Imagine the future you want to see. What kind of world do you want to live in? What do you want to pass on to your kids and grandkids, or the children in your life?
It’s easy to get lost in bleak predictions. Development everywhere, taking over our farms and forests. Wild creatures going extinct. A climate that is hotter and more dangerous. But as part of Conserving Carolina, you are creating a very different future, full of hope.
In this future, our waterways are clear and healthy. Life is abundant—everything from birds and butterflies, to bear and foxes, to turtles and wildlowers. Protected forests and restored wetlands offer natural solutions to climate change. Healthy farms are growing food. Everyone has places to enjoy the outdoors—like greenways, hiking trails, nature preserves, and outdoor classrooms. Nature is a source of joy and awe, and people are inspired to give back.
That is the future that you are creating when you give to Conserving Carolina’s Future Fund.
What is the Future Fund?
The Future Fund is our annual fund. We rely on donors like you to give every year to keep Conserving Carolina going in our three-part mission to protect, restore, and inspire appreciation of our natural world.
Protect
You can protect special places forever. Conserving Carolina has already helped protect over 49,000 acres, including some of this region’s most treasured public lands—like DuPont, Chimney Rock, Headwaters, and the Hickory Nut Gorge trail system. Protected private lands include farms, forests, rivers, and summer camps. But with such major challenges to our future, we need to do more to protect the places that sustain our lives with food, water, health, and beauty.
Restore
You can leave the natural world better than you found it. If you want to see nature making a comeback, visit one of our restoration projects. Along the upper French Broad River, we’re bringing back wetlands, sloughs, meadows, and riverside forests. The result is a resurgence of life. At our nature preserves, we’re tackling invasive plants like kudzu and nurturing biodiversity, so the future will be full of wildflowers, salamanders, birds, and other wild wonders.
Inspire
You can connect more people with nature—inspiring them to give back. We’re moving forward on 100+ miles of hiking trails and 50+ miles of rail trails, in addition to more than 30 places we’ve already helped open to the public. Last year, Conserving Carolina had more community engagement events than there were days in the year, including many events with youth. We care deeply about connecting kids with nature, so the future will be guided by people who are passionate about protecting our natural world.
How Our Team Multiplies Your Donation
Your gift to Conserving Carolina supports everything we do—from hands-on work at conservation projects, to outreach in our community, to managing our organization.
Much of your annual donation supports our staff. Our highly skilled team does exceptional conservation work—and leverages your donation so we can do even more. We develop outstanding projects and apply for grants that, in an average year, will triple your donation. We build relationships with landowners who go on to show great generosity in conserving their land. And we invest in community outreach, so that more people are inspired to give, making conservation stronger.
Your gift to the Future Fund goes far further than you might think. You are protecting our natural world. You are growing hope for the future.