View from the Highlands 2022 v.2

Gray’s lily, photo by Travis Bordley

Letter from the Executive Director

Carl Silverstein

372 Merrimon Avenue

Asheville, NC 28801-1222

828.253.0095 • FAX 828.253.1248

sahc@appalachian.org

Board of Trustees

Nancy Edgerton, President Asheville, NC

Sheryl Aikman, Vice-President Asheville, NC

Tom Williams, Secretary Fairview, NC

Pam Kelley, Treasurer Kingsport, TN

Allison Williams, At-Large Charleston, SC

Sarah Davis Asheville, NC

Mary Fanslow Kingsport, TN

Janet Garrett Asheville, NC

Miranda (Randy) Hunter Flat Rock, NC

Hannah Latragna Asheville, NC

John McLendon Pittsboro, NC

Larry (Pender) Pender Hendersonville, NC

Rich Preyer Asheville, NC

Chris Soto Johnson City, TN

Jay Leutze Senior Advisor to the Board Staff

Carl Silverstein Executive Director

Kristy Urquhart Associate Director

Michelle Pugliese Land Protection Director

Jess Laggis Farmland Protection Director

Hanni Muerdter Conservation Director

Marquette Crockett Roan Stewardship Director

Sarah Sheeran Stewardship Director

Chris Kaase Stewardship Associate

Cheryl Fowler Membership Director

Lisa Fancher Finance Compliance Director

Angela Shepherd Communications Director

Pauline Heyne Director of Philanthropy

Chris Link Community Farm Manager

Kirin Battaglia Weddings & Events Coordinator

Travis Bordley Roan Ecologist

LaKyla Hodges Equity and Education Manager

Park Greer South Yellow Mtn Preserve Manager

Kyle Shute Land Protection Associate

AmeriCorps Project Conserve

David Hagler Stewardship & Volunteer Member

Corinna Mokotoff Stewardship & Volunteer Member

Leigh Johnson Schaefer Stewardship & Volunteer Member

Emily Starnes Community Engagement & Education

What happens when families can no longer continue to own and manage their land? They may have hoped to keep it intact and pass it on to their heirs, but for financial or health-related reasons be compelled to list it for sale on the real-estate market, with a high risk of it ending up getting developed. Or they may have to subdivide it in order to pass on small portions to various branches of their family, risking it being further carved up for development or sold off with each successive generation. SAHC offers alternative strategies to outcomes such as those, and several examples appear in this issue of the View from the Highlands.

Our large, intact privately owned land holdings are crucial to the rolling mountain vistas and scenic backdrops of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. But they are becoming scarcer as the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ pressures of climate change and real-estate development pinch our mountains. People from other parts of the nation are experiencing drought, oppressive heat and wildfire events, and are choosing to move here seeking refuge in our relatively mild southern Appalachian climate.

They’re also drawn here for our abundant outdoor recreation opportunities, clean water resources, and ‘farm to table’ style food movements. All these factors drive migration to our area and accelerate real-estate development more intensively than what we have ever seen. This increases the risk that the very land and water resources that draw people here may be lost forever.

In this issue, we share stories of several gems of the southern Appalachians, now permanently protected thanks to your generous support. They could have so easily gone another way, but are conserved now. Their stories contain heroism of the landowners, our staff, generous philanthropic leaders, and stalwart members of the organization whose support has carried SAHC for almost 50 years. Several of these success stories involve preserving large tracts which could have easily been purchased for development. Realizing a conservation outcome for places like Reems Creek Bowl and Dutch Cove represents a major win for people, plants, wildlife, and the planet.

Balance is a forever theme in conservation. We must balance preserving the places we love with the pressures of increasing numbers of folks who live in and visit these mountains. And, as the threats to our WNC and East TN regions grow, it is increasingly critical that we are able to act swiftly in pursuit of that balance. Your support makes these timely projects possible. Thank you!

Map: SAHC’s Conservation Focus Areas with New Conservation Projects in this Issue

Gibson Farm pg. 18-19

Robinson Creek pg. 14-17

Appalachian Trail Countryside

AppalachianTrail

Smoky Mountains

French Broad River Valley

BlueRidgeParkway

Balsam Mountains

Highlands of Roan

Black Mountains

Blue Ridge Parkway

Creek Bowl pg. 4-9

Dutch Cove pg. 12-13

Protect Steward Connect

The mission of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, enduring for future generations. We achieve this through long-term conservation relationships with private landowners and public agencies and owning and managing land. We are committed to creating and supporting equitable, healthy and thriving communities for everyone in our region.

Reems

Ballard Cove pg. 10-11

Reems Creek Bowl

229 Acres in the Craggy Mountains

The summits of the Craggy and Black Mountains cap the horizon of Reems Creek Valley just outside Weaverville, NC. It is a stunning backdrop that epitomizes what we love about the southern Appalachians. An important side ridge off the crest of the Craggies was recently for sale and could have been purchased for development, which would have detracted from Pisgah National Forest and conserved land just west of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Fortunately, this beautiful 229-acre tract is now an SAHC-owned nature preserve. Wildlife will continue to roam the mountainside, and headwater streams of Reems Creek will flow pristine while people enjoy the beautiful forested views for many years to come.

The Reems Creek Bowl Preserve boasts pristine headwater streams and habitat, beautiful forested slopes enjoyed as scenic views from public lands and trails, and a rich family history with memories shared by generations who loved and cared for this land. Three sibling landowners – Jane Stikeleather, Becky Norris, and James (Jimmy) Stikeleather, III – needed to sell the remarkable tract they had inherited and managed together for many years. They sold the majority of the property – 229 acres – to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. This bowlshaped cove of forested ridges and rocky hillsides arches across the ancient Craggy Mountains, rising to 4,800 ft. in elevation and adjoining Pisgah National Forest and other SAHC-protected lands, including our Snowball Mountain Preserve and Woodfin Watershed conservation easement. They sold the balance

of the property – 69 acres at lower elevation – to a couple who intend to use it as a mountain retreat. This acreage includes the locally famous “Blackberry Inn,” mentioned in the book Cabins and Castles, The History & Architecture of Buncombe County, NC.

Protecting the Reems Creek Bowl

“This is a proud accomplishment,” says Executive Director Carl Silverstein. “The Reems Creek Bowl is an incredible place, a conservation priority for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and our partners for decades. A beautiful cove surrounded by public lands and other conserved tracts, it would have been a shame to see it sold for development. Because of the landowners’ needs and time constraints, that was a real risk. Fortunately, SAHC has built an internal revolving loan fund which enables us to close on time-sensitive

SAHC recently purchased upper slopes and ridges in this spectacular bowl-shaped cove, permanently protecting more of the Craggy Mountains.

Streams on the property flow into Reems Creek, a major tributary of the French Broad River.

transactions like this one before such opportunities are lost.

For Reems Creek Bowl, SAHC has secured a grant from the NC Land and Water Fund to help pay for the land. However, the months required for the State’s due diligence and grant administration before it can release the funds would not have worked for the landowners. They simply could not have waited longer to close on the sale. Thanks to SAHC leaders whose foresight led us to establish a revolving loan fund, and our generous donors who helped us build the fund, we had capital to enable us to complete this important purchase before the opportunity was lost.”

SAHC is working with NC Land and Water Fund to administer the grant so that we can receive the funds from the State, re-pay the internal revolving loan, and make the capital available for future SAHC conservation acquisitions.

The Reems Creek Bowl has been a longtime conservation priority of SAHC and our partners because of its high elevation, over two miles of headwater tributaries of Reems Creek, and other qualities. Also, it, adjoins a network of thousands of acres of protected land in an important wildlife corridor, and borders a beloved public trail – the Snowball Mountain Trail.

“The Reems Creek Bowl property contains significant, biologically diverse and rare habitat, including high elevation rock outcrops and early successional glade

communities, not to mention remarkable stands of old growth forest,” says Stewardship Director Sarah Sheeran. “It truly is a magical and stunning property.”

Hikers can look down into the bowl from the vantage point of Hawkbill Rock on the Snowball Mountain Trail, a spur off the Mountains-to-Sea Trail accessed near the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area. Although the property will be managed as a nature preserve and not generally open to the public, the beauty of Reems Creek Bowl is easy to enjoy from the Snowball Mountain Trail.

“For over 100 years, the Stikeleather family cared for this treasured land in the Reems Creek Valley,” says Land Protection Director Michelle Pugliese. “The property was visited by many locals, from campers gathering to stand inside the cavity of the locally famous ‘Stikeleather Poplar’ to visitors of the historic Blackberry Inn that sits on the southern portion of the property (not purchased by SAHC). I imagine a great deal of exploration occurred on these slopes of Snowball Mountain over the past century. Today, the popular Snowball

BlueRidgeParkway

New Conservation Property

Other SAHC Preserves / Easements

US Forest Service

National Park Land (Blue Ridge Parkway)

State of NC owned Land

Other Protected Land

Reems Creek Bowl

Asheville Watershed (CTNC)

SAHC’s new Reems Creek Bowl Preserve rises to Hawkbill Rock, a popular vantage point along the Snowball Mountain Trail, from which hikers can view into the property and surrounding protected peaks and ridges, including the beautiful Woodfin Watershed.

Numerous wildflowers abound on the tract. Becky gained a passion for wildflowers from Catherine Fobes, one of the

Mountain hiking trail lies on the property’s upper boundary where it joins the Pisgah National Forest. When people hike to the Hawkbill Rock overlook, they are standing on SAHC’s Reems Creek Bowl Preserve. This is one of my favorite hikes in the region. The view from Hawkbill Rock also looks over SAHC’s 1,840-acre conservation easement on the Woodfin Watershed. You can continue on the Snowball Mountain Trail to traverse the top of the Reems Creek Bowl property and experience the solitude of this special mountain.”

SAHC’s purchase of the property was made possible by a grant from the NC Land and Water Fund, substantial donations from Brad and Shelly Stanback, Little Acorn Fund H, Joanne and Tom Parker and other generous donors and members.

