News – Page 23

Get Up and Close With Birds on Mainspring Properties

June 21, 2017

Get Up Close with Birds on the Valley River

The public is invited to participate in “biomonitoring” surveys of breeding birds this summer, at properties Mainspring Conservation Trust has conserved.

Scheduled events at the Welch Farm in Cherokee County include June 27, July 8, 22, 30, and August 8, from 7:00 am to 11:00 am (weather permitting).

In Macon County, events at Cowee Mound are scheduled for June 25, July 5, 14, 23, and August 2. These also run from 7:00 am to 11:00 am.

Children and adults of all ages can volunteer with nationally-recognized research work that monitors the health and reproduction of birds. Participants will provide hands-on assistance in all aspects of the survey work under the training and supervision from Southern Appalachian Raptor Research (SARR) field biologists.

The bird monitoring work is based on the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) protocol. MAPS is a nationwide program coordinated by the Institute for Bird Populations in Point Reyes, CA. The MAPS program includes a continent-wide network of over 500 mist netting stations and is designed to monitor productivity, survivorship, and population trends of breeding birds throughout North America. Analyses of the resulting banding data provide critical information relating to the ecology, conservation, and management of North American landbird populations, and the factors responsible for changes in their populations.

This is the third year that SARR has been conducting the bird monitoring surveys in Cherokee County, and the seventh year at sites in Macon County.

This program is a result of a partnership between Mainspring, SARR, and EBCI’s Natural Resources program. The program is sponsored by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation’s Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR) initiative, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Coweeta Long Term Ecological Research program.

The survey events may be rescheduled due to weather. Click here for an upt-to-date calendar of survey dates. For more information, please contact Mark Hopey.

Regional Land Trust Hoping to Help Expand Local Greenway

May 17, 2017

April 23, 2017 – The purchase of almost 14 acres in the town of Franklin could help expand Macon County’s Little
Tennessee River Greenway.

Mainspring Conservation Trust, a regional land trust based in Franklin, closed Wednesday, April 26 on 13.9 acres off Siler Road that borders Southwestern Community College, Macon Early College and the Macon County Public Library. The land includes 1,200 feet of Cartoogechaye Creek and was identified in the original Greenway plan and in the recent “Bike Walk Franklin” plan as an important tract for extending the Greenway closer to the Macon County Recreation Park.

When the property became available for sale, Mainspring was contacted by several county residents asking them to acquire the property and hold it until it could become part of the Greenway system. Sharon Taylor, Mainspring Executive Director, said they were glad to step up for the community. “This is one of those great projects that touches all three of our core initiatives: conserve the land, restore the water and connect people to nature.” Although Mainspring will not be part of extending the County owned Greenway, Taylor feels there is much support for the extension and looks forward to working with the County leaders to help make it possible.

While Mainspring owns the property, there are plans to address the restoration needs of the land. Jordan Smith, Land Conservation Manager for Mainspring, is seeking grant money to restore the streambank and wetland portion of the property and funds to convey a conservation easement to the State of North Carolina. (update, May 17, 2017: The Conservation Trust for North Carolina has announced a grant award to Mainspring $19,081 for this project) “Once we protect the property’s natural resources and restore the steambank and wetland areas, we hope to work with partners to develop interpretive and educational signage on the extended Greenway, as an opportunity for folks to be able to see the benefits of restoration work and land conservation.”

Smith is excited about the possibilities. “Like all of our projects, this one is going to take a lot of partners to make it happen. But we know the backing for this is out there and I hope to see people show their support for the Greenway extension that has been talked about for some time.”

Currently celebrating its 20^th anniversary, Mainspring has conserved more than 25,000 acres and connected thousands of youth to nature in the six western-most counties in North Carolina and northern Rabun County, Georgia. Learn more at mainspringconserves.org.

Mainspring Partners With Two Families to Conserve More Than 340 Acres

February 14, 2017

January 23, 2017 – Mainspring Conservation Trust recently conserved more than 340 acres from two private properties at each end of their service area, capping off a successful year for the local land trust. Each property is conserved through a conservation easement, a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and land trust that permanently limits the uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values.

*McGuire property (see arrow), as seen from the WCU campus*

Patrick and Jeanne McGuire chose to conserve 202 acres in Jackson County, protecting a prominent ridgeline visible from Sylva, Webster, Cullowhee and Western Carolina University (WCU). Located less than a half-mile from Roy Taylor Forest, a large unit of the Nantahala National Forest, the forested property contains a diversity of plant communities and unique habitats. There are at least eight headwater springs and approximately 3,440 feet of first-order streams. These streams feed into larger creeks that flow into the Tuckaseigee River which provides drinking water for WCU.

“For most of my life I have dreamed of conserving land that has been in our family for six decades,” says Patrick McGuire. “With the help of Mainspring, 2016 was the year to donate a conservation easement.” McGuire is glad others will benefit from his decision. “Jeanne and I are so grateful that through this gift we have been able to protect the view shed for WCU, some of the head water springs of Wayehutta and Cane Creeks, and countless wildlife and timber concerns.”

*The forested Jensen property is great for habitat to thrive.*

At the other end of Mainspring’s service area sits Fishermare Branch in Cherokee County. The 141-acre property, owned by George and Linda Jensen, is adjacent to more than 28,000 contiguous acres of conserved National Forest System lands in the Snowbird Mountains. The entire forested property contains the uppermost headwaters of Fishermare Branch. Visible from numerous locations in the Valley River valley, including US Hwy 74, the land has rich old-growth forest features and fosters a wide diversity of plant and wildlife species.

Hiwassee Programs Manager Sara Ruth Posey says the Cherokee County easement project is meaningful both personally and professionally. “As a new employee of Mainspring, this is my first conservation easement project, and I couldn’t be more pleased. The Jensen’s decision to conserve their forested land means the property will forever provide ideal habitat for wildlife, including stream habitat for salamanders. It will be a blessing to see this hardwood forest mature through time.”

Jordan Smith, Land Conservation Manager, says closing on projects at each end of Mainspring’s service area exemplifies the commitment to be a regional land trust. “Partnering with folks from completely different backgrounds, who share a common interest of conserving their properties, is amazing,” he says. “Being able to customize a conservation easement that satisfies the needs of the landowners while protecting the conservation values of the properties gives me hope for future conservation work across our region.”

Celebrating 20 years in 2017, Mainspring has conserved more than 25,000 acres over six counties in western North Carolina and Rabun County, Georgia. The Franklin-based non-profit also works to restore natural and cultural resources and connects people to those treasures.