Last year was an outstanding year for land protection on the plateau! Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT) was able to conserve six new places. This brings the total HCLT conserved properties to date to 3,230 acres in 100 places!
Chances are you already know about and enjoy some of the places that your Land Trust owns and protects such as Satulah Mountain Preserves; Ravenel Park, home of Sunset and Sunrise Rocks; McKinney Meadow and The Kelsey Trail to name a few. Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust protected properties range from the upper Nantahala River to the mountains overlooking Sylva to the rim of Pantertown Valley in the Chattooga River. We protect streams, forests, wetlands and rock outcrops. Most of our properties are not open to the public, but they all benefit the public in some way.
An aerial photo of Highlands. Photo courtesy of Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust.
Newest HCLT protected properties:
The Hartman’s gave their portion of Sunset Rock, expanding the HCLT owned Ravenel Park and protecting a larger portion of this Highland’s treasure.
Sassafras Gap Farm is a 22 acre property donated by Stell Huie on the edge of Blue Valley that has a stunning view of Satulah Mountain and buffers Nantahala National Forest.
Castor Meadows is a small old farm in the Glenville community donated by John Berteau with rare habitats including beaver wetland and early successional habitat.
Dendy Orchard Knob is a small conservation easement donated by Ken Nimmons buffering Nantahala National Forest in the Turtle Pond community.
Cedar Hill is a 44 acre conservation easement on the eastern side of Rock Mountain in Cashiers, overlooking Sapphire Valley. It protects rare species and habitats, and adds to other HCLT protected lands in the area.
High Knob is a 150 acre conservation easement donated by Patrick Horan and Noel Thurner near Caney Fork and protected in partnership with the Open Space Institute. It protects a climate-resilient landscape that provides critical habitat for plants and animals as climatic changes happen and connects to a large swath of other protected lands in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. Several rare and endangered species call this property home.
To learn how you can preserve your family land or to find out how you can become a member, contact Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust at 828-526-1111 or info.hitrust@earthlink.net. We are a nationally accredited, 501 c3 non-profit organization that depends on the support of our members and grantors to conserve new places and care for the properties we have. Together we are saving the places we all love and need.