Treasured Memories

All three of the sibling landowners – Jane, Becky, and Jimmy – shared warm memories and perspectives

about the Reems Creek property. A sense of love and nostalgia permeated each of their stories, paired with gratitude that SAHC has purchased 229 acres of the land and will conserve it in its natural state.

Becky shared photos of the cove and a historic newspaper clipping about the “Stikeleather poplar” or “Big Poplar” as the locals called it. It was purported to be the largest yellow poplar east of the Rocky Mountains, with a diameter of 28.7 ft. before it was lost to a fire set by campers. Meeting for an interview with SAHC staff, Becky proudly and quietly started with a lovely 8x10 print of their property – a view of the Blackberry Inn cabin, wisps of smoke curling up from the cabin chimney, with orchard and asparagus bed in the

Yellow Lady Slipper

Painted Trillium

Wake Robin Trillium

Rocky outrcops provide shelter for a variety of animal species.

The Reems Creek Bowl property contains significant, biologically diverse and rare habitat, including high elevation rock outcrops and early successional glade communities.

devoted caretakers of the land.

foreground and the Woodfin Watershed rising in the background. Cherished memories seemed to hover just beneath the surface as she reverently explained the different aspects of the land in the photo.

“That picture says it all,” Becky said. “What could be a nicer place to live? It was a beautiful place, and beautiful memories. This was the place where I grew up.” Her statement sums up a wealth of emotion and experience. When they were children, the three siblings and their parents lived in North Asheville and spent summers on the land in Weaverville. Sometimes, they would rent their home in town to tourists while they enjoyed the rustic cabins in their mountain retreat. There were five cabins at one time, each with a descriptive name - the Blackberry Inn, Orchard View, Shingle

described it as a rattlesnake den, perhaps similar to the Rattlesnake Lodge site which is situated off the Blue Ridge Parkway nearby.

“Growing up we would go up on weekends,” recalled Jimmy. “We would hike up to Hawkbill from Craggy Gardens on the Snowball Mountain Trail – it was always a great adventure and a pretty strenuous hike. We could see down to the cabin, and it was a big highlight of our visits. Our dad truly loved that place.

Shack, Clearwater, and Wildcat. The Blackberry Inn was the largest and the one most often used by the family.

“We had many wonderful summers there,” added Jane. “There was good spring water that never ran out, and the view from the house, watching the sun come up, is pretty incredible. The view from the top is also incredible, but it wasn’t an easy mountain to climb. Every significant birthday I tried to climb Cross Knob. Because of the rattlesnakes, it could be a bit dicey.”

Jimmy recounts that their father and a friend once caught a rattlesnake in a sack on Cross Knob and brought it down to the children so they could see what to watch out for. The rocky rise called Cross Knob seemed to be an excellent habitat for the snakes. They

He was 10 when his father bought it, so he spent a lot of time there.”

The cabins were usually closed up during the winter season. However, Becky spent five years living on the tract year-round in the 1970s; she remembers it being very cold in the winter. Both of her children were born during that time and spent early childhood in the shadow of the venerable Craggies. All three siblings continued to enjoy the property throughout their lives, sharing experiences with their own families and friends.

History of the Reems Creek Bowl

The history of the land echoes that of many Blue Ridge mountains whose ancient trees fell during the logging boom which swept the Southeast in the

late 19th and early 20th century. The mountains have since become covered again by mature forests, but artifacts of the past remain.

“One of the places that stands out in my mind on the property was a steep spot we called the ‘log slide’,” shared Becky. “They would cut the trees and send them down the mountain in this area – you can still see it when standing on the property.” Becky thought that American chestnut trees had been growing there when it was logged, before her family became involved.

The land the three siblings owned was part of a much larger tract purchased

“That picture says it all. What could be a nicer place to live?” - Becky Stikeleather Norris

Becky Norris (above) shared memories of the land, along with her sister and brother, Jane and Jimmy Stikeleather. The family enjoyed spending time at the “Blackberry Inn” cabin (top).

by James Gudger Stikeleather and his associates as a real estate investment in 1915.

“Grandfather Stikeleather was a businessman,” said Becky. “The timber on the property was important, but not his main reason for purchasing it. He came from Iredell County, but his mother was a Gudger from Candler, so he was familiar with and loved the WNC area. He purchased the land as an investment along with other investors; that is what they did –purchased property in WNC and resold it. That was how they made a living.”

The land was marketed in a 1916 real estate booklet as “Kersbrook - A Valuable Hunting and Fishing Preserve” of 3,000 acres. The pamphlet describes Kersbrook as uniquely suited for hunting and fishing, with plentiful game and “four head streams of Reems Creek and innumerable springs and brooklets” as well as rich soil, verdant pastures, bountiful nuts and wild berries, and “forest growth of great variety and very

valuable” with trees that are “large and stand well apart.”

In total, Kersbrook encompassed land that became part of the 1,841acre Woodfin Watershed (protected by SAHC with a 2005 conservation easement) and an area of vacation cabins built and formerly owned by the Brank family. In 1922, Stikeleather bought out ownership of the land from his partners in the Kersbrook Development Co., and he acquired the cabins.

“The person who created the cabins on the property was a man named Bradshaw Brank,” explained Becky. “The Brank family had deep historic ties to the Weaverville area. They called the collection of five cabins near the bottom of the cove a ‘resort,’ and would meet the train in town with a wagon and mules to take guests up there. People would stay during the summer for the cooler weather. It was part of a popular trend at the time – that folks

[who lived in hotter areas] would travel to the mountains to stay where there were cooler temperatures. That’s part of what made WNC popular. When our grandfather purchased the property and our father inherited it, they continued to use the cabins as seasonal rentals and as a place for the family to escape in the summer. We always felt that it was ten degrees cooler there than in Asheville.”

Over time, portions of the sizable acreage once owned by James Gudger Stikeleather and his wife Nancy Weaver Stikeleather were sold off, until about 300 acres remained in the Stikeleather family.

Becky said that her grandfather had met Nancy Weaver when the two sang together in the choir at All Souls Episcopal Church. They were married in 1908. The pair became well known for their singing and were recorded by Robert Winslow Gordon in his collected Folk-Songs of America (1922-1932). Nancy had grown up on a farm in Weaverville and kept a big vegetable garden on the Reems Creek property. Becky recalls that her mother maintained the garden over the years, and she and Jane tried to keep it going as well. One of Nancy’s siblings planted an asparagus patch in the garden in 1936, and over the years it grew to be about 50 ft. long by 10 ft. wide. Jane, Becky, and Jimmy’s mother would harvest and freeze asparagus every year to cook for Christmas dinner.

“Grandfather was concerned with water quality,” recalled Becky. “He was interested in water because it was important to people, and he was an avid fisherman. He fished all over WNC. I don’t think anyone ever mentioned him as being

Cabins owned and enjoyed by the Stikeleathers were originally built by members of the Brank family, who created a rustic retreat in the mountains and brought guests by mule-drawn wagon from the train station in town. Photos from the album of Paul Brank, shared by Nancy Nehls Nelson.

Clipping from a 1966 magazine article on the demise of the “Stikeleather Poplar.”

an environmentalist or interested in conservation, but it seems like he was interested in protecting water quality because people needed it. The land in the Woodfin Watershed was once part of what he owned; he sold it to the town for the watershed.”

In the early 1900s, the Reems Creek Bowl was part of a much larger tract marketed in real estate publications as “Kersbrook - A Valuable Hunting and Fishing Preserve.”

“The Depression era was a hard time,” Becky continued, “but the family did manage to hold onto the Reems Creek property, including the Blackberry Inn and other rental cabins. About that time, a lovely older couple – Mr. Fobes and his sister Catherine – had arrived in the area to stay at the cabins and convinced Grandfather Stikeleather to let them stay on through the winter. They convinced him that he could have an apple orchard up on the property. They had grown up on a fruit ranch in California, so they knew what they were doing. They established the orchard on about 9 acres near the cabin, and it produced apples for sale, for gifts, and for us to eat for many years.”

“Mr. Fobes had lost his hearing and profession as a musician, and had lost his wife and children to illness,” continued Becky. “He and his sister Catherine had lost pretty much everything in the Depression and were traveling around, making ends meet here and there. In addition to putting in the orchard, they convinced Grandfather to let them stay and became long term caretakers of the property. They lived there on the property into the 1960s; later on, our parents made sure they were looked after. Miss Fobes was just such a sweet

person and a great influence on me when I was growing up. She taught me all about the wildflowers, and I learned to grow them from seed. I still have a passion for wildflowers.” Becky later learned that Miss Fobes had been a very educated woman; she had a Masters’ degree in Marine Biology from Stanford University.

The Next Chapter

The story of Reems Creek Bowl is one of those common to large tracts in the mountains. With a growing extended family dispersed over a wide geographic area, the three sibling landowners made a difficult decision to sell the property rather than pass the complexity of joint ownership to the next generation. During the process of listing the tract for sale, they were introduced to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy – and pleased to find a buyer to purchase the majority of the tract for conservation purposes.

“The more familiar I became with SAHC and how you all would preserve the land, the better I felt about the whole transaction,” shared Jimmy.

“Michelle was informative and helpful when we were trying to work things out, and I learned a lot about what you have

to go through to get funding.”

“I just loved that property; it was a hard decision to make, to sell it,” said Jane. “It was a real bonus for us when we found out that the conservancy would be able to purchase much of the land and would be guardians for it. I have friends all over the country who spent time there – just endless friends and family who have enjoyed it over the years – and I have so much love and appreciation for the property. There have been lots of folks who loved it and took good care of it. I’ll miss it, but I know I can go back and visit and look at the mountain, that it will be taken care of by you all.”

And we are thrilled that the generosity of SAHC’s donors and availability of public funds to protect clean water resources and habitat made this acquisition possible. From timber to tourism and from real estate commodities to water supplies, the history of the Reems Creek Bowl reflects that of many southern Appalachian mountains. Thank you for helping us continue the story of this land, with permanent preservation as the focus of its next chapter!

