|
New River State Park Addition/Conservation Easement. Located in the Outstanding Resource Waters section of the South Fork New River, the land was our largest addition to the New River State Park to date. At just over 638 acres, the property protects 1.5 miles of riverfront along the 26.5 mile National Wild and Scenic designated section and combined with adjacent State Park land, protects almost 5 miles of river. The acquisition was made possible by the partnering of property heirs who wanted to see their property remain in a natural state with NCNR,and the state (NC CWMTF, Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and Natural Heritage Trust Fund). As a result, the State Park system will add miles of hiking trails and additional canoe-in campsites. Additionally, a 5-acre conservation easement, completely surrounded by the state park, was also donated.
 Three Top Conservation Easement: This property was part of a family farm that contained hundreds of acres from the North Fork New River nearly to the top of Three Top Mountain. Through the generations, the farm has been handed down to children and grandchildren and with second home development spreading rapidly throughout the New River watershed, the family wanted to ensure part of the farm would be preserved. Two family members donated a conservation easement to NCNR on 38 acres of the original farm. The restrictions allow for historical use of the property to continue, including agricultural and timber management, but do not allow any structures to be built.; to ensure the 1,000 feet of streams are protected, a 50-foot riparian buffer has to be maintained. The easement is located below the Three Top Mountain Game Lands, which will help maintain a wildlife corridor from the North Fork to the top Three Top Mountain. The NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund provided funding to cover the transaction costs of the donated conservation easement.
 Tater Hill Bog Preserve: In partnership with the Plant Conservation Program and the Natural Heritage Trust Fund, NCNR purchased a critical 20-acre in holding at the Tater Hill Bog Preserve in Watauga County, NC. The Tater Hill Bog is at the headwaters of Howard Creek, a tributary of the South Fork New River. Located in the Amphibolite Mountain range this high elevation bog (4,200 feet) has a unique combination of high pH soil and concentration of several water sources. As rapid development spreads through the North Carolina High Country the habitat for these rare plant species declines, making land conservation extremely important. The bog is managed by the Appalachian State University Department of Biology as an educational and research site. The Conservation Trust for North Carolina provided NCNR with a loan necessary to close on the project from their Emergency Land Protection Loan Fund. Funding for this acquisition was also provided by the Natural Heritage Trust Fund.
Woodruff Conservation Easement: NCNR and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation closed on a conservation easement on the Woodruff Farm in Grayson County, VA. The conservation easement will be co held between the two organizations. The farm has 65 acres in Virginia and over 1 mile of riverfront along the New. As a multigenerational farm the Woodruff family wanted to ensure the farm always remains a farm so in December 2005 they closed on the conservation easement, which will do just that.
 Big Horse Creek Farm Conservation Easement: Ron and Suzanne Joyner are fulfilling their dreams by growing heirloom apple trees and preserving the land that they farm. In October 2005 the Joyner's signed a conservation easement with NCNR forever preserving their property. The conservation easement will still allow the Joyner's, and future owners, to farm a portion of their property and preserve the remaining portion as "forever wild.' "One day I hope my property will become an old growth forest and researchers will be able to use it as a study site," stated Ron Joyner. Their 75-acre property is located off of Big Horse Creek in northern Ashe County along the NC/VA state line. The property boasts numerous springs and streams as well as a large cliff band. The Joyner's donated the conservation easement and NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund provided funding to cover the transaction costs.
 Elk Shoals United Methodist Camp Conservation Easement: As the South Fork New River meanders through bottomland pastures and steep mountainsides, it forms peninsulas that the river is known for. Located in one of these peninsulas is the Elk Shoals United Methodist Camp. The camp is surrounded on three sides by three miles of riverfront. The downstream or eastern portion of the camp was placed under conservation easement to be preserved as "forever wild." The conservation easement was completed in April 2005. It is located south of West Jefferson off of Boggs Road, which is where the easement can be viewed. The easement protects 95 acres and 1.25 miles of riverfront along the High Quality Water section of the South Fork. The easement also protects the South Fork's largest population of Virginia spiraea, a Federally threatened species of shrub. From the river to the ridge, the land will remain permanently forested. The easement was purchased with funding provided by the NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program, and Elk Shoals Methodist Camp donated the upland portion.
