Blue Ridge Conservancy and CTNC Team Up to Conserve 103 Acres in Alleghany County

Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) jointly purchased a 103-acre property along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Alleghany County.  The land borders the Parkway and Doughton Park for approximately 4,000 feet and features both scenic vistas and important wildlife habitat.

This section of the Parkway was cut into the north side of Bluff Mountain where ice coats the rocks above the road, thus giving this area the name “Ice Rock.” The Ice Rock is a popular destination for ice climbing in the winter when the Parkway is closed.

BRC and CTNC plan to donate this land to the National Park Service to be managed as part of Doughton Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The addition of this property to the Parkway will preserve the scenic vistas along the Parkway and increase the connectivity of protected lands in the area.

“Protecting the High Country’s scenic vistas and mountain landscapes is part of Blue Ridge Conservancy’s mission,” said Walter Clark, BRC Executive Director. “With the National Park Service’s Centennial this year, we celebrate the Parkway as the most frequently visited national park unit in the country.  BRC is proud to partner with CTNC to conserve these iconic views along this one-of-a-kind scenic byway.”

Doughton Park hosts 30 miles of hiking trails with open meadows, campgrounds, healthy forests and abundant wildlife viewing.  The park offers a variety of cultural and historical demonstrations by NPS staff.  “The Doughton Park section of the Blue Ridge Parkway has a special place in the Parkway’s history,” said Parkway Superintendent Mark Woods.  “It is among the oldest sections of the Parkway, yet with this newly protected tract and renewed interest in other attractions in this area, the future is very bright.”

“We are thrilled to have a small part in protecting this incredible view for all Parkway visitors to enjoy and encourage everyone to get out and explore Doughton Park,” said Margaret Newbold, CTNC Associate Director.

Funding for the Ice Rock project was made possible by a generous donation from Fred and Alice Stanback.

Blue Ridge Conservancy, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and several other partners recently launched a website highlighting land trust protected properties along the NC section of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The web link is:  http://protecttheblueridgeparkway.org/

The website includes photos and property descriptions, including availability for hiking, an interactive map, landowner stories, and information about each partner land trust and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

CTNC and Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) are helping to protect the land at Walnut Hill, a 410-acre property in Johnson and Wake Counties. TLC formally protects the land, while CTNC monitors the land in person to ensure that it is preserved in its initial, healthy state. This summer, four Stanback interns from CTNC visited Walnut Hill to conduct annual monitoring of the property. It’s a beautiful area, with plenty of forested areas and streams – natural lands like this are important for maintaining healthy wildlife populations and clean water. The visit provided a glimpse into the world of local wildlife, and how plant and animal species depend on each other.

Pollinators

Along the roads leading into Walnut Hill, pollinator species are immediately noticeable. Pollinators are animals – most often insects and birds – that move pollen between plants, helping the plants to reproduce. In this case, butterflies, moths, and bees are most commonly found on the roadside flowers.

Pollinators are crucial because many plants couldn’t reproduce without them. They also keep plant populations healthy by making sure they’re genetically diverse, meaning that if disease hits a group of plants, it’s less likely to wipe out the whole group since some of them can adapt and survive.

In North Carolina, common pollinators include swallowtail butterflies, bumblebees, honey bees, goldenrod soldier beetles, and ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Creeks & Streams

Streams are home to a huge variety of living things. In small waterways like this one, there may be small fish, frogs and toads, turtles, insects, and microscopic algae. Even more species may live nearby, including newts and salamanders, as well as special water-loving plants.

Activities upstream can have major impacts on streams like this, even miles away. When developed areas are highly paved, rainwater runs straight across the paved surfaces instead of filtering slowly into the ground. This causes the water to move quickly into nearby creeks and streams. It moves so quickly that it erodes the sides of the streams, causing sedimentation and damage to the habitat.

Forest Wildlife

Wildlife doesn’t just live in streams, though. Toads like this one, for example, can be found throughout the forest. Toads are amphibians, but some of the other animals we see most frequently are mammals and birds.

If you’ve ever been in a North Carolina forest, chances are you’ve seen white-tailed deer, an animal so common its populations can damage habitats because of the amount of plant matter they eat. Eastern cottontail rabbits are also native to the state, although they’re often harder to spot. Bats are sometimes found in forests, as they use hollow trees for shelter.

Birds are all around us whether we’re in the forest, city, or suburbs. The species of birds found in forests can be different from those in other areas, though, because the trees provide different feeding and roosting opportunities. Some of the more common forest birds include nuthatches, woodpeckers, warblers, and owls.

Plant Life

A forest is, of course, made up of plants. North Carolina is full of tree species like loblolly pine, hickory, live oak, and more. Walnut Hill contains both evergreen and hardwood trees, providing habitat for diverse species.

Walnut Hill also has some open fields, which are great locations for blackberries, raspberries, and milkweed. Tall grasses grow between these plants, along with shrubs and sometimes small trees. Many fields would eventually grow into forests if they didn’t experience frequent disturbance, such as mowing or fires. But fields like this provide valuable food and shelter for certain bird and insect species.

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.

On June 8^th, 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.

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.

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 14^th 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.”

We recently purchased two forested properties totaling 75 acres on the slopes of Saddle Mountain in Alleghany and Surry counties.  To expand public recreation opportunities, CTNC intends to convey the properties to the state for inclusion in the Saddle Mountain portion of the Mitchell River Game Lands managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

The two properties contain portions of Mill Creek, rated as a trout stream and “High Quality Waters” by the NC Department of Environmental Quality.  The protection of these properties will help preserve unpolluted tributaries and portions of the main stem of Mill Creek in the headwaters of the Fisher River, the drinking water supply for the town of Dobson.  Further downstream, the Yadkin River provides drinking water for millions of residents in the North Carolina Piedmont, including Winston-Salem.

The Saddle Mountain properties are located approximately ¼-mile off the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 222 in Ennice.  The properties are visible from sections of the Parkway near Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook, north of Saddle Mountain.

CTNC purchased the properties on December 23 with generous support from Fred and Alice Stanback, the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, The Cannon Foundation, and the Tom and Elaine Wright Family Foundation.

In 2005, CTNC purchased 251 acres on Saddle Mountain and conveyed it to the state, enabling expansion of the Mitchell River Game Lands to include the vast majority of the iconic Saddle Mountain.  The project contributes to an ongoing, collaborative conservation initiative with Piedmont Land Conservancy (based in Greensboro, www.piedmontland.org) and the state that has resulted in the protection of 510 acres on Saddle Mountain since 2005.  Hunting is permitted on the state-owned portion of Saddle Mountain.  In addition, a Stanback Hiking Trail was completed there in 2014, offering hikers the opportunity to enjoy expansive views of the Piedmont to the east and the Blue Ridge mountains to the west from the top of Saddle Mountain.  The trail is accessible from Saddle Mountain Church Road.