Ballard Cove

Donated Conservation Easement

Other

BlueRidgeParkway

National Park Land (Blue Ridge Parkway)

State of NC owned Land

Other Protected Land

A long-time resident of Western North Carolina, Leonard Wiener has seen the impacts of real estate development over many decades. He and his wife Thais moved to the area from East Tennessee in 1968 and purchased acreage in the secluded, beautiful Ballard Branch Cove near Weaverville, NC in 1975. They built a home designed to sustainably use passive solar orientation and geothermal mass to meet much of their heating and cooling needs. Concerned about the impact of intense development on fragile mountain slopes and watershed drainages, Leonard wanted to ensure that the land they had loved and cared for could be preserved for future generations. He contacted Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy about donating a conservation easement to protect the property.

“People have to live somewhere,” says Leonard, “but there’s got to be a better

way than the intense development we see overtaking the valleys and ridges.”

Leonard donated a conservation easement on 63 acres in Ballard Cove in the Reems Creek watershed, permanently protecting the forest and mountain slopes. The property contains four intermittent headwater tributaries of Jimmie Branch, a trout stream that flows into Reems Creek. Reaching 3,400 ft. in elevation, the tract encompasses approximately 55 acres of mixed hardwood forest, rocky boulder areas, and almost two acres of open pastures once used for grazing bison.

Thais was one of the founders and first members of the Weaverville Art Safari, and her passion for American bison led to the creation of Blue Ridge Bison – the herd that she and Leonard managed together. Thais passed away in 2019, a beloved member of the community and brilliant artist.

Ballard Cove contains forested habitat and open areas once grazed by Blue Ridge Bison. Photo by Michael Fredericks

A lot of good in our world is done by people who see a problem and say to themselves, “I’m going to do something to help with that.” Or, who take the time to thoughtfully examine a situation from different facets, consider changes over long periods of time, and then take action to create a positive impact – for the planet and their community. Leonard Wiener is such a person.

Ballard Cove Asheville Watershed (CTNC)

“We raised bison here for over 22 years,” recalls Leonard. “At first, neither of us knew anything about raising them. We started by joining the National Buffalo Association and traveling to see other bison ranches, attending seminars, and learning from other people. We spent a couple of years learning before we got our first animals. Then, we grew from a couple of young cows and one bull to a herd of about three dozen. They were very popular with visitors on the Weaverville Art Safari and other folks who came to visit. In our later years, we phased out the herd and had the last buffalo here in 2014. I’ve planted a lot of hardwood seedlings in the old pasture areas, and this young reforested space will be good for different types of species.”

As a retired geologist, Leonard has a deep connection with the land and the ancient rocks that make up these venerable mountains.

“To me, this place reflects much of what makes this region special,” says Leonard. “Each space has its own interesting perks and characteristics. We loved the location at the end of the cove; it’s very secluded. There are a fair number of boulder outcrops and rock exposures. Being a geologist, I’ve done a lot of bedrock mapping in WNC and East TN, and I’ve spent a bit of time looking at the rocks up here. Rocks are old friends.”

The donated conservation easement adds to a network of protected land and important wildlife habitat in the vicinity, which includes the Woodfin Watershed Conservation Easement, SAHC’s Snowball Mountain Preserve, Pisgah National Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the newly protected Reems Creek Bowl Preserve, and other conserved land.

Buncombe County awarded a $34,237 grant to help cover transaction costs including a survey, appraisal, and title work for the project. The grant was recommended by the Buncombe Land Conservation Advisory Board (LCAB).

“I’m so excited that we were able to help, and grateful that Leonard chose to protect this land,” says LCAB ViceChair Nancy Nehls Nelson. “Leonard is a wonderful person and part of the community, and a great partner in conservation. I first met him many years ago at a meeting where folks were discussing how to stop the spread of invasive species. He embodies the essence of people who value the mountains, trees, and water.”

Both Leonard and Nancy describe the land as precious – and now these precious resources are permanently protected for the benefit of wildlife and future generations.

“The Ballard Cove project is a perfect example of a landowner that has made a lifelong commitment to land stewardship and natural resource conservation within Buncombe County,” says Ariel Zijp, Farmland Preservation Manager for Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation. “This project aligns closely with the Buncombe County 2025 Strategic Plan’s Environmental and Energy Stewardship Focus Area, Preserve Farmland and Environmentally Sensitive Tracts of Land Goal, and helps to continue to preserve our working lands and natural resources of Buncombe County.”

Rocky boulders, forested slopes, and open areas provide varied habitat.

Leonard and his wife Thais raised bison at Ballard Cove for over 22 years.

Dutch Cove

Haywood County - 157 Acres

The land SAHC recently purchased at Dutch Cove includes beautiful habitat, streams, and historic structures.

Near the head of Dutch Cove in Haywood County, only a few miles south of the heavy traffic on I-40, but seemingly a world away, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy recently purchased a secluded cove with sweeping mountain views, forested slopes, and historic log structures in a pastoral setting. We are grateful for the many generous supporters who enabled the preservation of the natural and cultural resources of this special place!

Advertised on the real estate market as a “wooded and pastoral tract with creeks, and amazing long range views,” this tract was poised to attract developers seeking the allure of a “unique opportunity … only 30 minutes from Asheville.” It could have easily been lost to development, transforming the natural landscape of the scenic cove.

“Multiple neighbors contacted us asking if we could secure it,” says Conservation Director Hanni Muerdter. “This is one of those cases

where word of our conservation work has spread in the community, and folks who love these mountains asked us to help protect one of the places they love.”

The new preserve contains headwater tributaries of Dutch Cove Creek, which flows north to its confluence with Hominy Creek near the base of Chestnut Mountain. The property forms a bowl along Dutch Cove, rising to the county line with Buncombe County, adjoining land that will become the future Pisgah View State Park. This ridge is part of an important wildlife corridor that runs along the upper reaches of the mountains.

“I’ve always thought Dutch Cove was a very special place,”

continues Hanni. “Growing up in Haywood County, it means a lot to me to be able to help preserve these unique areas. The remote pastoral setting of this property sets it apart; you can feel as if you’ve stepped back in time and imagine what life was like over a hundred years ago – and that experience is becoming rare in this region.

From a conservation standpoint, preserving large contiguous tracts of land like this that are larger than 100 acres is more efficient and provides better protection of habitat for diverse plant and animal species. This tract has significant forested land and high elevation ridgelines, which are both important for wildlife. Connecting conserved habitat along the ridgeline secures corridors for wildlife movement and improves resilience to climate change. Plus, protecting the ridgelines is great for preserving scenic views!”

The land has been passed down by

Balsam

Rising to the ridgeline border with Buncombe County, the tract affords stunning long-range mountain views.

landowners in the same family for generations. Historic structures still standing on the property provide a vivid reminder of their past, but the history of the land dates far back beyond the structures remaining on the surface. The Dutch Cove area is part of the ancestral land of the AniKituwahGi [commonly referred to as the Cherokee]. The tribal nations today that have ancestral connections to the land that we call Haywood County are the Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and the Catawba Indian Nation. SAHC is exploring relationships with folks from the Center for Native Health and UNC Asheville, in which we are learning about the cultural history and significance of places like Dutch Cove. Our goals include listening, learning, developing friendships, and amplifying the cultural significance of sites in western North Carolina and East Tennessee as we work to conserve and share them.

“This property and the structures on it are particularly interesting because they are like a snapshot in time,” said Jennifer Cathey, Restoration Specialist with the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. “When I first visited the property with SAHC, it was striking to see the historic house

and two barns intact on the landscape, seemingly untouched. They are tucked away, and it is exciting that they are situated in this way, without a road or modern structure in direct view. I see a lot of farms in my profession, but usually they have been updated or modernized in some way. So it is really exciting to come across structures that appear unmodified from the time they were built. I would estimate that they were built sometime between 1870 and 1900, but without having more historic documentation, it would be hard to say. The main structure appears to be a wood frame house with field stone chimney. One of the barns is a dog trot style building [two pens linked with a single roof] and the other is a crib barn style building. Knowing more about the family that owned the land at the time, and how it was used, would help us understand more about the structures. Moving forward with conservation of the acreage, it would be great to see preservation planning for these structures included in that effort, alongside conservation of the landscape.”

We are grateful to the SAHC members who contributed so generously to enable us to purchase and own the property, including Brad and Shelli Stanback and Vaughan Hedrick. Vaughan has a longtime connection with Dutch Cove

and the Pisgah View Ranch, and is enthusiastic about supporting SAHC’s efforts to add land to the future park and protect land in its vicinity. We are thrilled that our conservation work in Haywood County and surrounding areas has inspired people to support our critical land protection efforts.

Thanks to your commitment to conservation, this special part of the landscape will remain preserved!

Historic structures on the Dutch Cove Preserve include a house and two barns likely built in the 1800s.

Robinson Creek

Continuing a Family Legacy of Land Conservation

In the northwest corner of Buncombe County, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has been working for decades to piece together a network of protected farmland and forests. Families with long-standing history in the area have spent generations loving, working, stewarding and being sustained by the land. They feel a sense of commitment to the land because it connects them with the people that they love, and we are grateful they have partnered with us in permanently protecting this special place.

Fred and Donna Pratt worked with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to protect 82 acres of land in Sandy Mush through a conservation easement. Fred inherited the land, which was part of a larger tract his grandparents William Fulmer and Vinnie Wells Duckett once owned. Much of the tract Fred’s grandparents owned has already been protected by Fred’s uncle and aunts – Bill and Mabel Duckett, and Myrtle Duckett.

The new conservation easement adjoins SAHC’s Robinson Rough Preserve and other

conserved lands, helping to preserve the landscape from fragmentation in this beautiful corner of the county.

“As you get more generations in the same family, the land tends to be split up and sold off,” observes Fred. “I think that it’s great work that SAHC is doing. It had to be a pretty good organization for my uncle [Bill Duckett] to get involved; there had to be trust and understanding built before he conserved his property. My uncle was one of my best friends. He’d talk with me about a lot of things, and that was one

This 82-acre conservation easement adjoins SAHC’s Robinson Rough Preserve in Sandy Mush, adding to a network of protected land in this beautiful corner of Buncombe County. Photo by Courtland White.

