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After six years serving as Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Executive Director, Chris Canfield announces his retirement. Chris will continue to serve in this role until December 2023.

With Chris’ guidance, CTNC has grown its role as a conservation leader for North Carolina and nationwide. Together, the Board and staff have solidified an organizational commitment to conserving land in ways that inspire and enable people to build greater resilience to the impacts of a changing climate while ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the organization.

Chris’ legacy leaves CTNC and the conservation landscape of North Carolina on a trajectory of success. During this time, CTNC:

  • adopted a nationally-renowned strategic plan that centers climate resilience and race equity in conservation strategies;
  • established an ongoing commitment to race equity practice through a revised DEI assessment, work plan, and focus to ensure conservation strategies provide an outsized benefit to traditionally marginalized groups;
  • centered people and communities in the role of conservation;
  • balanced the organization’s budget while maintaining nearly $1M in reserve assets;
  • laid the groundwork to launch an endowment fund to ensure the long-term sustainability of CTNC;
  • and oversaw the acquisition and transfer of prime conserved lands to the National Park Service along the Blue Ridge Parkway to ensure their permanent protection.

Through these foundational investments, CTNC will carry this spirit of innovation forward. The Board of Directors will be leading a national search for a new Executive Director. CTNC is confident we have built an organization that will invite a dynamic leader to guide our work into the future.

Beyond his impact on CTNC, Chris has dedicated his career to protecting our most precious natural resources. Before joining CTNC, Chris worked with the National Audubon Society for 17 years as the executive director of Audubon North Carolina and VP for the Gulf and Mississippi Flyway. Chris led Audubon’s response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. He successfully implemented Gulf-wide conservation efforts in concert with federal and state agencies, local communities, land trusts, and national funders. In 2009 he was awarded the Charles H. Callison Award, Audubon’s highest recognition for staff conservation achievement.

The staff, board, and nonprofit partners will miss Chris’ vision and leadership significantly. Upon retirement, Chris will focus on enjoying our state’s beauty and life with his wife and family.

“I have felt the tug toward retirement for a while. My wife Kate is ready for us to share some new adventures while we have the time and health to do so. Now, with CTNC on such solid footing, I feel able and ready to take this next step.”

Chris’s goal as Executive Director was to build the state’s most sustainable, well-rounded, people-forward organization poised to tackle the growing challenges presented by our changing climate. There will be opportunities throughout the year to thank Chris for his dedication to our organization and the state. Please keep an eye out on your email and mailbox for forthcoming announcements.

Donations to CTNC will ensure that Chris’ legacy is carried through to CTNC’s future. Invest in the long-term success of conservation for North Carolina communities.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Emily Taylor

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Emily Taylor teaches future generations about Western NC species and how to protect them.

A graduate of Iowa State University, Emily applies her studies in Biology and Environmental Science to teach students about nature conservation. She serves as Education Outreach Coordinator for Balsam Mountain Trust in Sylva with Resilience Corps NC. Her main focus: collaborating with different local communities and nature-based organizations to provide accessible, quality conservation education.

Emily creates, improves, and teaches environmental science programs to Title I schools, public libraries and other community groups with help from live animal ambassadors. She showcases incredible species of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains like hawks, snakes, turtles and more! Her favorite part about the job is working with the animals and showing them to elementary school students.

Thanks to her time at the Trust, she’s learning to have patience in others and believe in her decision-making skills. From Executive Director to Laundry Volunteer, Emily gained an appreciation for the way everyone pitches in to work toward Balsam Mountain Trust’s mission. “You wear many hats,” says Emily.

Expanding conservation in communities isn’t one-size fits all. By paying attention to how people communicate, she customizes how she shares lessons for all students. “You meet a lot of different kinds of folks, and we have to come up with several ways to disperse the same information. It requires a lot of thought and body language reading,” says Emily.

Beyond AmeriCorps, Emily hopes to continue work in Haywood County at zoo facilities like the Western North Carolina Nature Center. We’re looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for her!

Protecting the Woodfin Creek Headwaters

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This past Valentine’s Day, CTNC gave another gift of land to the National Park Service. CTNC donated its 21-acre Woodfin Creek Headwaters property to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The property contains the headwaters of Woodfin Creek and offers scenic views from the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most-visited unit of the National Park Service. It is an example of a successful public-private partnership that benefits all of us who appreciate public lands and the natural beauty of Western North Carolina.

