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New Conserved Property On Blue Ridge Parkway

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Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) purchased a 50-acre property in Jackson County that adjoins the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This property, known as the Open Branch Headwaters tract, provides a critical link between National Park Service (NPS) lands and other nearby protected properties.

The purchased land is located near Parkway milepost 452, rises to 5,400 feet and contains rare spruce-fir habitat, which makes its conservation even more beneficial. CTNC donated this land to the National Park Service for inclusion in the Parkway’s official boundary. This and other properties protected by CTNC and other conservation groups are part of a growing area of contiguous, protected land that is intended to become a new park at Waterrock Knob on the Parkway.

“Every time a property is conserved adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway, it improves the visitor experience by preserving scenic vistas, water quality, and habitat for wildlife,” said Mark Woods, Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent.  “Nonprofit conservation organizations are helping to transform the region near Waterrock Knob into a large area of protected forests and streams, and the Open Branch Headwaters tract is a key piece in that puzzle.”

“Protection of this property means pure water in Open Branch and healthy habitat for roaming wildlife,” said Rusty Painter, CTNC Land Protection Director.

2016 Diversity in Conservation Interns

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CTNC Diversity Internship Program welcomes its next cohort.

Each year, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina supports promising future conservation leaders in paid summer internship positions at organization across North Carolina through our Diversity in Conservation Internship Program. This year’s program was made possible in partnership with AmeriCorps, the Land Trust Alliance, the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, UNC-Asheville’s Center for Diversity Education and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.

Dia Adams
LandTrust for Central North Carolina 

Dia Adams was born in Manhattan, N.Y, and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. Dia graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a B.S in animal science. As an undergraduate, Dia was vice president and then president of Swing Phi Swing Phi Social Fellowship, Incorporated, an organization committed to affecting social change, supporting women in need of growth and promoting higher intelligence as they develop true sisterhood. This summer she will serve as the environmental education & outreach intern for the LandTrust for Central North Carolina.  In this position, she will connect with community members or all stripes and lead groups of middle school youth in field conservation, restoration ecology and environmental education programs.

Genevieve Barnes
N.C. State Historic Preservation Office
Genevieve Barnes, a native of Raleigh, N.C., just completed her first year of graduate school at UNC-Greensboro. She is currently pursuing her graduate degree in communication studies. This summer she will work at the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office as the Rosenwald School intern. This internship will provide Genevieve the opportunity to assist historic preservation consultants in the preparation of National Register of Historic Places nominations for various Rosenwald Schools. As a Rosenwald intern, she hopes to learn more about working with organizations that seek to help primary and secondary institutions preserve their historical architecture.

Erin Bishop
U.S. Forest Service

Erin was born and raised in Chapel Hill, N.C., and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville with a B.S. in environmental policy and management and a minor in economics. Erin’s interest in land use management began while interning for RiverLink, a nonprofit in Asheville, N.C., that works to protect the French Broad River and its tributaries using conservation easements. As a result, Erin realized that she wanted to pursue a career in land use management, and hopes to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to earn a master’s degree in land use and environmental planning. This summer, Erin will be the special uses specialist intern for the USDA Forest Service where she will assist in preparing and evaluating land use authorization proposals, in addition to monitoring their compliance.

Kenneth Dunn
Center for Human-Earth Restoration

Kenneth Dunn, Jr., of Durham, N.C. currently attends N.C. State University where he is pursuing a degree in environmental sciences with a minor in applied ecology. He has an associate’s degree in agriculture and is a member of Sigma Alpha Pi and Dau Tau Alpha fraternities. Kenneth works at the UNC Kenan-Flager Business School as a conference service assistant and at Duke basketball camps as a counselor. As the field educator intern with the Center for Human-Earth Restoration Conservation, Kenneth will help elementary and middle school kids understand the importance of nature and how it impacts every aspect of their lives.

Troy Hillian
Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

Troy M. Hillian is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he is a second-year student in the broadcasting and production technologies program at Forsyth Technical Community College. Troy enjoys cooking on the grill and going fishing. This summer, Troy will assist Music Program Director Richard Emmett at the Blue Ridge Foundation, where he will manage ticket distribution, and coordination, reach out to regional blues/bluegrass/folk organizations and assist with marketing.  Troy will also manage weekend concert set up, production and operations at the Blue Ridge Music Center and other venues throughout the region.

Olivia Jackson
The Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities Program

Olivia was born in New Jersey but raised in Durham, North Carolina. She is in her last semester before graduating with her associate’s degree in photojournalism. Olivia dreams of documenting not only rural North Carolina but also places all over the world.  This summer Olivia will serve as a photojournalism intern for The Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities program. She will be traveling all over the state to capture images of innovative community and conservation projects. Her work will help raise awareness of “triple bottom line” efforts and will support communities with much-needed materials to tell their stories.