Robinson Creek

Fred Pratt (2nd from left) permanently conserved his land in Sandy Mush, adding to a family legacy in the region.

of the things we talked about – the conservancy and protecting the land.”

The recently protected tract contains a portion of the main branch of Robinson Creek and one of its headwater tributaries. Robinson Creek flows into Sandymush Creek, a tributary of the French Broad River.

“Establishing connections among conservation lands is a critical factor in protecting watersheds and wildlife habitat,” says Land Protection Director Michelle Pugliese. “The ridgelines along Sandymush Bald and Little Sandymush Bald, and the mountainsides and coves lying in their shadow, exemplify SAHC’s

dedication to securing these connections.

The Robinson Creek property is part of over 1,800 acres of protection there, including conservation easements completed with Bill & Mabel Duckett and Myrtle Duckett. Our work in this landscape expands on the impressive Duckett and Pratt family legacy of conservation, and I am personally proud to be a part of it.”

Although all of this 82-acre property is wooded, with some steep areas, it was once part of a family farm

totaling several hundred acres that provided sustenance and livelihood for the Duckett family. Fred fondly remembers his experiences working on the farm with his grandfather and uncle. He plans to keep the property in the family and pass it on to someone else, but is glad that the conservation easement means it will remain protected in the future.

Mature forest and open areas create varied spaces for wildlife habitat on the conserved property.

Robinson Creek and one of its headwater tributaries flow through the tract.

“Conserving the beautiful Robinson Creek property in Sandy Mush adds to the contiguous protected landscape of the Sandy Mush Community and helps to further Buncombe County’s Land Conservation Goal of protecting 20% of Buncombe County by 2030,” says Ariel Zijp, Soil and Water Conservation Farmland Preservation Manager.

The landowners donated a portion of the value of the conservation easement to accomplish permanent conservation of the land, and SAHC was awarded a grant from Buncombe

County to cover a portion of the transaction costs. We are grateful to all of our members and philanthropic leaders for helping to secure another important piece of this landscape!

Landowner Perspective: Fred Pratt

Fred says that preserving his family’s legacy was one reason he wanted to do a conservation easement with SAHC. The other reason, he adds, is that “Here in Buncombe County there is a lot of pressure on landowners, particularly farmland

owners, to sell for development, and I think we should try to save some of that property so it’s not all built on.”

Fred recalls how connected he felt to the land because of frequent experiences visiting his grandparents’ farm and home place, although he mostly grew up in the Oakley community east of downtown Asheville close to where his father and mother both taught school.

“My grandfather farmed for a living, and my uncle Bill Duckett was the same way – he loved it,” remembers Fred. “They grew tobacco, corn, beef cattle, and hay. Their cash crops were mostly beef cattle and tobacco, but they were pretty well self-sufficient. They always had a garden for produce and would put up all kinds of beans, corn, and stuff from the garden. They had chickens for eggs and meat, milk cows, and a couple of hogs. The old house where my grandparents lived didn’t have a bathroom in it for most of their lives; they always had an outhouse. My grandmother cooked on a wood

Steve and Kevin Duckett hike with SAHC staff and landowner Fred Pratt on his conserved land on Robinson Creek.

A respected farmer and strong advocate of land conservation, Bill Duckett (left) helped SAHC grow relationships in the Sandy Mush community.

cookstove and used the old ringer type washing machine to wash clothes. They would go to the store for flour, sugar and coffee, and there was a store at the junction of Ball Creek and Willow Creek where people would bring their corn once a week to grind into corn meal.”

“As a little boy, I remember grandfather and Bill driving cattle from around where they lived up Robinson Cove to where they could go on up the mountain, to Sandy Mush Bald, so the cattle could eat the grass on the mountain,” recalls Fred. “They went up every week or so to check on them. They’d carry up salt – the cattle loved the salt – and call the cattle in to check them over and treat any illness or injury, and make sure they were all there. It was a good day when they would all come when you called. But if not, you’d have to go and find them – there might have been two or three that became separated from the rest, and you’d have to walk all over those 200+ acres until you found them.”

Fred helped on many occasions. His legs weren’t as long as his uncle’s and grandfather’s, and when hunting for lost cattle he remembers it felt like “they walked me to death.”

As the oldest grandchild, Fred admits his grandparents “spoiled me a bit.”

“I’d go out there and stay, and even stayed all one summer with them,” he remembers. “I thought it was

every Sunday afternoon to have a meal and sit out on the big porch, talking and enjoying the visit.”

“Farming was a hard way to make a living,” says Fred. “But 60 years ago or so things moved more slowly. It was hard work, but at the end of the day you could see what you had accomplished. I enjoy talking about the property out there and the family, keeping those memories and feelings alive.

Honoring them, that history, that legacy is important.”

wonderful and that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up. Then I realized what I thought was fun at the time was really hard, hard work – and I went a different direction with my career. But we had regular family gatherings out there. When my grandparents were still healthy we would go out

“My grandfather farmed for a living and my uncle Bill Duckett was the same way — He loved it.” - Fred Pratt

Fred’s uncle Bill (right) followed his family’s farming traditions in Sandy Mush. They raised tobacco, corn, beef cattle, and hay to make a living, as well as vegetable gardens and livestock for their own use.

Bill Duckett on the Duckett conservation easement looking into Big Sandy Mush. Fred Pratt remembers helping his grandfather and uncle Bill care for cattle on the high mountain pastures during the summer.

French Broad River Valley Focus Area

Gibson Farm

Donated 50-acre Farm in Sandy Mush

We are

grateful for the

The Sandy Mush community has played an important role in conserving productive farmland– for SAHC, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina. Building trust with landowners in Sandy Mush has enabled us to protect rich bottomland soils designated as important for agriculture and productive farmland across varied terrain in this gem of an Appalachian community. This year, Jim Gibson generously donated his 50-acre farm in the heart of Sandy Mush to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. Jim has long been interested in farmland preservation and helping young farmers overcome obstacles, and it is fitting that his farm – now permanently protected by SAHC – anchors our conservation work in Sandy Mush.

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has been protecting farms and scenic ridgelines in the rural Sandy Mush community of Buncombe County for over 25 years, with more than 13,000 acres protected in Sandy Mush and neighboring areas of Buncombe, Haywood and Madison Counties. In fact, to a large degree, our farmland preservation program started right here.

“What is most poignant to me is the view from the front porch of the farmhouse,” shares Executive Director Carl Silverstein. “From this vantage point, we can see into the farmland and ridges that SAHC has protected. In many ways, the farm represents the

heart of SAHC’s conservation work in the community. SAHC’s innovative efforts at the Community Farm and successful farmland conservation program across the region demonstrate a longterm commitment to meaningful stewardship of agricultural resources. We are grateful to Jim for donating his farm for the continued growth of this important work.”

Jim is a lifelong resident of New Jersey, with a love of the southern Appalachians stemming from his college years at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has visited Asheville off and on over the years, and became a generous and enthusiastic supporter of SAHC in 2015. He has been instrumental

very

generous donation of this farm, located at the heart of SAHC-conserved land in Sandy Mush.

From a corner of the Gibson Farm property, you can see into the lush, flat farmland SAHC has conserved along Sandy Mush Creek all the way up to the protected forested mountainsides.

in helping us develop the Farmer Incubator Program and other programming at our Community Farm in Alexander, and made a gift to SAHC that enabled us to purchase the beautiful Jenkins Branch property near our Community Farm. Not long after Jim got involved with SAHC, he began looking for a farm in the mountains, which he could purchase and permanently protect from development, and use to support sustainable agriculture in the area. In 2016, he visited several potential sites with SAHC staff. When he saw the lovely farm on Bald Creek Road in Sandy Mush, he knew it was the ideal place for him to purchase and protect. Jim purchased the farm in December 2016, and has enjoyed owning and improving the property for the past six years. This summer he proudly donated the farm to SAHC for us to own and conserve.

“This is such a great property for us to own for the long-term,” says Farmland Program Director Jess Laggis. “The property really anchors that experience of the history of SAHC’s farmland conservation in Sandy Mush. It will be a great place to bring people, as part of our Connecting People with Land initiative. It is more accessible than many of our preserves, and we look forward to sharing that visceral experience, seeing the benefit of beautiful protected land surrounding you.”

From a corner of the Gibson Farm property, you can see into the lush, flat farmland SAHC has conserved along Sandy Mush Creek all the way up to

the protected forested mountainsides surrounding this lovely rural valley.

“The donation of this farm helps us continue to expand the network of permanently protected agricultural resources in such a beautiful corner of Buncombe County,” continues Jess. “Sandy Mush feels like a refuge, a place outside the turmoil of the world. This was a philanthropic project for Jim – and it has been really inspiring to see how excited he is for us to receive it. He has a lot of interest in good stewardship of the land as well, such as controlling invasive plant species and exploring regenerative pasture management.”

The land will be preserved for farming, and SAHC will develop a land management plan for the property over the next year. The donated Gibson Farm adjoins Full Sun Farm, a family farm run by Vanessa Campbell and Alex Brown that produces organic vegetables and fresh flowers for sale at local tailgate markets and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture shares). Vanessa and Alex generously donated a conservation easement on 32 acres of Full Sun Farm last year and we are currently working with them to preserve the additional acreage.

“The longevity of the farmland conservation program owes so much to our long-standing reputation in the community because of the connections between landowners,” reflects Carl. “We are very grateful to Jim for donating this beautiful farm property, and we look forward to using the land to advance our efforts in supporting local agricultural production.”

Executive Director Carl Silverstein (right) on a site visit to the property.

SAHC Community Farm Manager Chris Link (left) chats with land donor Jim Gibson (right) about farm management.

Goats can help manage healthy pastures.

