Tom and Laurie Williams: Why We Support SAHC
We are grateful to Tom and Laurie Williams for being champions of conservation and part of our Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle! Currently serving as Secretary of the SAHC Board of Trustees, Tom recognizes the urgent need to ensure that SAHC continues to preserve and steward the natural features that people love about these mountains. He enjoys talking with people while hiking in areas that we have helped protect and would like to raise recognition of SAHC endeavors in securing public lands for people to enjoy outdoor recreation.
Lifelong Love of Mountains
Tom grew up enjoying the mountains with his family. His fond memories include a summer camp where he says “the land was pristine, there was no electricity, we washed in the waterfall, and they wore us out. It was wonderful.”
Those early experiences were foundational. As a child, Tom filled out his description of the perfect house for a 3rd grade school project -it was a cabin in the mountains. As a youth and later as a teen working at the Kanuga Conference and Retreat Center, Tom says he “spent a lot of time in the mountains and always hoped to live in the mountains full time.”
He was able to make the leap for that dream to become reality in 2009. His family shares a love and appreciation for the outdoors, and they found the perfect spot to build their dream home in Fairview.
“I count my lucky stars because virtually everything in our view has been preserved by SAHC,” Tom shares. “But there is a lot more to do, and it’s only going to get harder to accomplish conservation on this scale over time.”
One of Tom’s favorite aspects of SAHC’s conservation work is the creation of new public parks, additions to public lands, and new trails – including the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park in Canton, Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee, parts of Mt. Mitchell State Park, the future Pisgah View State Park, additions to the NC State Game Lands and national forests in both NC and TN, and the Strawberry Gap Trail created in partnership with Conserving Carolina.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been hiking on or near SAHC-preserved land and I tell the people I meet about the organization and how the land they are enjoying was preserved — and they are blown away by it,” says Tom. “With the 50th anniversary of SAHC in 2024, it’s more important than ever to accomplish conservation work centered around common goals and purposes, like the way people came together to create the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park. Projects like that show that conservation is a need and value for folks of all backgrounds.”
“People come here for the beauty of the scenery, and that is increasingly under threat,” adds Tom. “SAHC works to protect this beautiful land – the reason why so many people love to visit and live in this place. I’m thrilled to be a part of SAHC; it’s a rare opportunity to do something significant in this life.”
“SAHC works to protect this beautiful land – the reason why so many people love to visit and live in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. I’m thrilled to be a part of SAHC; it’s a rare opportunity to do something significant in this life.” ~ Tom Williams
Accomplishing More by Working Together
When he was about 14 years old, Tom spent time on Roan Mountain with his older brother. He recalls that they only saw about 3 other people during that trip. Now, SAHC’s Roan Naturalist – an environmental educator and seasonal assistant in habitat management – documents thousands of visitors to the Roan Highlands in a single summer weekend. The dramatic rise in popularity places fragile habitat resources at risk.
“The bottom line is that we want to be careful about not ‘killing the goose that lays the golden egg,’” says Tom. “We need to make sure that people can continue to love and enjoy the mountains in future generations. It’s SAHC’s responsibility to preserve land as much as possible now, because when it’s gone, it’s gone forever. But we don’t do this alone. People are able to accomplish more when we find common ground and work together.”
Help Fulfill the Promise of Conservation - Get Involved!
For questions or more information about joining the Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle or making a transformational gift for SAHC’s 50th anniversary, contact Cheryl Fowler at (828) 253-0095 ext. 209 or cheryl@appalachian.org.
Or mail donations to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, 372 Merrimon Avenues, Asheville NC 28801.