Emily Johnson
National Park Service- Blue Ridge Parkway

Emily Johnson was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when she was 11 years old. She currently attends North Carolina State University as a psychology and Spanish double major and will begin her junior year in the fall. She will work with the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer as the social media and community outreach intern in Asheville. Emily is excited to gain experience writing press releases, creating creative social media posts that showcase the parkway and continuing her work as a self-starter.

Sa’Metria Jones
Blue Ridge Forever

Sa’Metria Jones was born in Hampton, Virginia and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. She then attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Sa’Metria received her Bachelor of Arts in political science in May 2014 and started at the University of North Carolina School of Law in August of the same year. As a rising third-year who is currently undecided about what type of law she wants to practice, Sa’Metria is excited to gain exposure in environmental law this summer as the legal intern for Blue Ridge Forever. As a legal intern, Sa’Metria will research and address legal issues concerning conservation and land trust and the impact those issues will have on those who live in the affected area.

Samantha Liu
N.C. Coastal Land Trust

Yinan Liu (Samantha) is originally from a “small” city, with a population of seven million, called Tangshan in Northern China. She is a rising second-year student at Wake Forest University School of Law. This summer, she will intern with North Carolina Coastal Land Trust where she will work as a legal intern and assist with land acquisitions, conservation easements and legal researches on issues that arise from the ownership and management of land. She is excited to learn about the land conservation practices in the U.S. as well as to offer her knowledge of the law to assist North Carolina Coastal Land Trust in addressing its mission.

Trequan McGee
Wilson Botanical Garden

Tre is a rising senior at North Carolina A&T State University studying urban and community horticulture. This past year he served as president of the Collegiate FFA and N.C. Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Chapter in addition to several other leadership positions within the school of agriculture and environmental sciences. This summer he plans to educate 4H members in Wilson County about soil and plant health through the Junior Master Gardeners Program, which he will be instructing.

Taylor Mebane
Sandhills Family Heritage Association

Taylor Mebane was born in Ft. Hood, Texas but has since lived in six other states and one other country. She is currently in Fayetteville, N.C. Taylor is a senior studying environmental technology and management within the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. She is an active ambassador of the College of Natural Resources and leads the Committee for Diversity, which works toward creating an open, diverse community in the College of Natural Resources. Over the next few months, Taylor will be a native plant trail intern with the Sandhills Family Heritage Association where she will help manage the trail and well as assist facilitating community outreach programs.

Natriefia Miller
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Natrieifia Miller is from the small town of Dunn, North Carolina. She moved to Asheville seeking a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina-Asheville. Originally striving to become a veterinarian, Natrieifia’s goals changed while taking an animal behavior course. There she discovered a passion for being outside, as well as an interest in conservation efforts. With her summer position as Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) leadership intern, Natrieifia will be working to “broaden relevancy” of the trail. By compiling web-based video training resources of trail management and maintenance best-practices as well as conducting listening sessions, she hopes not only to promote interest in the trail to a broader audience but also inspire that new generation of people to value and steward the trail well into our future.

Avery Olearczyk
Catawba Lands Conservancy & The Carolina Thread Trail

Avery Olearczyk, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, graduated from Guilford College with double bachelor’s degrees in biology and environmental studies, and a minor in economics. Avery has completed fieldwork and independent research with the School for Field Studies in Queensland, Australia, and with the Audubon Center of the Northwoods in Sandstone, Minnesota. Avery is passionate about ecology, conservation biology and sustainability, and hopes to explore these areas through this position. She is excited to photograph and document The Carolina Thread Trail and aims to support local community connections to the natural environment. Avery will begin post-baccalaureate work at UNC-Charlotte this fall to continue her love of learning.

Damein Parker
Eno River Association

Damien Parker was raised in Wilson, North Carolina and is currently a senior at North Carolina State University where he studies environmental science with a concentration in applied ecology and forest conservation. This summer, he will be working with Eno River Association in preparation of their yearly Festival of the Eno. Damien hopes to gain knowledge on how conservation information is relayed to the public and how this connection affects people’s views of our natural systems and resources.

Alexa Wright
Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association

Alexa Wright was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from Oberlin College in May of 2014 with a B.A. in biology. She currently attends North Carolina State University and is finishing her master’s degree in horticultural science. This summer, Alexa will intern with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, where she will assist with stewardship and outreach. By expanding community involvement and assisting with creek management, she hopes to preserve the creek and increase environmental awareness in the watershed area.