“We are extremely grateful for a generous landowner who was willing to donate property to CTNC to help us achieve our shared goals of permanently protecting the places we all love,” said Rusty Painter, Land Protection Director. “The Woodfin Creek Headwaters property is a shining example of how one person’s generosity can benefit many people, including generations to come.”

The Woodfin Creek Headwaters property is nestled within the Mount Lyn Lowry – Campbell Creek State Natural Area, as designated by the NC Natural Heritage Program. According to the site report prepared by ecologist Owen Carson with Equinox Environmental, globally-significant pockets of spruce-fir forests like those found on this property are characteristic of forest types found as far north as Canada. Mr. Carson’s site report states that the property “contains a wealth of existing conservation values and has the potential to support a considerable number of rare plant and animal species.”

The Woodfin Creek Headwaters is visible when driving south along the Blue Ridge Parkway toward Waterrock Knob. The tourism economy of Western NC is highly dependent on undisturbed views from the Parkway and its hiking trails and other amenities. Most land visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway is still privately owned, with no land use restrictions, leaving it vulnerable to destructive land uses that can compromise the scenic views that attract millions of visitors each year.

This donation furthers CTNC’s mission to deliver conservation that is inclusive, supportive and meaningful conservation for all communities. This area contributes to so many bottom lines that impact North Carolina:

  • Climate Resilience – Expansion of protected land along the Blue Ridge Parkway enhances its importance & effectiveness as a south-to-north habitat migration corridor, enabling plants and animals to migrate to northern latitudes to cooler climates. The permanently protected forests on this property will continue to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
  • Community – Millions of visitors to the Parkway (local and tourists) will benefit from scenic protection. Land conservation around Waterrock Knob has been a multi-partner effort over the past ten years, including local and national land trusts and the National Park Service. Expansion of this ‘conservation node’ enhances recreation opportunities benefiting nearby communities, including the Qualla Boundary, owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
  • Equity – While not accessible by public transportation, the Blue Ridge Parkway is free to all visitors, unlike many national parks that charge user fees.

The property was generously donated by a real estate investor based in Florida in 2017. Donations by supporters like you covered the transaction-related costs of accepting and holding the property until it was donated to the National Park Service. Thank you to all who support our work!

Making North Carolina’s Land, Water, and Air a Priority

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Elected leaders from across our state are gathering in Raleigh to make key decisions that will shape the trajectory of conservation funding, land-use policies, and critical investments in community resilience strategies. Conservation Trust for NC is meeting with decision-makers to advocate for strong conservation policies you care about and to further expand our mission to build resilient, just communities throughout our state.

Our Board, staff, and community partners hope to collaborate with leaders in our state to achieve a range of conservation goals in our upcoming session:

Build Capacity for a Statewide Resilience Service Network
Building on the success of AmeriCorps in bringing new energy to the world of conservation, CTNC is working with partners to launch a statewide Resilience Service Network. This effort is designed to support North Carolina communities seeking to address the impacts of flooding, fire, extreme heat, and other environmental challenges. The Network proposal was informed by the results of a feasibility study completed with funding from the State Service Commission. Over the course of the year, network supporters will begin educating our lawmakers about the opportunity, the funding requirements, and the ultimate benefits to communities throughout the state.

Push for Additional Landowner Protections Through the Uniform Act
Enacting the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA) in North Carolina will address how current state laws leave landowners of heirs’ property vulnerable to involuntary land loss. The legislation safeguards families from involuntary partition sales and allows access to beneficial funding and aid programs, including FEMA disaster recovery and the USDA Farm Bill. We believe North Carolina should be the next state to adopt legislation that better protects heirs’ property rights. We strongly believe the UPHPA provides substantial benefits and safeguards to North Carolina families. We join a bipartisan group of conservation organizations, land trusts, family farmland preservation advocates, and more in encouraging the enacting of these protections.

Protect the Conservation Trust Funds
We support The Land for Tomorrow Coalition’s requests to the Governor and the General Assembly to build upon the success of past conservation trust fund allocations. Visit the Land for Tomorrow website to get updates on their requests.

Fund North Carolina’s Trails
Conservation Trust for North Carolina supports recommendations from the Great Trails State Coalition for appropriations to establish the Great Trails State Fund.

