Connect
SAHC connects people with nature and conserved lands.
The best way to learn about conservation is to experience it for yourself. That could mean joining us for a guided hike to protected places, pitching in for a volunteer work day, finding yourself in an outdoor classroom, hosting your own special event at the SAHC Community Farm, exploring public parks and trails that SAHC has helped protect, learning how to grow food, and much more!
We invite you to explore the many ways to connect with special places that Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy continues to steward and protect. Learn more about our Outdoor Recreation, Farm and Food Access, and Community Engagement programs.
Guided Hikes & Experiences
Throughout the year we offer guided hikes and outings to connect people with spectacular properties SAHC has protected.
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Some hikes focus around an educational topic – like tree identification – while others highlight the experience of a particular place. We strive to offer a variety of outings for different abilities and skill levels. Check out a calendar of upcoming hikes and events! >>
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the heart of our organization! You can get involved with SAHC through habitat work days, outreach events, and more.
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Each year, SAHC hosts volunteer work days to help preserve and manage rare Appalachian grassy balds habitat in the Highlands of Roan. You can also volunteer to improve trails, remove invasive plant species to restore ecological balance, host a table at special events, and more. We welcome groups to contact us about potential service projects. Find out more about volunteering with SAHC >>
Youth Education
SAHC partners with diverse organizations to provide after-school, field trip, and summer camp experiences for youth.
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Some of these groups include the Asheville Parks & Recreation community centers, Buncombe County Schools, Green River Preserve, and Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians in TN – just to name a few. We provide on-site environmental education and coordinate field outings to special places. We can also provide field trip experiences for schools and community groups. To inquire about youth education partnerships, contact SAHC’s Community Engagement and Education Manager, LaKyla Hodges >>
SAHC Community Farm
Located in Alexander, NC, SAHC’s unique 140-acre farm property pairs local food production with environmental stewardship.
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SAHC’s Community Farm provides an asset to the community. The site hosts: an education and event space, a business incubator program for farmers, model silvopasture project, farmer education workshops, value-added production kitchen available for use by farmers and local small businesses, farm market stand, a Discovery Trail that meanders through varied habitat and projects, a StoryWalk, pollinator garden, herd of heritage breed Highland cattle, and more! Find out about the SAHC Community Farm>>
Host Your Wedding or Event
The SAHC Community Farm creates an exceptional setting for weddings and events, surrounded by long-range mountain views.
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Enjoy modern amenities amidst a beautiful farm backdrop with rolling fields and open space. Plus, hosting your event at the SAHC Community Farm helps support ongoing conservation efforts and farmland protection. Your special day supports a great cause! Find out more >>
Stay With Us
Immerse yourself in nature! Unplug and savor a guest stay in the mountains. Find out what makes conserved land so special.
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Thanks to generous supporters who want to help connect people with nature, SAHC has updated existing structures and added camping platforms on a few of our preserves. These select preserves are open for folks to reserve and immerse themselves in the beauty of conserved land. We invite you to stay with us! Reserve a guest stay at an SAHC property >>
Explore Protected Places
From SAHC’s beginning, we have worked to conserve places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in TN and NC.
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SAHC has protected land that is now part of Pisgah, Cherokee, and Nantahala National Forests. We also help create and expand public parks, including: Roan Mountain State Park, the Future Pisgah View State Park, Mt. Mitchell State Park, Rocky Fork State Park, Chestnut Mountain Nature Park, and Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We accomplish this work through myriad partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies and organizations. Find out about places that SAHC has helped conserve for you to explore >>
Support Conservation
Your support makes it possibe for SAHC to protect land, create parks, assist farmers, connect people with nature, and more.
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Become a member, provide a membership as a gift for a friend or family member, or make a contribution to honor a special loved one. Double your impact with a matched gift. From IRA gifts of stock to used car donations, there are lots of Ways to Give to support conservation in the mountains of NC and TN. Find out more >>
Challenge Yourself!
Each year, SAHC hosts a Winter Hiking Challenge to encourage people to get outside and get moving in the winter months.
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This challenge started as a way to inspire people to connect with each other and stay active outdoors during the months of January and February. It has become a favorite for both long-time members and people new to SAHC. We will connect the sign up form for next year’s Winter Hiking Challenge near the end of the calendar year. Check back for updates!
If you can’t get out for a visit to the mountains, experience conservation at home through Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Video Library on YouTube and flip through the latest editions of the View from the Highlands. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Linked-In for updates!
Connect with Us!
Interested in finding our more about these and other programs? Click on the links above or read recent stories highlighted in our blog. We welcome the opportunity to explore new partnerships.