CONSERVATION

Monarch Station

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is proud to be designated as a Monarch Waystation. We provide resources that allow Monarchs to sustain their migration and produce successive generations. Each fall, millions of monarchs migrate from Canada and the United States to Mexico for the winter. The challenge for them in today’s world is the loss of breeding grounds along their route, caused in part by diminished farmland and the use of pesticides. The Flowering Bridge volunteers are committed to providing the resources the monarchs need.

Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail

The Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail is a program inspired by Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to help increase habitat for monarch butterflies. Based in Plains, Georgia, the program has expanded throughout the United States and internationally. We joined this effort to further our mission to provide a habitat for pollinators. Visit RosalynCarterButterflyTrail.org for more details.

National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation, America’s largest and most trusted conservation organization, works across the country to unite Americans from all walks of life in giving wildlife a voice. The Federation has been on the front lines for wildlife since 1936, fighting for the conservation values that are woven into the fabric of our nation’s collective heritage. The Friends of the Flowering Bridge is committed to providing the necessary elements such as food, water and cover to support a certified wildlife habitat. Go to Nwf.org for more information.

American Public Gardens Association

The American Public Gardens Association is a professional organization for the field of public horticulture. Their mission is to “champion and advance public gardens as leaders, advocates and innovators in the conservation and appreciation of plants.” The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is a proud member of the American Public Gardens Association. 

Chimney Swift Tower

The Flowering Bridge has a Chimney Swift Tower built by a local artisan in 2020. The Blue Ridge Audubon Society was instrumental in guiding us through the site selection, design and construction of our tower.

Chimney Swifts are having a hard time finding a place to nest and roost. Traditionally, they used large, hollow trees, but as these were cut down, swifts began to use chimneys for resting at night and raising their young. They depended on them. But modern chimneys are often capped or lined with slick metal, resulting in a decline in chimney swift populations by more than half from 1966 to 2007.

We not only wanted to provide a nesting site for a pair of swifts and a roosting site for a small flock of swifts, but we also wanted to educate our guests about the importance of protecting them. A family donation made this project possible.

Compost Center

The Friends of the Bridge developed an area in 2020 for composting the large amount of plant material that grows in the gardens. Compost is decomposed plant material that becomes a sweet-smelling soil that can be used in the gardens to improve the soil with all essential nutrients. It also improves soil structure, which makes for healthy and productive plants that are more resistant to disease. To compost, garden plant material is cut down, cut into smaller pieces and sorted into greens and browns. The greens and browns are layered in a 4 to 1 ratio and allowed to “cook” for a period that, when complete, will be added back into the gardens. Composting is environmentally responsible because synthetic fertilizers are not being used, which makes for a safer environment here in the mountains. The compost center is located on the west end of the gardens near the parking lot.