Bring Back Funding and Conservation Tax Credit
Conservation Trust for North Carolina supports restoring dedicated funding from state deed excise stamp tax revenues to the Land & Water Fund and Parks & Recreation Trust Fund and restoring the 25% conservation tax credit.

Support Job Expansion and Additional Conservation Staffing
Conservation Trust for North Carolina strongly supports requests by the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and Department of Agriculture requests for staff to manage the conservation trust funds and to manage new state parks, historic sites, game lands, and state forests.

We’ll need strong voices committed to sharing their commitment to conservation and community resilience throughout this year. Join our advocate network to be alerted about opportunities to support conservation policy-making alongside CTNC and our partners.

AmeriCorps Spotlight

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Conservation Trust for North Carolina offers Resilience Corps NC, a national service program of AmeriCorps, designed to support capacity building for resilience, environmental education, and stewardship and outreach that builds bridges between conservation organizations and the local communities they seek to serve. Meet a few of the AmeriCorps members making a difference across the state.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Lance Nathaniel
Lance Nathaniel promotes intersectionality and community engagement with Resilience Corps NC at Keep Charlotte Beautiful. Get to know more about Lance’s work.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Grace Sigmon
As the AmeriCorps Natural Areas Conservation Educator Grace Sigmon helps to expand the North Carolina Zoo’s education, recreation, and conservation programs in Asheboro. Get to know more about Grace and her work.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Bryce Tholen
Bryce Tholen makes connections with coastal communities and lands serving with Resilience Corps NC at North Carolina Coastal Land Trust in Wilmington. Get to know more about Bryce.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Emily Taylor
Emily Taylor teaches future generations about Western NC species and how to protect them, serving with Resilience Corps NC at Balsam Mountain Trust in Sylva. Get to know more about Emily.


Farmland Preservation is Critical for NC

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In a recent blog post, NC Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler wrote about the urgency of farmland preservation to help ensure resources for the future, especially as NC is ranked as second in the country for potential farmland loss by 2040:

“Nearly everywhere I travel, development is taking place. As a department, we will continue to rally support for Farmland Preservation efforts so we can secure the natural resources we need for future generations. We cannot afford to wait until we are in a crisis with land loss. We have to have the foresight to understand the long-term needs today, because we know others are eyeing the future and projected population increases.”

Commissioner Troxler: Farmland preservation is critical as North Carolina’s population continues to rapidly grow

The Agricultural Development & Farm Preservation Trust Fund has protected more than 30,000 acres this past year.

We agree that North Carolina should prioritize the preservation of farmland for the health and resilience of communities statewide. The adoption of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act is a vital tool to allow families to preserve their land as it is passed to future generations. Learn more about why and how the Heirs Property reform will make a difference for future farmland and the families who own it.

We may need your voice to help this Act pass the NC General Assembly this year. Become an advocate for conservation so you can share your support when we call!

Building Upon Our Successes

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North Carolinians love the outdoors. Visitation to NC State Parks increased to 22,800,000
in 2021 – 3,000,000 more than in 2020. Visitation to state forests, game lands, trails and
local parks continues to increase.

The Land for Tomorrow Coalition greatly appreciates the strong support of the General
Assembly and Governor for our Conservation Trust Funds and looks forward to working
with them in 2023 to build upon our success. Land for Tomorrow recommends the
following to the 2023 General Assembly.

NC Land and Water Fund
Increase recurring funds to:

  • $30,000,000 recurring
  • $20,000,000 in non-recurring funds in FY 23-24

The Land for Tomorrow Coalition strongly supports continuing NC Land and Water Fund’s
flood risk reduction grant program.

  • $15,000,000 to continue NCLWF’s flood risk reduction program

Parks and Recreation Trust Fund

  • $30,000,000 recurring
  • $20,000,000 in non-recurring funds in FY 23-24

Agricultural Development & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund

  • $15,000,000 recurring as recommended by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler

Great Trails State Funding
The Land for Tomorrow Coalition supports the Great Trails State Coalition’s request for
appropriations to establish the Great Trails State Fund.

Dedicated Funding and Conservation Tax Credit
The Land for Tomorrow Coalition supports restoring dedicated funding from state deed
excise stamp tax revenues to the Land & Water Fund and Parks & Recreation Trust Fund
and restoring the 25% conservation income tax credit.