SAHC Community Farm Conservation • Education • Celebration

A gift can make a change in someone’s life – and a gift of land can precipitate changes over many lifetimes. Since SAHC received the generous donation of the SAHC Community Farm in 2010, the property has been through myriad changes that make the space an exciting model of sustainable land management as well as a hub for local farming and healthy food products. With innovations conceptualized by Associate Director Kristy

The land itself has changed over the past 12 years. A stream restoration project improved water quality and aquatic habitat in streams that flow across the farm into Newfound Creek and the French Broad River. Shortleaf pine reforestation work has led to hands-on educational opportunities for partners learning to manage healthy forest habitat with controlled fire. In one of our most recent updates, we are creating a retail farm market on the property. If you haven’t visited the farm recently, we encourage you to join us for a guided hike or workshop to see what’s new!

“The SAHC Community Farm has really come a long way since the land was donated to us in 2010,” says Associate Director Kristy Urquhart. “It’s been so exciting to move through the various stages of projects on the farm and to watch those take off. One of the most exciting new changes at the SAHC Community Farm is the

addition of our new Farm Market Stand. There is almost 600 SF of building space and a walk-in cooler for product storage. Although the rolling

Stand will be a space for people to pick up CSA shares and products produced on the SAHC Community Farm as well as a joint market and meeting space for producers in the local area.”

“We’re finishing up the infrastructure improvements and look forward to using this space with the community in the near future,” adds Community Farm Manager Chris Link. “It creates a retail edge – an important space for not just farmers growing on the farm but also for neighbors to market their valueadded products. We also look forward to this as a more interactive space for us to engage with folks in the community.”

Appalachian foothills are known for farming, there is actually a significant ‘food desert’ for ready products in these rural areas. SAHC’s Farm Market

This fall, we are organizing in-person workshops on the farm, beginning with a Small Engine Maintenance and ‘Repair Café’ on Tuesday, October 25 to learn how to care for your small engine farm equipment and repair rather than replace goods and equipment. Find our more and register online at Appalachian.org.

Our Community Farm work is funded in part by grants from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and a cost-share grant from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Urquhart, the SAHC Community Farm site plays host to young farmers, traveling guests and visitors, youth groups, workshop attendees, wildlife, weddings, and much more.

Brahman-longhorn cross cattle and free-range chickens rotate through pastures on the farm, using management practices which help both the land and animals remain healthy.

French Broad River Academy volunteers help with trails and habitat management.

Farmer Incubator Program

An innovative program to help people ‘incubate’ their agriculture and farm businesses, SAHC’s Farm Incubator Program launched in 2013, with eight graduates of the program to date. The program is part of an ongoing “Farm Pathways” partnership with Organic Growers School and NC Farmlink to ensure that subsequent generations have the resources and training needed to continue food production. The partnership has just been awarded another round of funding from USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.

Justin Jones with Alta Vista Farms has graduated out of the program and will be farming on leased property he has secured in Leicester through the Farm Pathways network. Wesley Buckner and

Cheyenne Cearly continue to grow their herd of Brahman-longhorn cross cattle.

Suzanne Nolter with Blazing Star Flowers produces stunning cut flowers, for weddings, special occasions, or just every day. You can purchase flowers in arranged bunches or a bucket of loose stems to arrange your own. Sign up for a subscription, or visit her at the East Asheville market on Fridays. Blazing Star Flowers is hosting a design workshop at the farm on October 9. For more info or to sign up, visit BlazingStarFlowers.com.

Noel Poindexter with Lunar Whale Herbs continues to grow fresh herbs for cooking and supplying your home apothecary. Folks who sign up for CSAs enjoy a selection of either fresh bundles of herbs or value-added ready products, such as tinctures and salves. Lunar Whale Herbs periodically hosts hands-on workshops. More info and sign-ups at www.LunarWhaleHerbs.com.

Utopian Seed Project

Part of the importance of farming isn’t just producing food – it’s producing healthy food that sustains your soul, that nourishes your spirit. The Utopian seed project works to save seeds –especially heirloom seeds and species that are culturally significant. Former Community Farm Associate Tamarya Sims connected with the Utopian Seed Project and sparked a partnership with SAHC.

“The Utopian Seed Project select seeds for resiliency and size, protecting heirloom seeds that are in danger of going extinct,” explains Chris. “They

needed more room to grow plants in different trials and to harvest and process those seeds, and now they are using about a quarter acre on the Community Farm to do that. Providing land for them to grow here will mean that seed is suitable to this land and climate.”

“As a land trust, helping to create seed banks is part of our commitment to enhancing food security,” adds Kristy. “Preserving heirloom seeds also ties into preservation and cultural heritage, honoring those that came before us.”

The Utopian Seed Project is non-profit organization, founded in 2018 with the support of Sow True Seed to conduct regional crop and variety trials. Their vision is an engaged community of growers, gardeners, farmers, foodies, cooks and chefs who embrace regional biodiversity because they understand and believe in a resilient, delicious and equitable food and farming system.

For more information, visit TheUtopianSeedProject.org.

Blazing Star Flowers and Lunar Whale Herbs grow and produce products on the SAHC Community Farm, for sale through CSAs and local farmers’ markets.

Utopian Seed Project is growing gourds on the SAHC Community Farm to harvest seeds.

Connecting to Nature Youth Education

This summer has been a busy one for SAHC’s youth education programming! Equity and Education Manager LaKyla Hodges and AmeriCorps member Laura Fraser spent the summer organizing and leading environmentally themed lessons and outings with the YMCA Horizons program and Youth Transformed for Life (YTL). Youth from primary school to teens enjoyed adventuring on the Nolichucky River, planting native pollinator plants, studying stream health, looking at plant anatomy, and so much more.

Former SAHC president and USA Raft owner Matt Moses and the staff at USA Raft hosted rafting experiences twice this summer, allowing the participants in our youth education program an opportunity to connect with nature recreationally. Students and staff aging from 4 years old through adulthood were able to spend a day on the Lower Nolichucky at the USA Raft facility!

We were also excited to partner with Josh Perkins, Environmental Education Specialist at The North Carolina Arboretum. Josh led one of the youth groups in a geocaching hike at The NC Arboretum. Students were put into small groups and provided

with handheld GPS units in order to locate the caches along the trails using coordinates.

“The summer programming has aided in the process of restructuring SAHC’s education programming,” says Education and Equity Manager LaKyla Hodges. “We are excited to build a more standardized curriculum around conservation and to create pathways to environmental stewardship and recreation.”

Over the past five years, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has been growing a unique youth education program in partnership with after school and summer camp groups. We host a variety

of activities at their sites and then organize special outings to SAHC’s conservation areas around the region. Our after-school education program developed with a goal to broaden access to conservation, connecting with youth who might otherwise have limited opportunities to access outdoor recreation and environmental education.

SAHC’s youth education program focuses on partnering with after school groups who serve youth at community recreation centers in the Asheville area (such as StephensLee Community Center), YMCA Horizons (a grant-funded program for students in grades 5-8 in the Buncombe County Schools), and individual organizations like Youth

Transformed for Life, a training program that “creates bridges for children and families to overcome the current gaps of

YTL youth participated in a geocaching program with our partners at The NC Arboretum, led by Josh Perkins.

Students particularly enjoy activities that combine creativity and sensory experience.

-

disparity”.

“Equity, diversity, and inclusion has quickly become one of the most talked about topics in the environmental world,” says LaKyla. “Since its beginning, the environmental movement has taken a community-based approach that largely revolves around rallying students, lobbying, and building a network of nonprofit organizations. Though this method is tried and true, several groups of people slip through the cracks. People of Color, low income populations, and rural communities specifically have been left out of these movements. As someone who has been exposed to environmentalism from a very young age, I can confidently say I didn’t have the opportunity to connect with an environmentalist who was a Person of Color or from a low income background until I was in college. Even then, the representation was few and far in between.”

“Because of this, I am so excited to have the opportunity to be the Equity and Education Manager here at SAHC,” continues LaKyla. “I’ve observed many successes and even more failures at inclusion in the environmental world. What I’ve learned is that several of the failures stem from the same set of issues; lack of communication, cultural fluency, and needs assessments. Meeting with communities, explaining the resources we have, and asking if and how we can work with them is a key way to implement effective programming to foster positive connections to nature. As a land conservation organization, our work doesn’t go far if the engagement is low. This is why we as an organization have worked to prioritize forming meaningful relationships with the communities we’re trying to serve.”

Former AmeriCorps Perspective: Laura Fraser - The Sensory Experience

Being an educator had its challenges but also came with the greatest of rewards. I loved getting to know each of my students individually – quirks, personalities, and all! I’ve learned how to cultivate and create lessons that are tailored to each group and in order to have a successful day.

It’s important to get to know your students and groups before anything else. Establishing a rapport with your students from the start is key to a successful school year and summer experience together. The first few weeks can be fun, low-key introductions where you can observe what does/doesn’t work with different groups. Some students love the active, physical activities while others may prefer to stay indoors and do a nature related art activity. It’s important to know what’s going to click with your students.

One thing I noticed during this service learning year is that students LOVE using their five senses during a lesson. This can range from food projects (smell/taste), making salamander slime (touch), bird walks (hear), or scavenger hunts (see). Most groups enjoyed anything to do with food. We made Dessert Dirt Cups where we learned about the layers of soil and salsa with in-season produce supplied by local farmers. In this activity students were able to see where their food comes from and how easy and simple it can be to grow the ingredients at home.

Younger elementary students (K-3rd) loved arts and crafts time where we made Nature Self-Portraits, and Flower Bouquet Cards. Older elementary students (4th-5th) enjoyed anything where they could run or compete with one another. Sometimes just being outside in nature is all a student needs. Learning to read my students made me a better educator.

“We are excited to create pathways to environmental stewardship and recreation.”

Equity and Education Manager LaKyla Hodges

Edible layers of “soil” make a tasty and educational treat!

Welcome 2022-23 AmeriCorps Project Conserve Service Members!

AmeriCorps Stewardship & Volunteer Members

David Hagler. David has strong land trust experience having previously interned with Davidson Lands Conservancy and Lowcountry Land Trust. While a student at Davidson College, he helped with the dayto-day farm operations at Davidson Farm. In his free time, David plays clawhammer banjo and old-time music. David is passionate about the outdoors, community service, and working in WNC.

