TLC conserves another 125 acres at White Pines Preserve;  Tops 10,000 acres across the Triangle region

January 2008

Oakland Township, Chatham County – Three conservation projects encompassing 125 acres along the Rocky River will protect water quality and wildlife habitat at White Pines, the most significant natural area in the Triangle region.

Combined with several other new conservation projects across the six-county Triangle region these deals helped push Triangle Land Conservancy’s protected land total to more than 10,000 acres. As Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) prepares to celebrate its 25-year anniversary in 2008, it reaches a major conservation milestone. The organization has significantly increased its pace of conservation. By the year 2000, TLC had conserved 2,000 acres in 17 years. In the last seven years, the group has conserved 8,000 acres to reach the 10,000-acre plateau.

Much of TLC’s success in the last seven years is attributable to increased funding opportunities through North Carolina’s conservation trust funds: the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Natural Heritage Trust Fund and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. All three of the new White Pines area projects are funded by the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, for a total of $677,000.

Located about 8 miles south of Pittsboro at the confluence of the Deep and Rocky rivers, the White Pines area supports a habitat that is more akin to the North Carolina mountains than the Piedmont. Sustained by cool north-facing slopes and the moderating influence of two rivers, white pine, mountain laurel and other montane species thrive here. TLC identified this area as the most significant natural site in the six Triangle counties in the mid-1980s and has been piecing together conservation tracts since that time.

The three new conservation projects include conservation agreements with two private landowners and a bargain sale of land that will be added to TLCs' White Pines Nature Preserve.

The bargain sale of 12.5 acres for $75,000 by out-of-state landowner Dr. Gloria Grizzle brings the White Pines Nature Preserve to 288 acres. It also extends the preserves reach up the Rocky River and protects some of the most dramatic bluffs on the river. A grant from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund (NC Clean Water) provided $39,600 for the purchase and $19,350 for transaction costs; NC Clean Water holds a conservation easement on the three acres immediately adjacent to the river. TLC paid the remaining $35,400 purchase price out of its Land Opportunity Fund and now owns the entire tract.

The two private conservation agreements—one on 12.3 acres, the other on 100 acres—are on adjacent tracts just upstream of the White Pines Nature Preserve. Together they protect water quality on 3,000 feet of Rocky River stream frontage. The Lower Rocky River/Lower Deep River is a Nationally Significant Aquatic Habitat that supports rare aquatic species including:  the Cape Fear shiner (a minnow); Carolina redhorse (a variety of “quillback” fish); and Roanoke slabshell, brook floater and the yellow lampmussel (all freshwater mussels). They also help maintain the connectivity of a wildlife corridor for birds and mammals in this area.

Kathy Hundley donated a conservation easement on 12.3 acres on the Rocky River. A mini-grant from NC Clean Water provided $23,350 for closing costs.

Siblings Beth Goldston and Bryan Goldston inherited 340 acres of managed forestland from their father, Earl Goldston, when he passed away in 2005. The Goldstons made a bargain sale of a conservation easement on 100 acres of forestland to NC Clean Water for $570,000. NC Clean Water also provided $24,725 for closing costs. Under the terms of the easement, the Goldstons will limit forestry practices on the 100 acres to activities that will enhance the native white pine populations. They will continue with commercial forestry on their remaining 240 acres based on their forest management plan.

NC Clean Water holds the easements for both conservation agreements, with TLC providing long-term stewardship. With the land remaining in private ownership, the Goldston and Hundley tracts will not be available for public access.

White Pines Nature Preserve has about four miles of walking trails and is open to the public year-round for low-impact outdoor recreation.  The preserve has been used extensively for research and education by Triangle-area and other universities.

The Deep River is one of TLC's priority areas. This nationally significant river provides drinking water for Chatham and Lee counties and is home to many rare and endangered fish and mussel species.

Since 1983, TLC has helped to conserve 4,190 acres in Chatham County. These projects include conservation agreements with five owners of farmland and forestland conserving 956 acres; ownership of 840 acres on eight properties; and conservation partnerships on projects that have conserved 2,282 acres.

Click here to read more about White Pines Preserve. 

 

Copyright © 2006-2008, Triangle Land Conservancy Last updated on 04/05/2009.