Aranda “Randee” Young
U.S. Forest Service

Aranda “Randee” Young hails from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. As a native of Hilton Head Island, she is a seventh-generation islander with roots in Gullah culture. Randee graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in business administration, double majoring in marketing and real estate with a minor in women’s studies. Randee recently graduated from North Carolina Central University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree on May 13, 2016. While at North Carolina Central University, Randee also received a Master of Business Administration. She will begin a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) program at the Washington University School of Law located in St. Louis, Missouri. This summer she will be working with the USDA Forest Service as a land adjustment specialist resource assistant. Randee plans on combining her legal expertise with the knowledge gained this summer to help people in her native South Carolina with heirs’ property disputes.

Emily Zucker
Coharie Intra-Tribal Council

Emily is originally from Winchester, Virginia and currently attends North Carolina State University studying mathematics and statistics. Emily will be working with the Coharie tribe this summer in Clinton, N.C. The Coharie tribe is currently undergoing a project called the Great Coharie River Initiative (GCRI). They are cleaning out their river, which is primarily blocked with beaver dams and large foliage, in order to allow access for fishing, kayaking and other recreational activities. Emily will be assisting in this project by coordinating protection plans for the river and creating a business model for future economic development of the river cleaning volunteers.

2016 AmeriCorps Members

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Welcome to our 2016 AmeriCorps cohort!

Lindsey Carver
The Conservation Fund

Lindsey serves as the AmeriCorps community outreach and volunteer coordinator in support of a partnership between The Conservation Fund, Conservation Trust for North Carolina and North Carolina Community Development Initiative. She will focus her efforts on the A.M. Howard Farm pilot project in Cary in partnership with the Piedmont Conservation Council. After graduating from the College of William & Mary, Lindsey served her first AmeriCorps term with Rebuilding Together Alexandria in northern Virginia. Upon moving to the Triangle, Lindsey began studying and practicing sustainable and urban agriculture. She recently graduated with a master’s degree in agricultural education from North Carolina A&T State University and seeks to support the development of sustainable food systems in the Triangle through outreach and education. Outside of AmeriCorps, Lindsey enjoys photography and spending time outside with her husband, Kevin Howell, and their rescue dog Azure.

Noel Myers
UNC Environmental Finance Center

Noel Myers is an AmeriCorps member who joined the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) in 2016. He is developing environmental finance curricula to be taught to local students and community members, aiming to increase interest in finance as a positive catalyst to environmental improvement. Prior to joining AmeriCorps and the EFC, Noel attended Oberlin College where he received a B.A. in economics and environmental studies. He has previous experience working with revolving loan funds, socially responsible investing and local carbon offsetting initiatives while studying at Oberlin.

Nina Quaratella
North Carolina Coastal Federation

Nina is serving AmeriCorps as a coastal community engagement specialist at the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Wrightsville Beach office. Nina earned her Bachelor of Science in environmental science with a double minor in biology and geospatial technologies from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Originally from Rhode Island, Nina fell in love with coastal North Carolina and is working to create educational programs, organize volunteer events, and conduct habitat restoration for the community to help protect the state’s beaches. Prior to serving with AmeriCorps, Nina was an intern at Carolina Beach State Park and Cape Fear River Watch and later worked seasonal environmental education jobs both down south and in the northeast. Nina enjoys playing volleyball, geocaching, hiking and traveling.

Barbara Goldentyer
Triangle Land Conservancy

Barbara Goldentyer is hosted with the Triangle Land Conservancy coordinating and running nature education programs. From Cary, N.C., Barbara previously worked at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve where she designed and ran nature education classes and summer camps. Barbara completed her bachelor’s degree at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2015, she also earned her master’s degree in sociology from N.C. State University with a concentration in social inequalities. She enjoys hiking, traveling and finding animals outside.

Ashley Toscano
Alliance Medical Ministry

Originally from northern Virginia and the panhandle of West Virginia, Ashley moved to North Carolina in 2014. She received a B.A. in international studies and Spanish from West Virginia University and a master’s in Hispanic studies at Virginia Tech. Although fascinated by different languages and cultures, Ashley has always had a passion for animal rights advocacy, health and the environment. Through courses and involvement with school organizations and volunteer opportunities, she realized that she wanted to serve in a position which would foster these passions, all while enabling her to gain skills within those fields. Having served as a member in AmeriCorps’ Energy Express program, she knew she’d find great opportunities through CTNC. She is now working at Alliance Medical Ministry in Raleigh where she oversees their community garden and various wellness programs. This position helps to improve the community’s health by providing exposure to agriculture in an urban setting where there is limited access to fresh, local and organic produce. After completing her term of service she hopes to continue helping others to find a passion for growing the food they eat while nourishing their bodies and the environment with love and wellness.