Corinna Mokotoff. A graduate from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, Corinna is a wilderness first responder and has spent several years performing forestry and other natural resource management work. She previously served with AmeriCorps in Colorado with the Southwest Conservation Corps. Corinna loves to engage with her community in a variety of ways, enjoys spending time outdoors, and is an avid mountain biker.

Leigh Johnson Schafer. Leigh hails from Asheville and is a graduate from Haywood Community College’s Fish & Wildlife Management Technology Program. She has been attending Oregon State University in pursuit of her Bachelors of Science Degree. She has considerable forestry and field work experience working for AmeriCorps programs through the Nevada Conservation Corps and the Camas National Wildlife Refuge in Idaho. Leigh is looking forward to completing her third AmeriCorps term in WNC, where her love of the environment first took root.

Community Engagement & Education Member

Emily Starnes. A NC native, Emily spent much of her childhood exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is a graduate of Appalachian State University where she obtained a history degree and a minor in Appalachian Studies. Emily is also a Certified Nurse Assistant and most recently worked at Yosemite National Park. She cares deeply about affordable housing and is interested in addressing the barriers that keep people from accessing the outdoors.

Supporting Careers in Conservation Funding

for the Future

We are deeply grateful to SAHC member Bob Detjen for making a heroically generous contribution this year to help us catalyze more opportunities for young people to develop conservation- related jobs and careers in the southern Appalachians.

“SAHC is using this gift strategically to recruit additional AmeriCorps members and interns from other places to Asheville to begin their conservation careers, and to realign existing staff to train and supervise them,” says Executive Director Carl Silverstein. “Bob’s visionary insight and remarkable generosity is increasing our capacity to offer young people opportunities to work with SAHC and link them with potential job paths in conservationrelated fields.”

A life-long conservationist and dedicated supporter of SAHC since the early 1990’s, Bob has made generous contributions over the decades to help protect special places in Sandy Mush and beyond. He donated more than 200 acres of land to SAHC for permanent conservation, made a significant gift toward acquisition of an adjoining 103acre preserve in Sandy Mush, and committed to support SAHC in his estate planning as part of our Legacy Society. Thank you for making a positive impact on the world, Bob!

Bob Detjen

Stewardship Director Sarah Sheeran (left) on a site visit to conserved land in Sandy Mush with AmeriCorps members and Bob (right).

Former AmeriCorps Perspectives:

On Land Stewardship and Service

Stephanie Long

“Serving as one of SAHC’s Stewardship & Volunteer members through AmeriCorps Project Conserve for the past two years has been a truly incredible experience. I came into this position with the goal of learning more about land stewardship as I look to pursue a career in conservation, and serving with SAHC met all my expectations and then some.

Through this position I’ve been able to see what stewardship and land management really looks like for properties protected in perpetuity. Field days were definitely a highlight of the position for me, getting to visit so many protected properties with other stewardship staff, talk with landowners and partners, and really see on the ground how these properties fit into the larger matrix of protected land in the region.

I also really appreciated how I was able to dive into additional projects that aligned with my interests in remote sensing and the role emerging technologies can play in land stewardship. The opportunities I’ve had to work with drones on SAHC properties, the aerial monitoring I’ve done to remotely monitor properties using satellite imagery, and the ability to learn about the inner workings of SAHC’s geospatial data management led me to apply to the Earth Observation and Geoinformation Management MSc degree program at the University of Edinburgh. I will be headed to Scotland this fall to learn more about the roles satellite and other remotely sensed data can play in environmental work, and my interest in this program directly stems from the experiences I’ve had while serving with SAHC. I’m excited to be going back to school to focus on an area I’m passionate about and explore a new place, but it’s hard to say goodbye to SAHC after two great years!”

Sarah Sussman

“During my 11-month term at Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, I have visited the most beautiful places in our region (all protected by SAHC!). My biggest takeaway from serving at SAHC is that it has given me the perspective to see how land trusts work behind the scenes to protect the places we love. As a part of the stewardship team, I hiked rugged boundaries, blazed my way through thick vegetation, and walked the steepest terrain the southern Appalachians has to offer. Visiting these protected places is not an easy job, and I have learned that SAHC, and other land trusts, could not accomplish what they do without the ‘boots on the ground’ work of the stewardship team. They interact with landowners, make land management recommendations, and ensure that the integrity of protected places are upheld for years to come.

Additionally, the folks that make up the stewardship team at SAHC: Sarah, Chris, Hanni, Marquette, Travis, Park, and Stephanie (my fellow AmeriCorps peer) are great examples of those who make a career out of doing what they love while also making a difference for our world. My time at SAHC has given me experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my career in the conservation field. Thank you to SAHC and all the staff who have mentored me this past year!”

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges, through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

Project Conserve is administered by Conserving Carolina and funded by an AmeriCorps grant from the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service in the office of Governor Roy Cooper, and the critical support of our host sites and community partners.

Stephanie and Sarah (L to R)

Annabelle’s internship focused on the development of a dynamic Roan StoryMap that demonstrates the evolution of SAHC’s land protection efforts in the Roan Highlands focus area, which will be featured on SAHC’s website. Annabelle has also created Roan “decade” map templates which can be used to illustrate and communicate about our work in these critical ecosystems over the past 50 years, and she has developed consistent and unified symbology for SAHC’s map templates. We are so grateful for Annabelle’s creativity, flexibility and the problem-solving skills she routinely had to flex during her internship. Claire conducted an extensive review of climate impacts to ecosystems within SAHC’s geographic conservation focus areas, and she researched our organization’s working processes and land trust

Summer Internships

Stanback Fellows from Duke University

This summer we welcomed two Stanback Fellow interns from the Duke Nicholas School of the Environment, Claire Elias and Annabelle White. The Stanback Fellowship Program is a partnership between the Nicholas School of the Environment and non-profit environmental organizations. The purpose of the program is to provide students with significant project-based learning experiences in energy, conservation, advocacy, policy, research and applied resource management. The program is made possible by the generous support of Fred and Alice Stanback.

actions relevant to climate change. She assimilated her research and results of inquiry into a compendium of knowledge which includes maps, informative summaries of impacts and actions, future recommendations and more. The result is the SAHC

better communicate about our work as it pertains to climate change, and to help inform future decisions and processes.

Climate Change Action Plan, a living document which will serve as a resource for staff, Trustees, committee members and others to

Virtual Lunch and Learn: SAHC Climate Change Action Plan

“During my internship with SAHC this summer, I explored how land trusts are uniquely positioned to implement meaningful climate action that is informed by regionally specific social and ecological factors,” says Claire. “I enjoyed practicing my science communication and research skills while learning about the unique climate resilience of the southern Appalachians. Though most of my internship was remote, I had the invaluable opportunity to accompany SAHC stewardship staff as they monitored properties around the Highlands of Roan and Asheville. This allowed me to learn firsthand about the different facets of day-to-day stewardship and land protection, and get to know the awesome folks at SAHC!”

Wednesday, September 28 at 2 pm

Summer interns Claire Elias and Annabelle White enjoy a field visit in the Roan Highlands.

Join us as Claire Elias presents her internship project for SAHC. Registration and details at Appalachian.org.

Partnership Work Day

with Hemlock Restoration Initiative

Former AmeriCorps member Logan Dye participated in a volunteer work day sponsored by SAHC and Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI) at the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park, treating native hemlock trees to protect them from the hemlock wooly adelgid.

Diane Edwards

“It was fun to see my colleagues from HRI,” says Logan. “I think my favorite thing about having done a term of AmeriCorps service with HRI is that hemlocks have been my favorite trees since childhood, and it was exciting to be able to work to protect a species that I particularly love. Serving with HRI was my first experience out of undergrad and definitely helped develop my path in the environmental field. The experience helped set me up for the position with SAHC.”

“We had a huge hemlock tree in our backyard in Transylvania County, and there were several trees along the stream area where we would hike with our dogs,” Logan shares. “They made really good climbing trees. I can remember the day when my dad first told me about the hemlock wooly adelgid. I was about 9-11 years old. We were out hiking, and I’d noticed that the hemlock trees had started to die.”

In addition to the HRI staff, volunteers at the Chestnut Mountain work day included two other graduates from the environmental program Logan attended at UNC Asheville. “It’s exciting to see folks who’ve been through the same

program working in the environmental field now,” he says.

“It’s important to protect the hemlock trees here because they help prevent erosion and are such a crucial part of ecosystem flood water mitigation,” says Logan. “Since they are evergreens that thrive in riparian areas, hemlocks are some of the only trees taking up floodwater year-round. They also provide habitat for many species; their limbs come low to the ground, providing places for animals to den.”

The volunteer team treated hemlock along the mixed-use path up to Berm Park within Chestnut Mountain Nature Park. Logan adds, “It’s important to protect the native plants and trees on this property, so that they can thrive and continue to spread and persevere.”

In 1989 the Stanley A. Murray Award for Volunteer Service was created to honor persons who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to the work of SAHC emulating the lifelong dedication of founder Stanley A. Murray. This year’s award winner is Diane Edwards.

Diane is a homeowner in the Valley of the Roan community, just below Carver’s Gap and adjacent to SAHC’s Haw Orchard Ridge Preserve. Through her work with the homeowner’s association there, Diane not only facilitated access for red spruce restoration work on SAHC property, but also convinced many homeowners in Valley of the Roan to plant red spruce on their properties, increasing spruce habitat throughout their community. Diane also put her boots on the ground, attending all four of our spruce-planting events, planting hundreds of spruce seedlings.

Diane also generously volunteered her time and expertise to help intern Maya Rosensweet create a pollinator/edible plant garden at our Little Rock Creek Preserve, including donating plant ID materials and tools. Diane has been a great advocate and volunteer on SAHC’s behalf in the Highlands of Roan.

Congratulations, Diane, for being our 2022 Volunteer of the Year!

Logan (right) treating hemlock tree.

Roan Stewardship

Safeguarding Globally Important Ecosystems

Formed by a tight cluster of mountains straddling the NC and TN border, the Roan Massif (also known as the Highlands of Roan), requires commitment and coordination between federal and state agencies, widespread organizations, local clubs and landowners, and passionate volunteers. SAHC’s Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett leads partnership efforts in long-term management of this treasured place.

