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sahcadmin2026-03-07 17:08:042026-03-12 19:01:22Bowditch Bottoms Livestake PlantingSouthern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is a non-profit, accredited land trust that protects, stewards, and connects people with landscapes across Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Founded in 1974, SAHC has helped protect over 95,000 acres of land in the Southern Appalachians. We hope you explore our website, learn more about our work, and get involved!
Sign Up for Our E-News
SAHC sends roughly 2-3 emails per month with land protection stories, upcoming hikes and events, and news. Sign up below. SAHC promises to never share or sell your data.
Volunteer with Us!
SAHC hosts volunteer events throughout the year, ranging from habitat management in the Highlands of Roan to community engagement opportunities across our service area. Learn more and sign up to volunteer at our Volunteer webpage.
Donate to Become a Member
Donors to SAHC are our core of support, making conservation and ongoing stewardship of protected landscapes possible. Members of SAHC receive the View from the Highlands printed newsletter and go on all SAHC hikes for free! To learn more and make a gift, visit our Membership webpage.
Upcoming Outings, Volunteer Days and Events
SAHC leads hikes, volunteer days, and other events like yoga, birding, and more. Learn more and sign up for upcoming outings by clicking on events below.
Stabilizing & Revegetating Streams: A Landowner Workshop
2026 August Blue Hole Falls Hike and Swim
2027 SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge
Recent Highlights
Bull Creek Preserve
In September 2025, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased 191 acres on the shoulder of Warren Wilson College in the Swannanoa valley to conserve a tract of forest, open pasture, and section of Bull Creek. The purchase ensures that SAHC’s Bull Creek Preserve at Warren Wilson College will be protected forever from development, preserving its scenic beauty, water resources, habitat, and trails for people to enjoy.
Deaverview Mountain
In 2026, SAHC successfully conserved a 343-acre mountaintop tract known as Deaverview Mountain in partnership with Buncombe County. By SAHC securing grant funds totaling over $8 million dollars, this property was purchased by the County and is now in the beginning stages of becoming an iconic public park for all to enjoy.
SAHC’s Community Farm
SAHC’s 140-acre Community Farm was protected in 2010 and offers a home for continually evolving conservation, education, and agricultural projects. The site hosts an innovative Farm Incubator Program, Education Center, and more, providing a nationally recognized model for environmentally-friendly land management and productive agriculture. The space can also be rented for events like weddings, family reunions, and more.
Stories of the Land
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sahcadmin2026-03-07 17:08:042026-03-12 19:01:22Bowditch Bottoms Livestake Planting
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sahcadmin2026-02-18 15:31:212026-02-18 15:31:21Hominy Creek Expansion to Chestnut Mountain Nature Park
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sahcadmin2026-02-11 10:42:242026-02-11 10:42:43Lightwood Mountain
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sahcadmin2026-02-09 18:47:152026-02-09 18:47:15Jenkins Branch Farm Stream Repair Workshop
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sahcadmin2025-12-12 16:03:182025-12-12 16:03:18Cane River Confluence
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sahcadmin2025-11-25 11:26:322025-11-25 15:56:36SAHC Transfers 1,060 Acres to NC Wildlife Resources CommissionWhat We Do
The health and happiness of future generations depends on how we invest today in protecting the lands and water we depend upon. To foster healthy communities, we work with willing landowners to protect:
- Water quality in streams and rivers
- Habitat for wildlife and rare plants
- Places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation
- Farmland for local food production
- Scenic viewsheds of the Southern Appalachians
We responsibly steward protected lands and conservation easements, ensuring that the forests, streams, and farms we have protected will be here forever.
Our volunteers help remove invasive species, build and maintain trails, and care for our preserves. We also convene partnerships to restore and effectively manage the fragile, globally significant ecosystems of the Highlands of Roan — the landscape surrounding one of the most scenic sections of the Appalachian Trail.
Going to the mountains IS going home. People are deeply connected to the Southern Appalachians, and we nurture these relationships through conservation.
We connect people with land, advancing opportunities for access for farming, outdoor recreation, and outreach regarding our conservation mission. We invite you to join us for a hike, learn during a workshop on our Community Farm, or enjoy the company of friends at a special event.
Get in Touch!
Stewardship After the Storm
Learn more about how Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy was impacted by and responded to Hurricane Helene using the GIS Story Map linked below. This interactive webpage enables you to walk through our team’s challenges and storm response through maps, video, slider tools, and imagery. This work highlights the critical role land trusts can play in disaster response, adaptive stewardship, and climate-informed land management in the Southern Appalachians.
Thank you to our partners, donors, supporters, and Appalachian community for holding us through one of the most difficult chapters of our organization’s history. We look forward to ongoing restoration work and upholding our forever promise to protect and steward the natural resources of the Southern Appalachians for generations to come.