Chris Sajdak
Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association

Chris Sajdak is ECWA’s new AmeriCorps service member. He is a Michigan native and is coming to Durham by way of Indiana. He has a B.A. in geography – GIS from Indiana University and assisted in research in both food sustainability and dendroclimatology. While in school, Chris worked as a trip leader both at his university and at a summer camp, leading children and adults on extended backpacking, canoeing and rock-climbing trips around the country. During his service, Chris will be providing environmental education to the areas within the Ellerbe Creek watershed, in addition to working with event planning, outreach and as general support for ECWA.

Erica Connery
North Carolina Coastal Federation

Erica is serving as a coastal community engagement specialist at the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Manteo office. Growing up in Hillsborough, North Carolina, she has always been drawn to the coast, making frequent trips to the beach with family and friends whenever possible. Since completing her degree in environmental science from N.C. State in 2012, she has lived in several places along the Carolina coast pursuing the field of environmental education. In 2016, Erica became an AmeriCorps member at the Coastal Federation. She is excited to explore the northeast coast of North Carolina and work with communities in the area, hoping to inspire students to appreciate and enjoy the outdoors as much as she did as a child. When she’s not teaching others about coastal environments, she loves hanging out with her dog and paddle boarding around the marsh.

Elaine Nichols
Tar River Land Conservancy

Elaine Nichols is a CTNC AmeriCorps member serving as a land management associate with Tar River Land Conservancy.  She will be working to prepare TRLC’s Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area for public access. She recently returned to North Carolina after serving her first AmeriCorps term as an assistant crew leader for a conservation corps based out of Denver, Colorado. Before that, she earned her B.S. in environmental studies from University at Buffalo with a dual concentration in policy education and resource management. Elaine has always considered North Carolina home and she is excited to be back in the area to share her excitement for conservation and community service.

Shalanda Grier
Piedmont Regional Triad Council

Shalanda is serving with the Piedmont Regional Triad Council as the outreach & Stormwater SMART coordinator. She will serve 19 municipalities, providing educational programs, presentations and content pertaining to stormwater and water quality. She recently graduated from Hampton University, earning a B.S. in biology and a minor in leadership studies. As a North Carolina native, Shalanda has always been involved in community service. She sees her service as an AmeriCorps member as another avenue to expand her reach to meet community needs. Shalanda enjoys reading, hiking, exercising and watching HGTV in her free time.

Laura Speer
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Laura serves at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences as the environmental accessibility & inclusion AmeriCorps member. She coordinates, develops and teaches programs for special populations within the community. She hopes to inspire everyone to be a leader of environmental change by giving them an appreciation for nature and showing that scientific knowledge is accessible to all. In her spare time, Laura enjoys books, long hikes and backpacking trips, concerts and hanging out with snakes.

Larissa Lopez
Balsam Mountain Trust

Larissa is the CTNC AmeriCorps member at Balsam Mountain Trust serving as educational outreach coordinator. She is working to provide accessible environmental education to school children and the public throughout Jackson and Haywood counties in Western North Carolina. Through the Adopt-a-School program, Larissa delivers live-animal programming to 4th and 5th graders that supplements their biological and environmental sciences curriculum. She is also expanding on pollinator programs, with an emphasis on monarchs, for 1st and 2nd-grade students to engage them in an outdoor classroom environment and citizen science. Larissa will also be translating programs into Spanish for Latino school children and families who would otherwise not have access to the material. Larissa holds a B.S. in natural resources with a concentration in ecosystem assessment and a minor in forest management from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. She enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, yoga and live music.

Melissa Keeney
Durham Public Schools Hub Farm

Melissa left her hometown in Maryland to study environmental technology & management at N.C. State University in 2009 and has been working towards making communities around the Triangle more sustainable ever since. Her true passion lies with the local food movement and she’s ecstatic to have the opportunity to serve with student groups at the Durham Hub Farm. In addition to teaching students about local food production and environmental stewardship, she has been conducting community outreach to recruit volunteers and develop partnerships, scheduling student and volunteer groups, coordinating monthly workdays, creating monthly newsletters, and assisting in developing a core curriculum for the farm. Melissa is an artist and musician on the side and is excited to be showcasing her work around Durham this year!

