If you’re out traipsing high elevation mountains and meadows across WNC this July, you might spy the stunning red-orange trumpet of a Gray’s lily (Lilium grayi) bloom. Please look but don’t touch! This rare native flower has been suffering from a fungal disease that may be spread by contact. The Lily Leaf Spot Disease kills […]
On April 28, 2018, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and Nature Valley partnered with us for a volunteer work day at our Big Rock Creek Preserve, surrounded by national forest land and public recreation hotspots in the Highlands of Roan. In addition to the area’s rare habitats and unique species, SAHC’s Big Rock Creek […]
In 2018, SAHC accepted a donated conservation easement on 526 acres in Swannanoa owned by Chemtronics, Inc. The conservation easement permanently protects land adjoining Pisgah National Forest, as well as scenic views from the Blue Ridge Parkway, I-40 and NC Highway 70. “This landscape is important to the surrounding Swannanoa community, and we are pleased […]
Appreciating the beauty and ecological importance of the Highlands of Roan, Ben and Leah Sherman recently donated 15 acres in Carter County, TN to SAHC for us to protect forever from development. The property adjoins Cherokee National Forest and can be seen from the Appalachian Trail. Located a scant quarter mile from our Little Cove […]
“Kee Mapping and Surveying was established 11 years ago and now has over 20 team members. One of our first projects was with SAHC on a property that had stunning views of the Black Mountain Range. Over the years, we have maintained a working relationship with the conservancy protecting thousands of acres throughout Western NC. Our […]
We purchased 170 acres in two adjoining tracts at Strawberry Gap and Stony Point near the Eastern Continental Divide to protect water resources, plant and animal habitat, and scenic views from public trails and scenic byways. We plan to own these properties for the long term and manage the forests to promote resilience, diversity and […]
In northwest Madison County, 541 secluded acres of forest filter miles of clean mountain streams that once provided drinking water to town residents. We worked with the Town of Marshall to permanently protect the Marshall Watershed property with a conservation easement — our sixth project to conserve municipal watershed lands. The Clean Water Management Trust […]
Hiker Yuliya Semenova fulfilled our “Southern Sixer Challenge” in exuberant style this winter and submitted an exciting account of her recent expeditions. Congrats, Yuliya — and thank you for sharing your journeys with us! First Expedition “Hi there, beers and mountains challenge has been accepted and done! My name is Yuliya and I had a kick […]
Freshwater mussels are a distinctive component of the biological communities found in aquatic habitats throughout North America. Freshwater ecosystems of the Southern Appalachians in particular are home to a diverse array of mussel species.
Congress Should Make Investments in Parks, Access and Outdoor Recreation Economy [Statement from the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition spokesman and SAHC Board President Jay Leutze— January 30, 2018] Jay Leutze, Board President of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and a spokesman for the LWCF Coalition, today reacted to the President’s infrastructure proposals outlined in […]
