2013 FLC Conservation Easement Projects

December 5, 2013 FLC Projects, FLC Publications


FLC Celebrates a Record Setting Year in 2013!

At the end of December, Foothills Land Conservancy celebratedthe completion of 14 conservation easements totaling 11,271 acres – a ‘best ever’ record for the organization. To date, FLC now has a total of 47,000 acres preserved – projects that span 26 counties in Tennessee with one project recently completed in Wautauga County, North Carolina.

We could not have come this far without the support of our Friends of the Foothills! Thanks to your generous contributions, FLC is able to expand our preservation efforts across this diverse region. Here are a few highlights about FLC’s 2013 conservation easement partnerships:

FLC now has a conservation easement agreement on 120 acres in Wauguga County, North Carolina. This is the first time Foothills has partnered on a conservation easement agreement out of state. The property is adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway and provides an important scenic backdrop to one of the most visited National Parks in the U.S. Since the easement is situated high on a mountain ridge, it can be seen from long distances. The owners say that on a clear day they can see the city of Hickory, NC, which is close to 35 miles away.

Rock Creek is a beautiful property in Morgan County that encompasses 1,369 acres. This tract includes hemlocks, rock walls, several creeks and is easily visible from parts of Frozen Head State Natural Area which is just south of the Property 10 miles.Less than 2 miles off of the Property, Rock Creek joins the Upper Emory River.

5 of the projects are located in Van Buren County, totaling 3,860 acres. The largest of these tracks, called Flatbush (2127 acres), is adjacent to Fall Creek Falls State Park on the park’s west side. Parkview is an 118 acre project, also in Van Buren, that is adjacent on the east side of Fall Creek Falls. Parkview is also adjacent to the 346 acre Cane Creek Property on which Foothills Land Conservancy holds a conservation easement. The Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, totaling almost 15,000 acres, is less than ten miles away from Parkview.

Another Van Buren County property, High Point (840 acres) is located within 10 miles of Savage Gulf Class II Natural-Scientific State Natural Area and the South Cumberland State Recreation Area. Both High Point and another tract called, TOT (637 acres), are two properties that are adjacent to the historic Trail of Tears. Regarding High Point, the property’s northern boundary for almost two miles is a section of the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears, as noted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation  Division of Archaeology. This section of the Trail of Tears was part of the overland route used by eleven Cherokee removal parties who opposed the removal treaty in 1838, as well as some earlier voluntary removal groups.

Additional project details are included in the media links within this eNews. For updates, pictures and additional descriptions in the coming days, please friend us on FLC’s Facebook page. We will also post all of the project information in our upcoming 2013 Annual Report/2014 Spring Newsletter.

About Conservation Easements: For private landowners who wish to ensure their property stays in its natural state or as a working farm in perpetuity, or forever, they can opt to enter into a conservation easement agreement with a land trust. This contract describes the activities allowed on the property like hiking, camping, firewood cutting, and farming but often prohibits things like clear-cutting, landfills, mining, and further development according to the landowner’s wishes. Landowners who place a conservation easement on their property can continue to own, use, sell, live on or bequeath their land.

About Foothills Land Conservancy: FLC is dedicated to promoting, protecting and enhancing the lands and environments of the Southern Appalachian region and promoting the character of the land for the general public, now and in the future. FLC is a 501(c)(3) and does not receive any financial assistance from local, state or federal governments. They rely on individual and corporate contributions solely to sustain their organization, land acquisition and stewardship funds.

For more information about Foothills Land Conservancy and their projects and programs, please contact the Foothills office at 865-681-8326.

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Maryville Daily Times – A Record Setting Year for Saving Land: FLC Protected 11,000 Acres In 2013