Greg Shuping (center) briefs media outlets during the July 2019 search for Kevin Lynch in National Park lands near The Swag. Lynch was ultimately found safe after a five-day search. Donated photo
Greg Shuping was 19 years old when he launched his emergency services career in his native Burke County. The son of a volunteer firefighter, Shuping had spent most of his life hanging around the firehouse, at least when he wasn’t busy exploring nearby Linville Gorge.
As a teenager, Shuping struggled to settle on a clear direction for his post-high school life, but his dad, a state employee, handed him a simple piece of advice.
Over 200 Acres On Long Arm Mountain Preserved At Linville Gorge In Pisgah National Forest Published: 07 January 2021
The Conservation Fund and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced the addition of 205 acres to Pisgah National Forest at Linville Gorge, buffering the adjacent Wilderness Area. Its protection secures iconic viewsheds, enhances access for recreation, and preserves wildlife habitat and water quality for the area.
In 2018, The Conservation Fund purchased the property and transferred it to USFS for their permanent protection at the end of 2020. This effort was made possible with support from the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Conservancy and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, as well as funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and Fred and Alice Stanback.