Twenty-eight acres of greenspace that boarders the entrance to Highlands from Cashiers have been permanently conserved by Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust.
The tract lies along the south side of US 64 extending from Sherwood Forest Road nearly to Poplar Road, a distance of a mile. This property is not only beautifully forested but it contains some cliff face that provides habitat for a rare salamander species.
In the fall of 2019, the Liz Development Corporation, the developer of the Sherwood Forest subdivision, conducted an online auction where numerous lots and one large 28-acre tract were put up for sale. At that time, a group of Little Bear Pen homeowners, headed by Cantey Davis, were successful in acquiring that tract. In an effort to insure that the 28 acres remains undisturbed and undeveloped, the LLC recently donated the property to the Highlands- Cashiers Land Trust.
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust helps landowners permanently protect their property in two primary ways. Often utilizing a legal tool called a conservation agreement or easement and in this case, the landowner retains ownership of their land but donates some or all of their development rights. Alternatively, they sometimes accept donations of land. Some donated lands like this one will be conserved to protect the green space that lines the entrance to the Town of Highlands.
Despite the challenges 2020 brought, HCLT was able to conserve 38 acres of donated lands, accepted the transfer of four conservation easements from The Nature Conservancy and worked with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to acquire two tracts totaling over 200 acres that will ultimately be sold to the US Forest Service.
“All in all it was a good year for land conservation but we have more work to do in 2021,” HCLT Executive Director Dr. Gary Wein said.
As a nationally accredited Land Trust, HCLT is ready and equipped to conserve even more treasured landscape. To learn more about conserving a property, contact HCLT at info.hitrust@earthlink.net or visit www.hicashlt.org.