We hosted a successful -return to- group volunteer work this summer, with events including the annual Grassy Ridge Mow-Off, NC Bridge Crew work, and the inaugural Round Bald Rubus Round-Up, all of which focused on controlling blackberry and other woody encroachment into Appalachian grassy bald habitat that supports globally rare plants and endemic species.

“Thank you to our amazing SAHC volunteers who restored over 18 acres of Appalachian grass balds this summer,” says Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett. “This work was supported by grant funding from our partners at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the National

Forest Foundation, and we are very grateful for their support.”

SAHC and our partners at Appalachian Trail Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service, and the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club continued to host a seasonal Roan Naturalist along the Appalachian Trail this summer. This year’s Roan Naturalist, Thomas Hatling, hiked back and forth across the stretch of the AT across the Roan to meet and educate hikers about the importance of Leave No Trace principles and the unique and fragile nature of the ecosystems found here. He also assisted with Roan management throughout the summer.

Gray’s Lily Monitoring

Early this year, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy staff and volunteers joined partners in the Highlands of Roan for training by Dr. Matt Estep and Ben Brewer of Appalachian State University in how to monitor Gray’ lily for lily leaf spot disease.

Gray’s lily is a rare wildflower endemic to the region which grows only at high mountain elevations and blooms in meadows, bogs, and forests in early summer. This rare - and striking - red flower was first identified by and named for prominent botanist Asa Gray. Over the past several years, Gray’s lily

The Roan stewardship team waits on top of the mountain at sunrise, ready to survey for Golden-winged Warblers on Hump Mountain.

Photo by Travis Bordley.

Ben Brewer of Appalachian State University (left) with volunteers interested in assisting with Gray’s lily monitoring

Volunteers manage grassy bald habitat at the inaugural Round Bald Rubus Round-Up.

populations have been suffering from lily leaf spot, a fungal disease that may be spread by contact. Lily leaf spot disease kills juveniles and reduces reproduction in adults, creating a grim forecast for the future of these beautiful blooms. We look forward to gathering data this fall to see how the plants monitored this year have fared; teams will re-survey the Roan to look at long-term viability.

Birdathon - Thank YOU!

We extend enormous gratitude to our partners at Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter and to all the Birdathon 2022 participants for raising over $15,000 for restoring and managing bird habitat. This year’s Birdathon supports SAHC’s efforts in managing habitat for Golden-winged Warblers in

Roan Naturalist Thomas Hatling: Lessons from the Roan

the Highlands of Roan. The Golden-winged Warbler is a neotropical migratory songbird with populations in sharp decline, particularly suffering from loss of habitat. SAHC has been protecting and managing habitat in the Roan Highlands for more than 10 years to support Goldenwinged Warblers along with associated species. The Birdathon contribution will help expand these efforts in the Roaring Creek Valley.

“We are looking forward to using these funds to manage habitat for Golden-winged Warblers in Roaring Creek this fall, and to surveying the results next spring” says Marquette. “Thank you for raising this generous contribution to support SAHC’s habitat management and restoration work for this climate sensitive species.”

Serving as the Roan Naturalist not only enabled me to spend the summer working in one of the world’s most gorgeous settings, it gave me the opportunity to help inform people about the importance of mitigating human impacts on the fragile ecosystems of the Roan. Through lack of awareness about the importance and fragility of the grassy summits, visitors may inadvertently cause negative impacts on Roan, despite feeling an innate love for the mountain. The Roan Naturalist position lets people know about the rare plants and animals of the Roan Highlands and how to reduce our impacts as visitors, answer people’s questions, and create signage in problem areas to encourage visitors to Leave No Trace. .

This summer I spoke to thousands of visitors about Leave No Trace principles. This is key to helping the rare plants and animals of the Roan thrive. Leave No Trace boils down to these straightforward principles:

• Plan ahead and prepare.

• Travel and camp on durable surfaces.

• Dispose of waste properly.

• Leave what you find.

• Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).

• Respect wildlife.

• Be considerate of other visitors.

I encourage everyone who enjoys the outdoors to remember these core principles and always put them into practice! A key part of enjoying the outdoors is respecting the environment around you and saving that beauty for others and generations to come.

Thomas Hatling (right) talks with hikers along the AT..

The Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter (left) presented SAHC with more than $15,000 in contributions to help manage and restore Golden-winged Warbler habitat in the Highlands of Roan.

SAHC volunteers, including staff and current/former board members, camped out while helping with the Grassy Ridge Mow-Off.

There are few people who can truly be described as committing a lifetime of sacrifice and passionate hard work to an endeavor with modest monetary reward yet boundless benefit to the greater good of humankind and nature. Judy Murray, however, is just such a person. Judy was first inspired by nature on a family vacation in the 1950s when her family traveled by car from New York City to Canada. On the return trip, and especially as the family traveled through the Adirondack Mountains, Judy fell in love with nature and the mountains.

Upon graduation from college in 1960, Judy sought a job that would enable her to further her interests in the outdoors and the mountains, accepting a chemist position with Tennessee Eastman Company (now Eastman Chemical Company) in Kingsport, Tennessee. Within days, she was hiking and enjoying the spectacular vistas from the grassy ridges of the Highlands of Roan and was soon a member of the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club. Her early experiences with the Hiking Club led to her lifelong work in the Highlands of Roan.

Judy and six other members of the hiking club formed a working group to further protection of the Appalachian Trail and the magnificent grassy balds of the Roan massif. The entire area was threatened by development for resorts and vacation

A Lifetime of Service

Judy Murray Honored with TN Award

In July, SAHC’s first Roan Stewardship Director Judy Murray was named winner of the 2022 Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is part of the annual Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). One of the SAHC’s, founders Judy has led an inspired life dedicated to conservation in Southern Appalachia, and this award is a prestigious honor recognizing the depth of her commitment to the Highlands of Roan.

homes. The group of seven hiking club members started meeting at members’ homes in Johnson City to discuss how to safeguard the vulnerable Roan lands for present and future generations. The group grew and was formalized in 1966 as the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee of the Appalachian Trail Conference with the goal to preserve the views and landscape surrounding the Appalachian

land across the Highlands of Roan and along the Appalachian Trail, Judy, and other members of the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee founded the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy as a Tennessee non-profit land trust. SAHC was created to raise funds to purchase lands for which the Forest Service was not funded.

Trail through the Highlands of Roan.

In 1974, the U.S. Forest Service and the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee created a landscape-scale “Highlands of the Roan Composite Plan”. The plan identified tracts needed to protect the bald areas and the Appalachian Trail, established alternatives for acquisition if the tracts were not available in their entirety, identified the fragile resources of the bald areas, and described broad management direction of these lands.

To accelerate the protection of critical

During this time Judy realized that she wanted to devote more of her time and energy to conservation. She resigned her position with the Tennessee Eastman Company to return to school. She knew that increased knowledge of the interaction of living organisms and their environment was key to protecting and managing the unique and fragile Highlands of Roan. Graduating with a master’s degree in Ecology from the University of Tennessee, Judy became SAHC’s first Roan Stewardship Director in 1974, a position she held for 40 years until her retirement in 2014.

SAHC’s non-profit charter was expanded to include NC, and now, nearly 50 years later, we continue to build on the foundational work of the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee.

Judy has spent her life dedicated to preserving the beautiful and ecologically rare Highlands of Roan, using her deep and genuine love and respect for nature and people to align interests and spur

Grassy Ridge Mow-Off volunteer, 1997

action. Continuing the early collaborative efforts of the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee with the Forest Service and other organizations, Judy established the Roan Stewardship Committee to bring together a larger community of interested parties. She was able to build trust and respect among landowners whose cherished land had been part of their families for generations, thus opening the door to conversations about conservation and ultimately protecting their land. Landowners have many fond memories of working with Judy and often ask about her years after her retirement.

Whether leading a day-long workshop, applying the power of persuasion, or rallying volunteers, Judy got results. Getting to shared goals and prioritized projects was just the start of Judy’s work. Once plans were developed and projects agreed-to, the hard work of implementation began. One of Judy’s strengths has been her ability to recruit and lead volunteers to carry out the many projects needed to protect and restore the

Highlands of Roan. From restoration of Golden-winged Warbler habitat in the Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, removing invasive Garlic Mustard from Roan Mountain State Park, to mowing blackberry and other woody growth from the grassy balds, legions of volunteers have accomplished herculean goals.

A wonderful example is the annual effort undertaken by multiple groups and agencies to remove blackberry and other woody plants slowly encroaching on the grassy balds, threatening not only the unique habitat but also the attractiveness of the region to many thousands of annual visitors. Volunteers use loopers, rakes, hand scythes, and heavy-duty power equipment to mow down the growth, manually replicating as best possible what was done for centuries by fire and grazing animals. Each summer dozens of acres of grassy bald are restored by these efforts. And for many, it is a cherished annual event.

Along the way, Judy has been repeatedly recognized for her tireless contribution

to conservation and protection of the Highlands of Roan. She was twice awarded the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club’s Hiker of the Year Award and co-chaired the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s 50th anniversary biennial meeting. She contributed to Roan Seasonal Ecologists with mentoring and inspiration. She also added knowledge and guidance to numerous articles and scientific studies of the Highlands of Roan. Judy formally retired from her position as the SAHC Roan stewardship director in 2014, but her efforts to celebrate and protect the Highlands of Roan continue. And even at 84 years of age, she actively participates in strategy and planning activities as a member of the SAHC Roan Stewardship Advisory Committee. She’s always willing to share her knowledge, offer perspective and advice and lend a helping hand. Her legacy is also evident in the continuing success of SAHC.

As a founder, Judy was instrumental in shaping and leading the organization. Mentoring and inspiring staff members and scores of volunteers has insured that SAHC’s success is carried to other conservation challenges. This work has been accomplished using the same principles Judy embodied as she led stewardship of Roan – building trusting relationships with the community, partnering with state, federal, and other conservation organizations, and ensuring that the hard work gets done.

Congratulations, Judy, on this well-earned recognition!