Erin Victor
Keep Durham Beautiful

A Michigan native, Erin Victor is serving as the environmental outreach and volunteer coordinator at Keep Durham Beautiful. Erin recently completed her M.S. in conservation ecology at the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) at the University of Michigan and has a B.A. in health sciences with a concentration in environmental sciences from Kalamazoo College. Her thesis research looked at the influence of livestock grazing on vertebrate diversity in Naxos, Greece. Prior to graduate school, Erin worked on a human-elephant conflict project in Ruaha National Park in Tanzania with Wildlife Connections. Erin is passionate about environmental conservation and environmental education.

Paige Engelbrektsson
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust

Paige is serving as an environmental education and stewardship AmeriCorps member with Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. She is a Virginia native and graduated in 2012 with a B.S. in biology from the College of William and Mary. Since then she has put her degree to good use ranging across the country to work in environmental education. In addition to assisting with HCLT’s Kids in Nature programs, she will be building trails and creating a new ambassador program to reach visitors. She spends any free time making music and crafts, riding horses and exploring wild spaces.

Rachel Tove-White
Durham Public Schools

Rachel serves as one of two AmeriCorps members for the Durham Public School’s energy and sustainability coordinator. Her efforts will be focused on implementing recycling into Durham’s 30 elementary schools along with other energy and sustainability projects. Prior to this service term, Rachel attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she graduated with a double major in environmental studies and communication studies and a minor in city and regional planning. During her time at UNC, Rachel studied coastal energy at the Outer Banks of North Carolina and alternative energy strategies and urban designs in Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. She created documentaries at Pilot Mountain as well as in Germany and Spain. Upon graduation, Rachel served her first AmeriCorps year with City Year in Miami where she worked in a middle school connecting students with resources to help them succeed. She is now excited to be back in North Carolina and serving another AmeriCorps term.

Jessica Bast
Durham Public Schools

Jessica Bast is a CTNC AmeriCorps member serving as an energy and sustainability specialist in Durham Public Schools. She is working to enhance the recycling program throughout the school system and to educate students, their parents and teachers easy and innovate methods to save energy. Jessica has had a passion for addressing environmental issues since high school, and she recently graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in environmental studies. She looks forward to gaining experience in the nonprofit sector and to educate those throughout the school system to make a positive environmental impact and live more sustainably.

Monica Ospina
Keep Durham Beautiful

Monica is serving as the environmental outreach and volunteer coordinator at Keep Durham Beautiful. She was born in Colombia and raised in Miami, F.L. Monica earned a B.S. in environmental studies and a B.S. in biology with a minor in chemistry from Florida International University. Monica assisted Florida International University’s School of Environment, Arts and Society in educating the public on environmental issues. She is eager to inspire North Carolina residents to become passionate about their environment. Monica loves to swim, hike, dance, read and eat chocolate.

Victoria “Tori” Duval
Western North Carolina Nature Center

Tori graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville with a degree in environmental studies. During her final semester, she served as an intern for the WNC Nature Center in the animal department, where she learned to care for some of the amazing creatures that western North Carolina has to offer. After graduation, she accepted an internship at the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah National Forest. It was there that she discovered her passion for environmental education, spending 8 months teaching children about the importance of the natural world and the history of Pisgah National Forest. Because of the opportunity that AmeriCorps has given to her, she is now able to combine her interests in education and animals by serving a 6-month internship at the WNC Nature Center, helping to design and participate in off-site education programming.

A Visit to Timberlake Farm

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On June 8th, CTNC’s Land Protection Director, Rusty Painter, took four interns to meet landowner Carolyn Toben on her property in Guilford County, Timberlake Farm.

The purpose of the visit was to conduct annual monitoring of the 165-acre property that CTNC has protected since 2001. It was an opportunity for the interns to learn about monitoring the land, as well as meet the landowner, who is known for her love of meeting young, conservation-minded people.

The group shared lunch on the porch of the “tree house,” a three-story, rustic building that hosts events from children’s programs to weddings. As they chatted over iced tea, Toben listened to each of the interns’ personal stories and asked questions about how they viewed the environment. She then explained some of the philosophy surrounding the farm, which was deeply influenced by cultural historian and eco-theologian Thomas Berry, who had visited the land on many occasions.

“The goal is to help people make a personal connection with the earth,” Toben said. She emphasized the importance of being mindful and taking time to experience nature immersively. Her hope is that being on the property can give people an opportunity to do this. “The trails are to help people take a different look at life.”

