John Humphrey stands for conservation
“Well, everything is a long story,” explained unassuming and soft-spoken John Humphrey as he gazed across his picturesque Mills River farm.
At age 95, Humphrey has a lot of stories to tell. But sometimes the story isn’t what has happened on the land itself, but the impact to the land made by an individual. Humphrey’s far-reaching role in protecting Western North Carolina is a story in and of itself.
Raised in urban New Jersey, Humphrey’s love affair with the rural countryside was unlikely. It was his immersion in the Appalachian Mountains at an early age that planted a seed that would one day grow into a passion for conservation.
“At summer camp, I was exposed to wildlife, trees, mountains and hiking,” he explained. And though his desire to protect the land was rooted then, he didn’t know it. A career in chemical engineering and instrument sales brought him to rural Mills River in 1968. Once on his farm, a true relationship with the land began to blossom.
Humphrey developed a deep connection with his farm, and he quickly realized that it was leading to something long-lasting. Then, in 1996, he donated a conservation easement on 180 acres of his mountain farm to Henderson County’s newly formed Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. It was CMLC’s inaugural conservation project and proved to be the springboard for a local movement to preserve land in our region that is still going strong today.
Nestled in a secluded valley between two high ridges, Humphrey’s property features both lush forests and scenic farmland. But its conservation protected more than just a beautiful landscape. A rare southern-Appalachian bog is home to rare turtles, and nearly 300 other species of plants and animals also find safe harbor on his farm. The easement also safeguards water quality in Foster Creek, a headwater tributary of the North Mills River, which runs through the center of the farm.
Humphrey’s enthusiasm for conserving his property is exceeded only by his passion to care for it. Educating himself about how best to manage its resources is a responsibility for which he has never tired.
“I’m always trying to learn more about what the care of the land is all about,” he explained. And the nonagenarian remains as sharp as ever.
“This is the only sassafras tree on the entire property,” Humphrey said, while pointing at a tall gray trunk. Standing among a forest of trees seemingly numbering in the millions, I suspected he was telling a tall tale. But Humphrey knows his land like the back of his hand, and he knew his statement as a fact. One might suspect that the land itself is what keeps him so keen.
Preserving and caring for his farm is only one chapter in the story of Humphrey’s impact on the land. After the preservation of his farm, he immersed himself in CMLC’s mission — protecting our land and water resources by permanently conserving and actively caring for a regional network of farm, forest and park lands.
Humphrey educated himself on conservation easements, land acquisition and the inner workings of a conservation organization. He has served 12 years (and counting) on CMLC’s board — including two terms as president.
Humphrey’s enthusiasm for conservation proved contagious. Quietly convincing his neighbors to work with CMLC to conserve their adjacent properties, his farm has become the anchor tract in a landscape of more than 750 acres protected by CMLC in the Mills River watershed. Since Humphrey’s maiden conservation easement in 1996, CMLC has aided more than a hundred private landowners as well as local and regional government agencies in conserving more than 23,000 acres in Henderson, Transylvania and surrounding counties.
In 2005, Humphrey’s unparalleled commitment to conservation ran so deep, he actually bet the farm on it. In order to enable CMLC to protect the 1,568-acre Worlds Edge tract in Rutherford County — now a part of Chimney Rock State Park — he willingly offered up his Mills River farm as collateral for a loan to purchase the property.
Whether preserving his own property, passionately managing his land or leading others to pursue a path of conservation, Humphrey represents the heart and soul of protecting our region’s natural resources. Far more than a founding father of CMLC, Humphrey represents conservation at its core.
In the face of rapid development that is transforming our region’s landscape, Western North Carolina is fortunate to have Humphrey caring for its mountains. The future of the region will be bright as long as more of its residents follow John’s lead. And he is optimistic. “Well, maybe more of them will, if we keep after it,” he said.
A venerable 150-year-old white oak in Flat Rock’s Ironwood Square now bears Humphrey’s name in honor of his service to our region. The tree’s roots run deep in the land while its trunk stands strong among ever-present change. Its branches are forever reaching for new heights. It’s a perfect tribute to John Humphrey, a hero of conservation in Western North Carolina.
Peter Barr is the trails and outreach coordinator for Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. CMLC has protected more than 21,000 acres in Henderson, Transylvania and surrounding counties.