Roan Naturalist Kalie Pierce
As Roan Naturalist, I am thankful to have become so intimate…
Protecting land through acquisition or conservation easement is only the first step. Stewardship is the permanent commitment to uphold and manage conservation lands. We also act as a leader among partners that restore and manage the fragile, globally significant ecosystems of the Highlands of Roan.
Managing SAHC Preserves
For land we directly own, we identify each property’s conservation values and strive to best protect those values in accordance with a management plan for each property. Each year, we monitor the properties that SAHC owns in fee simple, as well as our conservation easements.
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To address management issues, we work with community partners and organize volunteer work days on SAHC preserves — which have included invasive species removal, trail building and maintenance, removing trash or debris, and managing habitat for native species.
Monitoring Conservation Easements
Conservation easements are forever. With each easement SAHC accepts, we commit ourselves to the permanent protection of each property’s unique conservation values. We do this by developing baselines, monitoring easements, processing permitted use requests, and employing enforcement actions when necessary.
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Success means working in partnership with landowners and the local communities in which our protected lands are located. We provide guidance to landowners to ensure that all parties have the knowledge and tools to uphold their end of the conservation agreement. We believe that a good relationship with landowners is the best method to guarantee the integrity of conservation easements is preserved.
Roan Stewardship
Numerous special places and critical ecosystems exist within our service area, with the globally-significant Highlands of Roan arguably one of the most exceptional. We have a special program dedicated to assure the viability of the Roan Massif ecosystem and protection of its exceptional natural, cultural and scenic heritage while accommodating non-destructive scientific, educational, and recreational public use.
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SAHC convenes a collaborative partnership of land-owning agencies, organizations and individuals to work through joint stewardship projects, conservation planning, research and monitoring for the restoration and long-term management of the entire Roan massif.
Jorja Smith
