We Did It! 50,000 Acres and Counting
We have some exciting news to share! This past weekend at our annual Conservation Celebration, we announced a major milestone: Conserving Carolina has helped to protect over 50,000 acres of land in our region.
This incredible achievement was made possible by supporters like you who worked with us to save some of Western North Carolina’s greatest gems. From iconic landmarks to critical wildlife habitats, your support has helped protect tens of thousands of acres of parks, greenways, forests, wetlands, rivers, summer camps, and family farms.
The Power of Protecting Our Land
Can you imagine if these places had not been protected? Many were slated for development before we had the chance to conserve them. These natural wonders are here today because our community came together to save the places they love.
As we celebrate this milestone and look to the future, we know that conservation is more important than ever. With more people moving to our region and the threat of extreme weather, we need to protect and restore nature to make our landscapes more resilient. Conserving land ensures we have natural areas that make our region special and provides more places for all of us to connect with the outdoors.
A Closer Look at the 50,000 Acres You Helped Protect
Here are just a few of the incredible places you have helped us protect:
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: We helped create this state forest in the 1990s and more recently added 717 acres, linking it to a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor.
- Chimney Rock State Park: We helped add thousands of acres to this treasured state park, including the astonishing World’s Edge property.
- Bearwallow Mountain & Connected Trails: A popular hiking spot with panoramic views, Bearwallow Mountain now links to 16 miles of connected trails, including the beloved Wildcat Rock, Trombatore, and Strawberry Gap trails.
- Headwaters State Forest: We played a key role in protecting 6,730 acres of pristine forests, with abundant waterfalls, trout streams, and mountain bogs.
- Weed Patch Mountain & Connected Trails: Thousands of protected acres north of Lake Lure are already home to the stunning Weed Patch Mountain Trail, with new trails coming soon.
- 50 Miles of Rail Trails: We helped purchase the land for the 19-mile Ecusta Trail and the 31-mile Saluda Grade Trail. With the first section of the Ecusta Trail now open, these trails hold so much promise for our communities.
- Natural Floodplain Restorations: Just three of our natural floodplain restorations stored 1.25 billion gallons of floodwater during Helene. We are now working on nine more along the French Broad River.
- North Pacolet River Preserves: Beloved preserves around Saluda and Tryon, including Melrose Falls and Norman Wilder Forest, protect exceptional biodiversity and unparalleled spring wildflowers.
- Little White Oak Mountain: We were able to save this scenic landmark from development and create over 1,000 acres of new public land, including four miles of new trails next to Polk County Middle School.
- Private Conservation Land: Tens of thousands of acres of family farms, working forests, summer camps, and other natural areas on private property are protected forever, ensuring beautiful scenery and important wildlife habitat.
This incredible milestone has been decades in the making, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the passion and vision of our community and leaders. Our Executive Director, Kieran Roe, has been at the helm for over 25 years, helping to guide our efforts and expand our impact. In this video, Kieran shares his thoughts on reaching 50,000 acres and what this means for the future of conservation in our region.
The Future of Conservation
Thank you for helping us protect 50,000 acres of awe-inspiring places! We are blessed to live in an area full of natural wonders.
As we look forward, we know we need to protect and restore much more of our precious—and threatened—natural world. There is still a chance to protect places that bring us joy, provide much-needed wildlife habitat, and strengthen our resilience in a changing climate. Will you help us conserve the next 50,000 acres?