Cold Mountain Game Lands Assist
We assisted the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in purchasing a 64-acre tract adjoining the Cold Mountain Game Lands near Lake Logan.
The forested tract, formerly owned by the Caldwell family, adjoins the Cold Mountain Game Lands and Significant Natural Heritage Areas, ranging in elevation from 3,400 – 4,000 feet.
It was purchased by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) for addition to the Cold Mountain Game Lands. Ownership by the state agency will help reduce land fragmentation and ensure that this area is protected and properly managed.
Timber on the property includes large yellow poplar, oak, and black cherry trees, and common wildlife species found on the tract include grouse, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, black bear, various songbirds, salamanders, and small mammals.
Protection of this tract was made possible through the partnership of SAHC and NC WRC. We assisted in the purchase by raising 25% of the purchase price through private philanthropic gifts.
The property will be open to the public for recreational opportunities, including hunting, hiking, bird-watching, and photography.
SAHC’s Land Protection in the Cold Mountain Area
Our assistance in helping NC WRC acquire this tract for the Cold Mountain Game Lands is part of ongoing conservation efforts in our Balsam Mountains Focus Area. The Balsam Mountains contain some of the most recognized public lands in the Southern Appalachians, including the Shining Rock Wilderness, Cold Mountain Game Lands and Mount Pisgah. They are a biodiversity hotspot and critical wildlife corridor between the Nantahala National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, characterized by fertile cove forests, rich species diversity, and hardwood forests.
Since 1999, we have protected nearly 11,000 acres in this area.
We hold conservation easements on more than 800 acres on Crawford Creek on the east side of Cold Mountain adjoining the Shining Rock Wilderness and the 8,000-acre Waynesville watershed (co-held with the Conservation Trust for NC).
SAHC is committed for the long haul to protecting more tracts in this iconic location.
