After Hurricane Helene devastated Bat Cave, Gerton, and portions of Edneyville, Equinox partnered with Henderson County and a Community Partners Group to develop a community-driven, 10-year recovery plan blending ecological restoration, resilient infrastructure, and community engagement. The Hickory Nut Gorge Recovery & Resiliency Plan was among the first long-term disaster recovery plans produced in Helene’s wake — a storm that caused more than 171 landslides and significant loss of life and property. The plan takes an innovative systems-based approach, treating the Gorge as an interconnected ecological, social, and economic system to be rebuilt holistically.
Key Highlights of the Plan include: Nature-based recovery framework — Grounded in how the landscape naturally functions, the plan championed fluvial hazard zone mapping, soil bioengineering, and riparian buffer restoration.
Phased recovery roadmap — A multi-phase framework (short-term, intermediate, and long-term) organizesd projects across eight thematic areas: Environment, Infrastructure, Emergency Preparedness, Recreation, Community, Land Use, Housing, and Tourism & Economy.
Hazard mitigation in land use planning — The plan includes detailed concepts for strategic buyouts, floodplain reuse, and steep slope development.
Wildfire + flood dual-hazard lens — Recognizing that debris created hazardous fuel loads, the plan addresses the compounding wildfire threat following Helene’s massive downed-timber event — a dual-hazard framing rarely seen in community recovery plans.
Community-driven process — Equinox launched a robust engagement strategy including partner groups, community listening sessions, bilingual surveys, and stories from those most impacted.