Cherokee County

Mainspring Opens Office in Andrews

August 20, 2025

Taking a step toward deepening its impact in the westernmost region of its service area, Mainspring has opened a new office in Andrews, North Carolina. Made possible by a generous grant from Dogwood Health Trust, this move reflects a commitment to serving the communities and landscapes of this unique and ecologically rich part of the state.

The watersheds in the far west, including the Valley, Snowbird and Cheoah rivers, are as distinctive as the people who live there, each shaped by its own geography, culture and conservation challenges. Conservation in these areas requires an intimate understanding of local nuances, from land use patterns to community priorities. By professionally and personally embedding staff in the region, Mainspring can better support the people who live there and build trust with the communities we serve.

The Andrews office will be home to two key staff members: Conservation Outreach Coordinator Alina Martin and Land Conservation Associate Graham Garrett. Alina, who joined Mainspring’s staff in February, builds on the ongoing work of Conservation Outreach Director Skye Cahoon. Alina will organize outdoor activities like guided birding hikes and educational workshops that help people connect with nature and one another. Her goal is to spark a love for the outdoors and inspire people to care for the natural and cultural treasures of the far western part of the state.

Graham, who led the effort to secure the space, has been managing projects specific to the far western part of the service area since the Andrews resident began working with Mainspring in 2022. From this regional outpost, Graham can work more closely with local landowners, navigate the complexities of conservation agreements and respond promptly to emerging opportunities.

The new Andrews office is the second satellite location Mainspring has established in the far western region of its service area. The first, in Murphy, operated successfully for several years until the pandemic prompted Mainspring to end its lease.

“We’ve seen how effective conservation can be when it’s deeply connected to the community,” says Interim Executive Director Ben Laseter. “Reopening a regional office, now in Andrews, builds on that success. Having our team members live and work directly in the area is a meaningful investment in the people, the place, and the unique landscapes we are committed to protecting.”

Laseter adds, “This milestone wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our supporters and Dogwood Health Trust, whose belief in our mission allows us to continue expanding our reach and impact.”

The office is located at 379 Memorial Drive in Andrews, North Carolina.

Land Along the Valley River Conserved

April 7, 2022

New public access to the Valley River is coming to the Hiwassee watershed, after Mainspring Conservation Trust conserved almost 30 acres in Cherokee County.

Situated on Mason Branch, the low topography and location along the historic river channel renders most of the property ideal to be restored as a wetland, which are increasingly hard to find within the Southern Blue Ridge. Ecologically rich and diverse, mountain wetlands are important for providing habitat for many amphibians, birds, small mammals, and invertebrates. Wetlands also act as water purifiers, filtering sediment and absorbing many pollutants, while serving as a sponge to absorb water during storms, reducing downstream flood damage.

The conservation property includes more than half a mile of Valley River frontage, something that Mainspring plans to take advantage of. “In addition to protecting some increasingly rare wetland in the mountains, the staff is working with the Wildlife Resources Commission to provide much-needed public access to the Valley River,” explains local volunteer and Mainspring Board Member Johnny Strawn. “I am very pleased with this purchase.”

In the 1700s, the land was part of Little Tellico, a Cherokee Town, and includes a portion of the Trail of Tears route. Though it has always been a culturally significant tract, it will soon be put to present-day use. Partnerships are in place for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian artisans to harvest rivercane growing on the property for their use in weaving traditional baskets.

“Our mission to conserve important places, restore them so that they contribute to biodiversity, and then connect people to the outdoors is all summed up nicely in this particular project,” says Mainspring Executive Director Jordan Smith. “I am thrilled that Mainspring continues to expand its conservation footprint into critical places within the Hiwassee watershed.”

For more information about Mainspring, visit www.mainspringconserves.org.

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Prominent Cherokee County Farm Conserved

March 2, 2022

Brothers Ed and Keith Wood have conserved more than 250 acres of their Cherokee County family farm, passing the halfway point to conserving 400 acres of working farmland in the Valley River valley.

The Wood family has been farming the land that sits along the Nantahala Scenic Byway since the early 1900s. “The land has been a farm as long as I have been around,” says Ed. “Keith and I have made a living from it pretty much all our adult lives, and our father and grandfather before that.”

The conservation project was made possible through funding from the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which offers compensation to farmers who choose to not develop their land. Mainspring Conservation Trust facilitated the process, which took an unusually long time. “Typically, these projects only take one to two years to complete,” Sara Posey-Davis, land conservation manager at Mainspring, says. “But Ed and Keith had a complex legal history on their farm with the highway, an unused rail line and the airport all adjacent to their land. We definitely had some ups and downs through the process, but I’m so grateful they stuck with us to preserve their farm.”

Visible from Nantahala National Forest lands in the Snowbird and Valley River Mountains, the property includes more than two miles of named and unnamed streams that are part of the Valley River Watershed. Additionally, more than 81% of the soil is considered Prime Farmland soil. “The farm is highly productive compared to other farms in the state — or even the country for that matter,” Keith Wood says. “It just makes sense for this farm to remain in food production for future generations. It’s hard to eat a building or asphalt.”

Mainspring expects to conserve the other 150 acres later this year. “As development pressures rise and demands on farmers grow, the need to protect working farmlands intensifies,” says Posey-Davis. “This century-old farm in the mountains will continue to produce outstanding crops for generations to come, and that’s something to be proud of.”

For more information about the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund grants to preserve farmland, contact Posey-Davis at Mainspring Conservation Trust via their website: www.mainspringconserves.org.

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