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?
Sometimes the outlook can feel bleak. Hurricane Helene was a jarring wake-up call that climate change is already bringing extreme weather, with devastating impacts. News reports tell us that wild creatures we cherish—like hellbender salamanders and monarch butterflies—could go extinct. And in so many places we see bulldozers scraping the raw earth; we see development taking over our farms and forests.
So what are you going to do?
As part of Conserving Carolina, you are creating a very different future, full of hope.
Imagine what happens if we respond to Helene with a new focus on resilience. We know that to be safer from floods and droughts, we need to bring back natural floodplains full of wetlands. When we do, it’s a new day for wildlife. We start to see more birds, fish, and other animals right away. That means we’re creating new places of wonder that people can experience while walking, paddling, fishing, or birding. This is already happening all along the upper French Broad River and its tributaries—with over 15 restorations recently completed or in the works!
In other ways too, you are part of a big vision for a hopeful future. You are creating a 100+ mile network of hiking trails through stunning mountain landscapes. You are advancing 50+ miles of connected rail trails that will bring new vitality to small town communities. You are protecting much-needed farms and forests. And you are making sure that conservation adds up, year after year, so more of this beautiful, living landscape is protected forever, for our children and grandchildren.
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 working with volunteers to tackle invasive plants like kudzu and nurturing biodiversity. We are making room for a future 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 new hiking trails and rail trails, in addition to more than 30 places we’ve already helped open to the public. These places make people more resilient, giving us space to heal, connect to something larger than ourselves, and tap into joy. We love sharing this experience with kids, so we can look toward a future 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.