“Sometimes I like to be the last one to turn in for the night, when I have the stars, the wind, and The Rock to myself. A time for silent reflection from the place I love most in the world.” - Judy Murray

Partners survey the results of habitat management. Judy ready for a work day.

Thank You Corporate Partners!

Our Corporate Partner members are business supporters who contribute to SAHC at an annual level of $1,000 or more. We are so grateful that these businesses choose to give back to our communities by supporting land and water conservation in the mountains of NC and TN.

Corporate Partners

Mt. Mitchell: $25,000+

Wicked Weed Brewing

Witherspoon, Platt & Associates

Waterrock Knob: $15,000+

Biltmore Estate

Highland Brewing Company

Mast General Store

Salesforce

Roan Mountain: $10,000+

Appalachian Realty Associates

Hunter Automotive Group

Cold Mountain: $5,000+

Joel Adams & Associates, Inc.

The Garden Club of America

Industry Nine

Big Yellow: $2,500+

Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO)

Kee Mapping and Surveying

Network Computer Solutions

Parsec Financial Management

USA Raft

Max Patch: $1,000+

Asheville Hiking Tours

BorgWarner Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation

Equinox Environmental

French Broad River Garden Club Fnd.

Green River Preserve

HandUp Gloves

Headwater Environmental

Jus’ Running

Mosaic Realty

Movement Mortgage

Roberts & Stevens, Attorneys at Law

Second Gear

Shoji Spa & Lodge

Starks Financial Group

Steelcase Foundation

Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton

Wildwood Consulting, LLC

Partner Highlight: Asheville Hiking Tours

“As a conservation biologist, it was my dream to create an ecotour company that gives back to a local land conservancy,” says Jenny Gruhn, PhD, Biologist, and owner of Asheville Hiking Tours. “Asheville Hiking Tours’ corporate donation to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy ensures that I am contributing where my and my staff’s hearts are! We are a group of biologist and naturalist ecotour guides, and we most appreciate the protection of our unique Appalachian ecosystems.”

About Asheville Hiking Tours:

Let local naturalists guide you to their favorite “secret spots” along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in National Forests. Asheville Hiking Tours provides a range of excursions for both tourists and locals, from birding and wildflower walks to waterfall and firefly tours, with transportation provided from Asheville. Experience a unique blend of storytelling, sightseeing, ecological discussions and wild food tasting on their tours. They hire only expert guides, well versed in local history and native plant and wildlife. Asheville Hiking Tours is the region’s top-rated outdoor experience on TripAdvisor, due to the expertise of guides and carefully crafted, inspirational experiences!

Check out the friendly team and range of environmentally conscious day trips at www.ashevillehikingtours.com.

For information about becoming a Corporate Partner or participating in our Real Estate Partner Program, contact Cheryl Fowler at cheryl@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 209.

Save the Date!

September 28 — Virtual Lunch and Learn: SAHC Climate Change Action Plan

October 7 — Appalachia Day with Wicked Weed at Hickory Nut Gap Farm

October 9 — Design Workshop with Blazing Star Flowers, SAHC Community Farm

October 25 — Community Farm Workshop: Small Engine Repair and Maintenance, followed by a Repair Café

October 27 — Virtual Lunch and Learn: All About Bats!

Visit Appalachian.org for details on these and more!

Sign up for our E-News and follow us on social media for updates.

Weddings at the Farm

June Jamboree

We were thrilled to see many members and guests on the mountain this summer for our celebration of hiking, biodiversity, scenic views, and fellowship in the Highlands of Roan. From birding at our Wiles Creek Preserve to Yoga on the Mountain at Little Rock Creek and Storytelling at Little Cove Creek, we had plenty of time for quiet time and reflection. Our Challenge Trek and Hampton Creek Cove Hikes drew plenty of folks to the Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area looking for more active adventure. Thank you all for spending the day with us!

Did you know you can host your wedding, reunion, or special event at the SAHC Community Farm?

Savor stunning 360-degree rolling pasture and mountain views. Enjoy the company of friends and family on the reception patio and deck. Refresh and relax in the beautifully updated farmhouse. We have created a space to make you feel at home — you may never want to leave!

Weddings and events support SAHC’s conservation initiatives and ongoing programs at the farm. Each event leaves a ripple of positive impact, helping to protect beautiful and ecologically important land for generations to come.

Details at Appalachian.org/weddings or email events@appalachian.org with questions.

Members’ Corner

Tributes — as of September 1, 2022

Tributes are gifts made to SAHC that celebrate a person, achievement, or special occasion.

In honor of Cynthia Austin

Anne Bach

In honor of Randy Hunter

In MemoriamCarol T. Coffey

Carol T. Coffey, former Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Board of Trustees president and dedicated volunteer, passed away in August.

“Carol was a champion of all aspects of conservation with SAHC,” says Executive Director Carl Silverstein. “He was passionate about land protection efforts and served on the SAHC Land Protection Committee for decades, seldom missing a meeting.”

Carol served multiple terms on the SAHC Board of Trustees between 1981 and 2009. He devoted many summer weekends to helping with habitat management during the Grassy Ridge Mow-Off. As one of the founding members of the volunteer Roany Boyz volunteer group, Carol was a recipient of the 2013 Stanley A. Murray Volunteer of the Year Award. He will be deeply missed. We join many long-time members and leaders of SAHC in honoring Carol’s great love for conservation and land stewardship.

Sarah Boyd

Jenny Lynn Bradley

Mary Beth Chandler

Virginia Cohen

Cecil Durham

George & Betsy Ivey

Sonja Waddell

Forrest & Lillian Wilkerson

In honor of Jane Knight

William Knight

In honor of Jay Leutze

Tiffany Clark

Alicia Alford

Aurelia & William Monk

In honor of SAHC staff

Rich Preyer & Dianne DuBois

In honor of TJ Warren

Jonathan Davis

Welcome! New Trustee John McLendon

This year we welcome John McLendon to serve on the SAHC Board of Trustees. John is a retired business and real estate attorney from Greensboro, NC. He has served on the Board of Directors, Land Protection Committee, and Land Management Committee of Piedmont Land Conservancy, and on the planning committee for the Greensboro Downtown Greenway. Before practicing law in Greensboro, John worked for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. John and his wife, Connie, became involved with SAHC through a hike in the Roan Highlands about ten years ago, and since then they have been supporters of SAHC’s Roan Stewardship program. John is looking forward to serving on SAHC’s Land Protection Committee.

Carol, top center, with Roany Boyz.

Former and current members of the board joined John for an orientation day in the beautiful Highlands of Roan. L to R: Tom Williams, John and Connie McLendon, Jeff Needham, Chris Soto, Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett.

Memorials — as of September 1, 2022

Memorial contributions to SAHC honor the memory of special individuals. A memorial gift is a gift of flowers in perpetuity. You can remember your loved one by making a gift to SAHC to help permanently protect the places they loved.

In memory of Annette Anderson

Darla Beverage & Kent Gardner

In memory of Nada Barnett

Helen C. Gift

In memory of Ann Beasley

Sherry & Gil Harris

In memory of Mary Ann Beasley

John & Betsy Cromwell

Ralph & Charlotte Dammann

Sherry & Gil Harris

In memory of Travis Crockett

Saylor Fox & Bettye Boone

In memory of Mary Bailey Gray

Robert & Jane Gibson

John Hansen

Lee & Jeff Hatling

Beth & Witt Langstaff, Jr.

Bill & Dee Dee Maxwell

Ronald Morgan

Blair & Ivon D Rohrer, Jr.

Emily & Louis Rossiter

In memory of Joanna Griffith

Kim Barnhardt

In memory of Faye Hashe

Rick Phelps

In memory of Dr. Miles O. Hayes

Aileen Duc

Scott Friedman

Kurt Hansen

Pam Latham

Jacqueline Michel

John Murphy

Debra Scholz

Tracy Tedder

In memory of Audrey Kaiman

Ben C. Hole

Members’ Corner

In MemoriamMary Gray

In memory of Kathleen Leutze

Jeanette & Kent Blazier

David & Alice Brewer

Allan & Betsy Clark

Elise Guthridge

Paige Hansen

Lee & Jeff Hatling

Karen & Clark Havighurst

Bill Holman

Emily Johnson

Pam Kelley

Beth & Witt Langstaff, Jr.

Kim Lowndes

Tom & Sara Masters

Margaret Newbold

Annie O’Leary

Blair & Ivon D Rohrer, Jr.

Kathy & John Singleton

Katherine Skinner

Leslie & Walter Tsui

Ruth Whitsel

In memory of Bill Lowndes

Bruce & Mary Ann Minkin

In memory of Lee Malone

Mountain View Garden Club

In memory of Moyna Monroe

Melissa Payne

In memory of Karen Petrey

Zoe Hoyle

In memory of June & Ron Quigley

Jennifer Lilly

In memory of Ted Rowe

Helen C. Gift

In memory of Jerre Sadler

Susan & Daniel Sauer

In memory of Carol Transou

Mountain View Garden Club

Mary Catherine Bailey Gray was a longtime member and close friend of conservation leaders in our SAHC family.

Born in Greensboro in 1949, Mary graduated Ashley High School, then went on to attend Greensboro College where she majored in biology as well as a minor in chemistry. Mary also completed the School of Medical Technology at Forsyth Memorial Hospital where she not only found her passion for the medical field but also her husband, Dr. John Henry Gray III.

The couple traveled the world and were happily married for 37 years before John’s passing in 2011. One of her most cherished places was her home on Yellow Mountain in the Highlands of Roan.

Mary was a regular attendee at Penland School of Craft, where she found a passion in metal smithing. She also took great pride and enjoyment in her home of 50 years, and was an avid gardener.

Her most recent years were shared with her partner Ronald Morgan, also of Winston-Salem. She will always be remembered by those who knew and loved her.

372 Merrimon Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-1222

(828) 253-0095

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Have you considered including SAHC in your estate planning?

Legacy gifts help ensure the permanent protection of beloved conservation lands for the future. If you have included SAHC in your estate plans, please let us know. We would like to thank you for your generosity and recognize you as a member of our Legacy Society.