 Horner Property: NCNR's fourth project located in the Todd South Fork Greenway Project area, this tract of land was purchased in fee simple with funding from the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund in May 2004. This property encompasses 48 acres and over 1,600 feet of riverfront and is adjacent to the previously purchased Barker and Von Stein properties and the Appalachian State University Biological Field Research Station. This property is also a biologically significant property as it contains a mature forest containing Carolina and Canadian hemlocks, white oaks, red maples, American beech, yellow birch, tulip poplars, wet rock outcrops covered with mosses and lichens, acidic cove forest community types, and a diverse array of plants and animals. The property also is located in the designated High Quality Water section of the South Fork. With the purchase of this property the Todd South Fork Greenway Project totals over 400 acres of contiguously protected forest and 2.5 miles of riverfront along the South Fork.
 Blackburn Property: Located on Big Hill Road in Todd, the Blackburn Property is 7.6 acres adjacent to the Green Valley Community Park. The NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund funded the acquisition, and NCNR donated the property to Green Valley Community Park for additional ball fields, hiking trails and restoration of a bottomland hardwood forest. This addition brings the size of the Green Valley Community Park to 20 acres. The property is located on the South Fork New River just upstream of the properties acquired for the Todd South Fork Greenway. The tract contains 1,864 linear feet of stream and river frontage.
 New River Heights: After 2+ years of work, NCNR closed on the 110-acre New River Heights property along the National Scenic River section of the South Fork in August 2004. It is located in Scottsville in northern Ashe County. The property is adjacent to 50 acres NCNR protected in 1998 and transferred to the State Park. New River Heights contains Piedmont/Low Mountain Alluvial Forest community type along the floodplains, Rich Cove and Acidic Cover Forest types along the two creeks which flow through the property, and Montane Oak-Hickory Forest in the uplands. The creek beds contain mafic rock, a nutrient rich rock commonly found in the Amphibolite Mountains. The property is covered by a mature hardwood forest, including some old growth Canada hemlocks near the cliff band. There is a High Elevation Seep in the western portion of the property surrounded by a palustrine community type. Along the South Fork there is a Montane Mafic Cliff community type extending close to the river. Mosses, liverworts and lichens cover the rock faces. This property is not only biologically significant, it also will protect almost 4,000 feet of riverfront as part of the South Fork's scenic viewshed. Canoeists and fishermen will enjoy the rural setting of this section of river. In February 2005, NCNR donated the property to the New River State Park to manage for scenic viewshed protection. Funding for this project was made available from the NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program.
 Fries Conservation Easement. NCNR, working with a highly motivated family, protected an 85-acre farm on the New River in Fries, Virginia, in December 2006. After watching many riverfront farm properties convert to small RV parks, the family wanted to permanently protect their family's farm. The land features include 1,300' of river and the lower tract, south of VA State Highway 94, consists of a large agricultural field used for cattle grazing. The larger tract north of Highway 94 is primarily forested, where timber Best Management Practices are allowed. Additionally, the easement eliminates subdivision of the property and commercial and industrial uses, which is consistent with Grayson County's comprehensive land use plan. The easement will preserve agricultural and forest land as well as natural amenities and the existing rural character of the area.
 The Crossover Farm Conservation Easement. This working cattle farm, located in Alleghany County where the New River crosses into North Carolina from Virginia for the first time, has been in the owner family for at least five generations. Encroaching second home development across the river motivated the family to protect their farm and preserve their agricultural heritage. Canoeists, kayakers, and fishing enthusiasts will forever enjoy the viewshed on this spectacular part of the river. The easements encompass 206 acres and a mile of riverfront. With the help of NCNR donors, the family was able to purchase an adjacent parcel just downstream and donate an additional conservation easement on this land as well.