The interns (Esteban Arenas, Ben Agsten, Reilly Henson, and Auston Smith – all Duke University graduate students) then walked the property and learned about monitoring procedure, which involves comparing the current state of the land to detailed notes from past visits, to determine if anything has changed. The group toured the garden, wooded trails, and various wedding venues on the farm. CTNC monitors all its properties in this way, to ensure that they remain in their natural states, protecting them from unnecessary development and preserving them according to the landowners’ wishes.

Visit www.timberlakeearthsanctuary.com to find out more about the farm and its programs.

NC Land Trusts Gather and Honor Conservation Leaders

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North Carolina’s 24 local land trusts gathered May 25-26 for the annual Land Trust Assembly.

Some of the biggest names in NC politics made an appearance: Governor Pat McCrory spoke during Wednesday’s dinner, and Attorney General Roy Cooper addressed the group at Thursday’s lunch. Susan Kluttz, Secretary of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, also spoke to the group. The presence of these major political figures shows how crucial land conservation has become in the public eye.

Assembly attendees participated in workshops covering a wide variety of issues including farmland preservation, equity in conservation, effective conservation messages and storytelling, legislative issues, community conservation, climate change, and leadership development.

Not only did attendees have the chance to hear others speak, but they also engaged in roundtable sessions and conversations that allowed ideas and collaboration to develop.

To ensure that great conservation leaders have an opportunity to be recognized, the Assembly hosted its annual awards ceremony. The NC Land Trust awards are given annually to businesses, nonprofits, governments, and individuals who lead efforts to protect streams, farms, parks, forests, and trails to help provide safe drinking water, clean air, fresh local foods, and abundant recreational opportunities for all North Carolina families. Five winners were chosen this year.

Pepsi Bottling Ventures won the Corporate Conservation Partner of the Year award for providing generous financial support to the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative and the NC Youth Conservation Corps.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service was named Federal Government Conservation Partner of the Year for partnering with NC land trusts on many conservation and habitat restoration projects. The Service has provided both technical and financial assistance to land trusts and landowners alike.

Chimney Rock State Park was awarded State Government Conservation Partner of the year, given its many partnerships with conservancies and other non-profits to expand, improve, and maintain parklands.

Two individuals also received recognition. Tony Doster was named Stanback Volunteer Conservationist of the Year. His professional management of forests, as well as past and present involvement with a number of forestry boards and conservation organizations, show his commitment to protecting natural lands in the Coastal plain.

Hanni Muerdter was awarded Rising Conservation Leader of the Year for her stewardship work in the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, and her involvement in other conservation and community organizations.

Congratulations to these deserving winners!

John Hart Captivates at the Meadow Society Reception

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New York Times bestselling author and Salisbury, NC native John Hart spoke of his love for the outdoors at our Meadow Society Reception on May 14th. John captivated the audience by sharing his childhood story of the loss of his family’s farm and how it shaped his love of land and passion for conservation.  He had spent countless hours as a boy roaming the 472-acre farm in Rowan County.  His message underscored the importance of conserving land before it is developed, because “once natural lands are gone, they’re not coming back.”

Good friends of CTNC, Josephine and Stuart Dorsett, hosted the event in their Raleigh home and gardens. Each year CTNC’s steadfast and generous donors gather for fellowship and to hear about CTNC’s latest work to advance conservation throughout NC.

This event also marked the beginning of our 25th-anniversary celebration, with a focus on what conservation can achieve in the next 25 years.

“We see a North Carolina 25 years from now where conserved lands provide every person with safe drinking water, clean air, healthy local foods, and a favorite outdoor place to recreate and restore,” said executive director Reid Wilson in his remarks. “To achieve this vision, we’re setting clear goals for the next 25 years.  We plan to ramp up over the next three years so that we double our impact throughout North Carolina.”

Many thanks to Mel Lewis of Audio Advice, FoodFWD, OrganicAMI, and Plates Neighborhood Kitchen for their partnership. This event was waste-free and plastic-free, and we collected food residuals for re-use.

Conservation Groups Set Goal of Protecting 30,000 Acres to Safeguard Drinking Water Quality in Upper Neuse River Basin

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Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative Releases Updated Conservation Strategy

The Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative, a coalition of nonprofit conservation organizations, has released its 2015-2045 Conservation Strategy, which demonstrates the value of land conservation as a  key investment to protect drinking water supplies in North Carolina’s Upper Neuse River Basin.  The Conservation Strategy identifies the most important areas to conserve to ensure water quality downstream and sets an ambitious goal of preserving 30,000 acres over the next 30 years.

The Conservation Strategy serves as an update to the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative’s original 2006 plan, through which the initiative has already protected 90 properties, 84 miles of stream banks, and 7,698 acres in the Upper Neuse River Basin. The basin is home to nine drinking water reservoirs that provide drinking water to over half a million people in Raleigh, Durham, Butner, Creedmoor, Garner, Hillsborough, Knightdale, Rolesville, Stem, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon.

The Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative is coordinated by the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and includes Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, Eno River Association, Tar River Land Conservancy, The Conservation Fund, Triangle Greenways Council, Triangle Land Conservancy, local governments, and state agencies. Together with willing landowners, the partners are protecting critical natural areas to ensure the long-term health of drinking water in the Upper Neuse River Basin.

SCP_Upper_Neuse_MapThe initiative’s efforts, including land acquisition, landowner outreach, monitoring, and stewardship, have been funded by the city of Raleigh Public Utilities Department through its Watershed Protection Fund. Revenue is generated from a fee of $0.15 per 1000 gallons of water used by Raleigh’s water utility customers, averaging about 60 cents a month per household and generating more than $2 million a year for water quality protection. Significant additional financial support from local governments in the basin, including Durham, Granville, Orange, and Wake Counties, and the cities of Durham and Creedmoor, and the state’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund, has been critical to the initiative’s success.

The initiative’s updated planning process produced an enhanced GIS-based Watershed Protection Model, which uses the best available science and geographic data to map the most important areas for land conservation, based on four main goals: protecting water sources, preserving upland forests and farms, protecting wetlands and floodplains, and protecting vulnerable areas with steep slopes and wet soils. The Raleigh Public Utilities Department briefed Raleigh City Council on the new conservation plan at its April 19 work session, and the land trust partners will be briefing local governments upstream in the coming months.

“By pinpointing forests and other natural areas that provide the most bang for the buck for water quality protection, the partners in the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative can better focus the investments of the local governments and the state to conserve lands that will provide multiple benefits for people and nature,” said Will Allen, Vice President of Conservation Planning at The Conservation Fund in Chapel Hill, NC, who facilitated the planning process.

Thirty-six percent of the Triangle area is projected to be covered by impervious surfaces by 2040, and the city of Raleigh alone expects its water customer base to increase from 545,000 to about 800,000 by 2030. In the face of increasing development, protecting land around drinking water sources is one of the most effective ways to protect water quality. Forests, wetlands and open fields absorb rain and runoff, and help trap sediment and pollutants before they enter streams and lakes. Land conservation also results in added community benefits such as new parks and greenways, air purification and flood protection.

“Conserving land along streams is a cost-effective way to protecting drinking water quality because it prevents polluted runoff from entering the water supply,” said Reid Wilson, Executive Director of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. “This reduces the cost of water treatment, so investing in strategic land protection is a win-win — it safeguards drinking water quality and saves money for customers.”

The Watershed Protection Model identifies more than 17,000 parcels of land totaling more than 260,000 acres in the Upper Neuse watershed that are eligible for funding from the city of Raleigh’s Watershed Protection Program. With this model, Upper Neuse Initiative partners have set a goal of protecting 30,000 acres over the next 30 years by working with willing landowners to protect priority properties.

Land protection efforts are a key part of a comprehensive strategy for clean water and pollution reduction that highlights the need for investments in both water and wastewater treatment facilities, and natural areas. The city of Raleigh, already a national leader in protecting water quality, will use the Watershed Protection Model to help direct water quality investments to the highest priority projects.

“The city of Raleigh is proud of our nationally-recognized initiative to protect drinking water quality through conservation of natural lands along the streams that feed Falls Lake,” said Kay Crowder, Raleigh City Council member. “The new watershed protection model will ensure that we target our resources to achieve the best value for our money, preserving those lands most critical for preventing polluted runoff. The result will be clean drinking water at a lower cost for decades to come.”

Forested Land near the Orchard at Altapass is Protected Forever

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Thanks to a generous land donation by Kit Trubey of Little Switzerland, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) protected another property near the Orchard at Altapass.  This 16-acre parcel is located just down Orchard Road from the Altapass Orchard near milepost 329 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The property, in McDowell County, lies within more than 3,600 acres that CTNC has already protected in the immediate area.

Donation of the property to CTNC is the result of years of collaboration between CTNC and the Orchard’s co-owners, Kit Trubey and her brother Bill Carson.  Ms. Trubey bought the 276-acre orchard to prevent development of the unique property.  CTNC began working with them to protect the Orchard’s land, apple trees, trails, vistas, and cultural heritage.  In 2001 CTNC purchased 132 acres of the orchard property upslope of the Parkway and donated it to the National Park Service for inclusion in the Parkway’s official boundary.  In March 2015, CTNC and the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund preserved the remaining 125 acres of streams and the working orchard.

