[Lenoir, NC] — [June 23, 2026] — The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), in partnership with their chapter, the Northwest North Carolina Mountain Bike Alliance (The Alliance), has been awarded a historic $4.5 million subaward from the National Forest Foundation (NFF). Funded through the NFF’s 2026 Strategic Projects Initiative, the grant kicks off the “Post-Hurricane Helene Recovery Partner Coordination” project to revitalize the hard-hit Pisgah National Forest and its surrounding communities.
This four-and-a-half-year effort, which began early June 2026 and will continue through September 2030, will have two major points of focus: revitalizing 50+ miles of heavily damaged trail in the Pisgah National Forest as well as developing a thriving workforce capable of sustaining the trails in Western North Carolina into the future.
My goal is to not only reinvest in the trails that people have loved for years, but also to make Western North Carolina one of the most skilled, trained, and experienced trail stewardship workforces in the country.
“We are able to take the historically tragic event of Hurricane Helene to rebuild a more resilient forest and community of trail stewards,” said Philip Darden, Executive Director of SORBA. “Through the funding we received from the National Forest Foundation, we are going to tackle the challenge on two fronts. The Alliance now has the opportunity to hire staff and develop trained volunteers to rebuild the trails in their region, reinvigorating their outdoor recreation economy and bringing back the quality of life locals have enjoyed in the past. On the other front, SORBA has the opportunity to ramp up training in the region, something that has been a challenge in the past. My goal is to not only reinvest in the trails that people have loved for years, but also to make Western North Carolina one of the most skilled, trained, and experienced trail stewardship workforces in the country. And not just for our SORBA chapters, but all interested partners working to support trails in Pisgah.”
The Alliance has already begun the process of hiring staff, with an Executive Director and Lead Trail Specialist coming on board soon. More trail staff will be added as the chapter continues to ramp up staffing as they transition from a fully volunteer lead organization. The first major trail projects will take place at Holly Springs and High Knob Trail, located in the Grandfather District of the Pisgah National Forest. SORBA has begun scheduling educational opportunities for staff and volunteers throughout the region, and will begin taking registrations for the courses soon. Community members looking to get involved should reach out to SORBA and The Alliance via their websites.
About Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA)
SORBA is the largest nonprofit mountain bike advocacy organization in the Southeast. With 47 chapters spanning eight states across the region, it empowers chapters to build great trails and stronger communities across the Southeast. Learn more at sorba.org.
About Northwest North Carolina Mountain Bike Alliance
The Alliance promotes land access, trail preservation, and new trail development on federal, state, and local lands in our region. They operate in the geographic area of Northwest NC’s mountains and foothills, including the communities of Boone, Hickory, Lenoir, Marion, Morganton, and Wilkesboro. As a subordinate chapter of SORBA, The Alliance is a nonprofit organization. Learn more at ridenwnc.org.
About the National Forest Foundation
The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is the official nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service and transforms America’s love of nature into action for our forests. Working across 193 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands, the NFF leads collaborative efforts that restore land and water, strengthen wildfire resilience, and expand recreation access. The NFF’s work is national in scale, local in practice, and generational in impact. Learn more at nationalforests.org.