MenuConserving Carolina
WebsiteMission Statement
Conserving Carolina is dedicated to protecting and stewarding land and water resources vital to our natural heritage and quality of life and to fostering appreciation and understanding of the natural world.
Description
Conserving Carolina was formed in 2017 by the merger of two local land trusts with deep roots in Western North Carolina—Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and Pacolet Area Conservancy. The two land trusts served overlapping areas. Pacolet Area Conservancy was founded in 1989, with a focus on the Southeast portion of our current region. Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, which served the North Carolina portion of our current region, was founded in 1994 as the Natural Heritage Trust of Henderson County. After partnering successfully on several conservation projects, the two land trusts decided to join forces, combining our expertise, talents, and resources in order to strengthen our impact.
Conserving Carolina is made up of people who love our home in the mountains and foothills of Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We protect land and water, promote good stewardship, and create opportunities for people to enjoy nature.
As an accredited land trust, we have helped protect over 45,000 acres! We’ve helped to create great public lands—including DuPont and Headwaters State Forests, Chimney Rock State Park, and numerous local parks, trails, and greenways. We’ve added significant land to Pisgah National Forest. Conserving Carolina also owns some special properties including nature preserves, and places for research and education.
Program Details
Conserving Carolina is an accredited land trust. Therefore, our primary mission is land conservation. We accomplish this through the use of conservation easements and land acqusition. Conservation easements allow landowners to continue owning their land, while permanently protecting its resources. The easement will limit or prohibit certain activities, including industrial, commercial, and residential development. Conservation easements are designed to forever conserve the important natural resources of each property.
This region is full of amazing life! We can see incredible wildflowers, witness the monarch migration, and find rare salamanders. We live among some of the greatest biodiversity in the United States. But our native plants and wildlife face serious threats, from habitat loss to climate change. They’re worth protecting! That’s why Conserving Carolina leads stewardship activities like pulling up kudzu, restoring streams, and planting for pollinators. Our volunteer crews make a huge impact. Our stewardship activities also include regularly monitoring over 200 conservation easements and partnering with conservation landowners.
We help people deepen their connection to the natural world. We’ve helped open many places for recreation, from state parks to local greenways. We build sustainable trails and expand river access. We also guide hikes and lead volunteer days. We run active environmental education programs for children and adults. And our AmeriCorps programs—Project Conserve and Summer of Service—introduce teens and young adults to environmental leadership.