Stewardship of State Lands, Facilities & Funds
The Land for Tomorrow Coalition strongly supports requests by the Department of
Natural & Cultural Resources, NC Wildlife Resources Commission and Department of
Agriculture for staff to manage the conservation trust funds and to manage new state
parks, historic sites, game lands and state forests.

New Tools Help North Carolina Orgs Set Land Conservation Priorities Amid Climate Change

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Conservation Trust for North Carolina and Nicholas Institute designed the tools to evaluate the benefits of natural and working lands to climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation

Conservation organizations and land trusts in North Carolina increasingly view their mission to protect the state’s natural lands through the lens of climate change.

A new pair of online tools aims to help them more efficiently consider how their work could contribute to climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation, as well as deliver other conservation benefits. The tools were created jointly by the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.

“North Carolina’s natural and working lands are critical to making our communities and ecosystems more resilient to climate change in the decades to come,” said Katie Warnell, a senior policy associate at the Nicholas Institute who co-led the project. “These tools will help inform decision-making processes for conservation organizations and land trusts by making the best publicly available data on these lands easily accessible without the need for advanced geospatial expertise.”

Natural and working lands—such as forests, farms and wetlands—cover more than 80 percent of North Carolina. They protect water quality and supply, reduce flood risk for communities, provide habitat for pollinators, and much more. These lands—particularly forests—also store carbon in their soils and vegetation, helping to offset greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

The two tools deliver complementary information to organizations looking to preserve new lands, better manage lands they already own or demonstrate their value:

  • The high-level conservation prioritization tool enables users to identify broad areas for conservation action, either within the entire state or by county, river basin or a defined region. The tool prioritizes sub-watersheds with the greatest potential to meet a set of up to 11 conservation metrics selected by the user.
  • The benefits calculator estimates conservation benefits for specific areas of interest, such as individual properties. Organizations could use this information to communicate the benefits provided by currently conserved properties or to support decisions about conserving new areas.

“Land conservation provides so many overlapping benefits to communities,” noted Chris Canfield, executive director of CTNC, “yet documenting and sharing these can be difficult for many organizations. Input from nonprofit and government conservationists has driven this effort to tell a more complete story of our work together.”

The tools use many of the same data sources as recent state planning efforts recognizing the importance of natural and working lands. Those plans include the 2020 Natural and Working Lands Action Plan (part of the NC Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan) and the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2021 Amendment. Collectively, the plans are helping to quantify the benefits that North Carolinians currently get from natural and working lands. They also explore additional benefits that could be gained through management actions, such as reforestation or agricultural best management practices.

The tools are also part of a growing set of resources from the Nicholas Institute related to natural and working lands in North Carolina. Launched in January 2022, three online dashboards map the benefits of these lands, making detailed data easily accessible to communities, land managers, non-governmental organizations, and the general public. The dashboards allow users to quickly see these benefits by county, river basin or land type:

  • Overview Dashboard – General information about the area and benefits of natural and working lands
  • Conservation Dashboard – Focus on natural and working lands that are protected for conservation purposes
  • Carbon Dashboard – Details about past, current, and potential carbon storage by land type

The NC Conservation Prioritization Tool and NC Conservation Benefits Calculator were designed by recent Duke University graduate Israel Golden, who holds dual master’s degrees in environmental management and forestry from the Nicholas School of the Environment. Support was provided by Open Space Institute and the Land Trust Alliance.

Reposted with permission from the Nicholas Institute

New Map Helps Pinpoint Where Climate Resilience Will Benefit Communities Most

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Using GIS technology, CTNC has created a new strategic planning tool – The Community Resilience Model.

This interactive map shows which areas across the state are the most vulnerable to the growing risks of climate change.

The map scores all 100 North Carolina counties – down to the census tract-level – on their potential to bounce back from a climate event. Scored against five criteria – social vulnerability, flooding risk, heirs property probability, anticipated climate vulnerability, and distance to CTNC land projects – the darker the red, the greater the opportunity for conservation solutions to support community resilience in the face of change.

See the CTNC Community Resilience Model


By identifying these places, CTNC can be more strategic in delivering conservation that builds community resilience through a lens of equity and inclusion.