CTNC plans to donate the 16-acre property to the National Park Service for inclusion in the boundaries of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  CTNC has now conserved 32,590 acres in 60 places along the Parkway.

LEGACY SOCIETY: Protecting Land for Future Generations

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This year the Conservation Trust for North Carolina celebrates 25 years of saving the places you love. As we look back at some of our milestones and accomplishments, we will continue to focus on our goals for the future. CTNC created its Legacy Society to honor and celebrate donors who, through estate planning, have made a commitment to ensure that pristine streams, thriving family farms, healthy forests, and spectacular mountain vistas are protected forever. These future gifts will contribute to the growth and success of CTNC and conservation efforts across the state for generations to come. Connie Backlund is one of our Legacy Society members, and here’s her story of why she joined.

For more information on joining our Legacy Society, contact a member of our staff.

In crafting her estate plan, Connie Backlund was guided by two principles—her love of the outdoors nurtured by her father, and her devotion to land protection. “The common theme of growing up on a family farm and later working for the National Park Service is being a good steward of the land and ensuring its well-being for future generations,” Connie explained. “By including the Conservation Trust for North Carolina in my estate plans I can make a tremendous difference throughout our state with continued land protection that ultimately results in an improved quality of life for all state residents.”

Connie grew up on what she calls an “all American farm” in west central Ohio. She spent much of her time as her father’s shadow, helping harvest corn, soybeans, oats and wheat, and raising their many dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs, and chickens. “I cannot imagine a grander childhood!”

In 2000, Connie’s father placed an agriculture easement on the farm, the second one in Ohio at the time, protecting the land as a working farm in perpetuity. Today the farm remains in Connie’s family where she still enjoys the fall harvesting of soybeans and corn.

The time spent outdoors as a child influenced many aspects of Connie’s life. Majoring in biology at Bowling Green State University, she participated in a biology field class where she discovered national parks. “I knew instantly while attending my first evening campfire program hosted by a young lady ranger in Badlands National Park that that was what I wanted to do!” Connie retired in 2012 after a 38-year career with the National Park Service. Her last position, for 18 years, was as the Superintendent at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in Flat Rock.

Connie became acquainted with the Conservation Trust in 1996 when CTNC was designated by the Governor’s Year of the Mountains Commission to lead and coordinate efforts to protect scenic views along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

In 2001, a 22-acre parcel adjoining the Sandburg Home, which served as the backdrop to one of the most scenic areas in the park, was put on the market. CTNC stepped forward and purchased the property, preventing it from being developed as a subdivision. “I am fortunate to have been part of a transaction regarding land protection and to see firsthand the degree of expertise and knowledge that the CTNC team has. It impressed me at that time and continues to do so today.”

Over the years Connie has spent time with CTNC supporters, staff and board members on various hikes and at special events that strengthened her connection with the organization. “Developing these relationships gives me the confidence that, like the land, my contributions and planned estate gift to CTNC will be well stewarded. I am honored to be a member of CTNC’s Legacy Society.”

34 Acres Protected near Blue Ridge Parkway in Wilkes County

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We recently protected 34 acres in Wilkes County in the upper reaches of the Yadkin Pee-Dee River basin. One of the streams on the property is the primary origin of the North Prong Lewis Fork. The stream cascades down the 240-foot Betsey’s Rock Falls.

CTNC acquired a conservation easement from the landowners.  The lasting agreement will prevent development along the stream and preserve both water quality and scenic views of Betsey’s Rock Falls.

“We are very happy to assist the Conservation Trust for North Carolina in its mission to protect views and water quality for the citizens of North Carolina and the visitors to America’s most visited national park, the Blue Ridge Parkway,” said Ann Lisk, who owns the property with her husband John and operates the Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary, a nonprofit horse rescue, there.

The property is visible from the Betsey’s Rock Falls Overlook at Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 267.8.  The dramatic waterfall is named after Betsey Pierce, a mother of two who lived on the property growing and selling ginseng and other herbs during the Civil War.  Betsey is buried at the Blue Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery near the overlook.  Betsey’s Rock Falls is a combination of free-falls and cascades and is most visible after heavy rain or in the winter when the trees are bare.  The easement is on private property and is not available for public access.

CTNC acquired the conservation easement on January 14th with support from the Duke Energy Water Resources Fund. “This grant from Duke Energy Foundation’s Water Resources Fund will help ensure that pristine water quality, healthy wildlife habitat, and scenic views will be preserved on a beautiful stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Wilkes County, said Reid Wilson, CTNC Executive Director. “We greatly appreciate Duke Energy’s generous support of this project.”

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