MARCH 26, 2009 ISSUE
High Country Conservancy Celebrates Oliver Hill Project
Recent completion of the Oliver Hill Conservation Easement marks another achievement in what has been a dynamic year for the High Country Conservancy (HCC). Tom Andrews donated the conservation easement on his Oliver Hill property, located atop a prominent knoll in the Matney Community, near Valle Crucis. The easement was given to High Country Conservancy protecting wildlife habitat, scenic views and grazing pasture. Featuring more than 97 acres of woodlands, grasslands and a tributary to Craborchard Creek, the land protects North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan Priority Habitat.
HCC’s mission is to protect the natural resources of Appalachia by conserving land with significant ecological, cultural, recreational or scenic value in the North Carolina High Country. HCC is interested in assisting other landowners protect their lands from future development. With ownership maintained by the landowner, conservation easements limit future development while allowing the landowner to continue to use the land. Possible benefits for donating conservation easements for the preservation and protection of water quality, scenic views, agricultural lands and wildlife habitat are federal and state income tax incentives.
“This project represents a real all-round conservation success,” said Eric Hiegl, the land protection director for HCC. “The landowner helped us achieve highly valuable scenic protection, along with important agricultural, wildlife and water resource protection.”
Currently, the Oliver Hill Easement is open pasture used for hay production and horse grazing as well as wildlife habitat for native plants and animals.
Landowner Tom Andrews and High Country Conservancy Executive Director Carol Coulter stand in front of an old growth tree on Oliver Hill. Andrews recently agreed to a conservation easement that will maintain his private ownership of the property but will limit future development in order to preserve and maintain natural surroundings.
“Protecting mountain vistas, particularly prominent ridges, is a high priority for HCC,” explains Bob Cherry, HCC President. “The protection of this property ensures future generations will enjoy the same view that we see today.”
The North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy for use of federal funding to protect fish and wildlife species. The North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan takes a habitat-based approach to addressing the needs of the state’s conservation priority wildlife. The plan gives 371 species statewide priority status for conservation efforts and categorizes those species with 23 habitat types or one of 17 river basins.
“We’re excited to protect wildlife habitat identified by the N.C. State Wildlife Action Plan,” Hiegl said. “The cove forest and early successional habitat on the property assure common and uncommon wildlife species will thrive well into the future.”
For more information about conservation easements and land donations, contact Hiegl at 828-264-2511 or eric@highcountryconservancy.org. For more information about the HCC, click to www.highcountryconservancy.org.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
