Chestnut Mountain

View of Chestnut Mountain, photo by Adams Wood

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased 448 acres at Chestnut Mountain near the Town of Canton, permanently protecting sources of clean water and forested habitat in an important wildlife corridor.

“This property is dynamic, with a mosaic of habitat types – which is really good for wildlife – and different settings for people to enjoy various types of experiences on the land,” says Conservation Director Hanni Muerdter. “The property starts at 2,360 feet elevation at Hwy 19/23 and then rises to 3,400 feet at the peak of Chestnut Mountain. At the higher elevations, forested ridgelines and coves situated in an important wildlife corridor provide exceptional habitat for plants and animals. It contains pockets of gentle mature hardwood forest with laurel and rhododendron, forested slopes facing a variety of directions, and an open field and early successional edge area beneficial for birds. The amount of wildlife activity on the tract is truly impressive!”

Wildlife tracks can be found all over Chestnut Mountain.

Chestnut Mountain sits in a significant wildlife corridor identified by The Wildlands Network as important for animal movement and habitat. Its protection will conserve habitat for large mammals such as bear and deer, as well as smaller mammals and numerous bird, reptile and amphibian species.

“As a land trust, it is our role to try to look 10-20 years out to predict how expanding development will impact significant wildlife movement areas, water resources, and to try to secure spaces to allow people to enjoy getting out into the forest,” continues Muerdter. “This property is one of the remaining larger undeveloped tracts in an important area for conservation, and we are extremely excited the landowner wanted to sell the tract for a conservation outcome. This project presents inspiring potential for a public park — a vision of recreation and conservation working together.”

Conservation Director Hanni Muerdter visits the property.

Photo by Adams Wood

The NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) awarded $1.2 million toward the purchase of the property. The project protects several miles of tributaries to Hominy Creek which hosts a population of brown trout. According to Walter Clark, Executive Director of CWMTF, “the project not only protects wildlife and creates a valuable recreational resource, it also protects important water resources. It is an all-around exceptional land protection effort.”

“We are pleased that a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina’s Pigeon River fund was able to cover transactional costs to survey Chestnut Mountain Park property,” said Senior Program Officer Tara Scholtz. “Not only does this project permanently protect Wildlife Resources Commission designated Trout Waters and nine miles of stream, it also it meets other goals of the Fund including the enhancement of wildlife habitats and expanded public use and access to waterways.”

SAHC plans to give the land to the Town of Canton to manage as a conservation-based public outdoor recreation park in partnership with Haywood County, after we finish raising funds that are needed to repay a bridge loan we took out to buy the property. This will create the possibility for easily accessible outdoor recreation just off US Hwy 19/23 and Interstate 40.

Streams and habitat on the tract will remain permanently protected through conservation easements, and outdoor recreation prospects will be activities that work with conservation of the property.

“This is the kind of opportunity that comes maybe once in a lifetime,” says Canton’s Mayor Zeb Smathers. “We are ecstatic about using this gift of land worth more than $3 million to leverage additional grants and funding sources to create a very special, easily accessible park for Canton, Haywood County, and all of WNC. With potential for a new gateway to outdoor recreation, economic development, and continued conservation of our natural landscape, this project is truly a win-win for everyone.”

Most of the funds for the land purchase are provided by grants from the CWMTF, the NC Attorney General’s Office’s Environmental Enhancement Grant Program, The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of WNC, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Mountain Revolving Loan Fund Small Grant Program, a generous gift from Brad and Shelli Stanback, a partial donation of land value from the landowner, and multiple donations from individual members of SAHC and the local community.

The Conservation Fund provided a bridge loan to SAHC to enable us to close on the purchase. We are actively fundraising for a remaining $275,000 in transaction costs in order to re-pay the loan from The Conservation Fund and be able to transfer the land to the Town.

The property contains a diverse habitat.

“This property is a beloved mark in the landscape with a lot of history, and many people from Haywood County have enjoyed experiences on the land over the years,” adds Muerdter. “We’re glad that people will still get to enjoy being on the tract in the near future. National conservation trends have been moving towards projects that are innovative, evolving to serve people and nature in unique ways. We’re excited about the opportunity of this project as a local example of this national trend – protecting the landscape while engaging people in recreation and activating the economy.”