend. 

One of the reasons we moved to Fort Mill sixteen years ago was  the Anne Springs Close Greenway – that beautiful 2,100 acre natural buffer that keeps Charlotte’s sprawl at bay. My husband and I are proud ASC Greenway members and supporters, with our son completing his Eagle project at the Greenway in 2011.

Word has spread about this unique natural treasure,  located just a few miles away from the Mecklenburg County line, resulting in 150,000 visitors last year. For the uninitiated, the Anne Springs Close Greenway features 

  • 40 miles of hiking trails
  • a fine equestrian program
  • technical mountain biking trails
  • primitive campsites
  • canoeing, kayaking, and fishing in five lakes stocked with bass and catfish
  • picnic areas
  • guided history and nature walks
  • summer camps

You can experience our beautiful Greenway this coming Saturday with free admission and plenty of fun Earth Day activities from 10 am to 2 pm. Get more information at the ASC Greenway website.  And by the way, please also check out the front page article in today’s Charlotte Observer about the kickoff of the $15,000,000 capital campaign to create an endowment and planned improvements that will include a welcome center, dog park, and concert amphitheater. Mrs. Close and her family have already donated $5 million and an additional $3.5 million has been raised from generous donors like Hugh McColl who said, “This is the same as our symphony, our football team, and our new uptown baseball team.  The challenge: Letting crowds enjoy it without trashing it.”  He’s absolutely right! This beautiful nature preserve is a regional treasure and deserves the support of those who use and enjoy its many facilities.

And the second major Earth Day event in Fort Mill?  My Herb Gardening Made Easy Class, of course!  If you cut your Earth Day fun at the Greenway short by a few minutes, you can easily make my class at 2 pm at the Fort Mill Library in Baxter – just a stone’s throw down the road!

Now ask yourself – when was the last time you and your family enjoyed an old-fashioned picnic?  Maybe this weekend is your chance to re-acquaint yourself with the beauty of nature.