 Peach Bottom Creek Headwaters Conservation Easement. This 174-acre tract is located a few miles north of Independence, Virginia. Roughly 20 springs, and several perennial and intermittent streams, which form the headwaters of Peach Bottom Creek, are included in the parcel; riparian buffers on all surface waters will ensure that streams and springs on the property remain healthy. The family is conservation-minded and have installed a wind turbine, heat and cool their home geo-thermally, and plan on constructing a solar array in the near future; they plan to use their property in the future for environmental workshops and demonstrations. In addition to protecting this critical tributary to the New River, the viewshed on an important portion of Buck Mountain is forever protected with this easement.
Fleetwood Conservation Easement. Formerly an NCNR River Builder project; the owners of this property subsequently have donated a conservation easement on 50 acres, just downstream from Fleetwood, in Ashe County, North Carolina. The easement protects almost one half mile of riverfront along the South Fork New River, as well as several tributaries and numerous springs and seeps. With the exception of cleared bottomland along the river, the property is entirely forested with stands of American beech, various Oak and Maple species, Cherry, Ash, Buckeye, and Birch, as well as dense rhododendron thickets. Adjacent second home developments make this a critical and important open space easement. NCNR will be restoring one of the tributaries on the property in the near future. The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund provided funding for the transaction costs involved.
 Riverside Drive Conservation Easement. Located adjacent to the Fries Conservation Easement, this 74-acre parcel in Grayson County, VA, further protects land along this stretch of the river that is rapidly being converted into RV parks. Roughly half the property is a large agricultural field in the flood plain of the New River with the remaining portion being completely forested. This conservation easement is another addition to the expanding corridor of protected land along this stretch of the New in VA.
 Waterfall Mountain Conservation Easement. Completed in December 2007, this 16-acre easement on the side of Three Top Mountain is located in the Clifton Community of Ashe County, NC. The property boasts 2,200 feet of pristine stream frontage and a spectacular 40-foot waterfall over an Amphibolite rock outcrop. The numerous Amphibolite rock outcrops on the upland portions of the property support excellent quality high elevation rock communities with the potential for numerous rare plant species. This highly restrictive easement prohibits subdivision and will ensure that forested areas remain in their natural state by prohibiting timber harvesting. The North Carolina Cleanwater Management Trust Fund provided the transaction costs for this easement.
 Railroad Grade Road Conservation Easement. Located just downstream from the Todd Island Community Park, this easement protects 20 acres along the South Fork New River. The easement contains 850' of frontage along the High Quality Waters section of the South Fork and contains a mix of bottomland along the river and successional forests. 50-foot riparian buffers are required to enhance the quality of the South Fork and a pristine tributary on the property. Todd has been experiencing rapid second home development, making this easement even more critical. The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund provided funding for the transaction costs.
The Peak Conservation Easement. NCNR worked with a devoted group of landowners to permanently protect the highest point in eastern Ashe County. This 85-acre easement adjoins the New River State Park and covers the entire ridgeline, including the summit of the Peak. 360-degree views characterize the summit of the Peak, which would have made it a likely spot for future home development. The property contains a number of high quality springs and is completely forested with a mix of successional hardwoods. The easement requires that 50-foot riparian buffers be maintained on all surface waters and also restricts subdivision, and any development not consistent with traditional uses of the property. Additionally, timbering, utilizing an approved forest management plan, is permitted. The viewshed of the beautiful mountain will be forever protected and the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund provided funding for the transaction costs.
 2006 New River-Alleghany Access Conservation easement. The Smith Family continued their legacy of protecting land along the River by donating an additional 165-acre conservation easement to NCNR in 2006. This easement, although not on the River, contains almost a mile along tributaries of the New. The easement consists of pasture, white pine, and hardwood forests. This easement buffers important land between the New River State Park and encroaching second home developments. The easement also helps maintain the rural and agricultural heritage of Alleghany County by allowing agricultural practices to continue.
Smith Virginia Conservation Easement. NCNR purchased this 20-acre easement from the Smith Family in 1998. The property is located adjacent to the New River-Alleghany Access Conservation Easement, just across the state line. A 1.8-acre 'Non-Timber Area' serves to protect the viewshed along this scenic section of the river. The easement is completely forested and contains a mix of white pine and hardwood forests.
Conservation
Options l Criteria
l Tax Benefits
l Protected
Lands |
