The permanent protection of 47.97 acres of ecologically significant land has been donated to the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT) by High Hampton. This private conservation easement ensures the preservation of unique natural features such as rock outcrops, mature forests, headwaters, floodplains and mountain bogs - while surpassing annual conservation acreage recommendations made in the 2020 Urban Land Institute’s Report: Vision for Sustainable Growth in Cashiers.
The newly conserved property is characterized by a very diverse terrain. Connecting existing HCLT/High Hampton conservation areas now totaling 463.04 acres, this new addition begins at the base of Rock Mountain, where steep granitic upland habitats descend into dense swamp forests and Fowler Creek forms unnamed at its headwaters before later flowing into the Chattooga River. Mature and vibrant forests surround expansive ecologically significant, globally rare Southern Appalachian Bogs; one of North America’s rarest and most imperiled ecosystems. These newly conserved places are home to many globally threatened, state endangered, imperiled and significantly rare species, some of which include plants such as:
• Biltmore Sedge (Carex biltmoreana)
• Button sedge (Carex bullata var bullata)
• Granite Dome bluet (Houstonia longoifolia var. glabra)
• Granite Dome goldenrod (Solidago simulans)
• Tawny cottongrass (Eriophorum virginicum)
“This easement formalizes protections for state and globally rare species and habitats - it’s not every day you get to say you’ve helped to protect some of the rarest plants and places on the planet,” said Owen Carson, Senior Ecologist at Equinox Environmental, consulting ecologist on the project.
This conservation victory is particularly significant due to the rare ecosystems found within the easement area. The property is predominantly forested and supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Key natural communities include:
• Acidic Cove Forest (High Elevation Subtype)
• High Elevation Granitic Dome
• High Elevation Red Oak (Heath Subtype)
• Southern Appalachian Bog (Southern Subtype)
• Swamp Forest-Bog Complex (Typic Subtype)
“We are incredibly grateful to High Hampton for their commitment to conservation and their generous donation of this vital acreage protecting, land, water, and wetlands” said Lance Hardin, Executive Director of the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. “This easement not only protects invaluable natural resources but also exemplifies the power of collaboration in preserving the unique character of our region”.
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust has been working tirelessly to conserve and protect unique and irreplaceable places in Jackson and Macon Counties. This latest achievement underscores our dedication to safeguarding the cultural and natural heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountains for future generations.
About the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust:
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, North Carolina’s oldest land trust, is a local conservation non-profit dedicated to conserving and protecting unique and irreplaceable places in Southern Appalachia - primarily Jackson and Macon Counties. For more information, or if you’d like to learn about how you can get involved and help to support conservation of valuable natural places in one of the most ecologically diverse regions of the world, please visit hcltnc.org and join us in our mission today.
- Submitted by Julie Schott, HCLT