This project was inspired by CTNC’s collaboration with the Town of Princeville and NC State. “We saw the importance of incorporating data into project planning,” said Mary Alice Holley, project lead. “In Princeville, data compiled through the Floodprint, developed by NC State Coastal Dynamics Design Lab, helped identify problem areas in town where conservation interventions could have an increased positive benefit to surrounding people and places. We set out to identify other communities in North Carolina where similar partnerships could be established to inform how other communities could benefit from conservation interventions designed to build resilience.“ 

Mary Alice, who serves as CTNC’s Director of Community Innovation, hopes that by prioritizing conservation interventions in vulnerable places, CTNC can provide communities with proven tools to build strength before the next disaster occurs. Those tools might include acquiring land in a flood zone for increased water storage or partnering with certified controlled burn crews to reduce the fuel load in a nearby forest. In places like Princeville, conservation has become a proven tool to support people living in flood-prone areas. CTNC hopes to bring this concept and the capacity to execute projects to more communities in the coming years. 

Over CTNC’s 30-year history, it has developed a prioritization and scoring model that ensures Blue Ridge Parkway land protection work is strategic and effective. The Community Resilience Model brings this knowledge and expertise to measuring climate resilience and prioritizing conservation solutions where they will matter most. 

The model represents CTNC’s strategic plan priorities: climate change, community benefit, and equity and inclusion. By identifying these places, CTNC can be more strategic and effective in delivering conservation that builds community resilience through a lens of equity and inclusion. The map is a tool for CTNC program leaders to visualize communities in North Carolina where climate change impacts are projected to have the most significant impact and where people and places are least resourced to recover. 

This map tells the story of North Carolina’s potential climate future. Similar maps have been created to identify the most resilient and pristine places that are advantageous for land trusts to conserve. This map does the opposite. The new model evaluates where predicted climate change impacts – such as flooding, fires, mudslides, etc. – will have the most negative impact on North Carolina communities in need.

Mary Alice hopes that other conservation and climate organizations can embrace the value that a data-driven lens can provide to their strategic planning, project planning, fundraising opportunities, and vision for establishing collaborative partnerships. The map is being used as a collaborative planning and communication tool through CTNC’s work with various coalitions, including Land for Tomorrow and the NC Heirs Property Coalition.

This tool is not recommended for other conservation organizations to use for their project planning. CTNC hopes to inspire others to visualize our strategic plan priorities and goals in a concrete way for future effective conservation interventions that benefit people and places in North Carolina.

The seeds planted with this project can grow into a more just and resilient North Carolina. By pinpointing the most vulnerable areas, funding and expertise can flood in to provide the necessary information and projects to protect communities.

Stay tuned for another story in the New Year about a mapping tool designed to serve land conservationists across the state. Through a collaboration with Duke University and the Open Space Institute, CTNC has developed a state-of-the-art resource that allows partner organizations to see how lands they have or plan to conserve can help reduce the impacts of climate change while strengthening communities.

CTNC is partnering with experts statewide to help build resilient, just communities. Together, we can be ready for whatever hits our state. It just takes data and care to make it happen.

Duke Nicholas School Stanback Fellow for Summer 2022, Chloe Ochocki, worked to develop the GIS map. Through the program, CTNC was provided Chloe’s talent and time for 11 weeks to complete the project. Thanks to Fred and Alice Stanback, who fund the Stanback Fellowship Program through Duke University, and their generosity, this project was completed at no cost to the organization.

Triple Your Donation on Giving Tuesday!

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On this global day of giving – November 29 – your donation to Conservation Trust for North Carolina will be matched thanks to our generous board members. That means the gift you make before midnight will go three times as far.

As we move into 2023, our goals are even more ambitious:

  • Expanding Jeffress Park, and the borders of the Blue Ridge Parkway, in Wilkes County by more than 433 acres;
  • Building the model for a Community Capacity Corps (CCC) deployed across the state that can further community resilience;
  • Planting more than 50 trees and thousands of additional native and ecologically adapted ornamental plants to absorb more than 250,000 gallons of water and 2,900 pounds of carbon per year in and around Princeville, NC;
  • Working with a new cadre of partners to improve the Asutsi Trail and open the recent Florence Boyd acquisition to the community;
  • Exploring new and exciting ways to permanently protect land for the purpose of storing additional carbon in Western North Carolina.

Triple your donation and triple your impact by donating now.

CTNC and all our community partners appreciate your generous investment in our state’s present and future!

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