conservation – Page 7

Hayesville Family Conserves Farm

January 30, 2018

*Brothers Jim and John Tiger on their family farm in Clay County*

January 30, 2018 – When Peggy Tiger passed away in 2012 at the age of 84, the lifelong Clay County resident had a particular request for her sons: that their family farm, the only farm within Hayesville city limits, be placed in a conservation easement with Mainspring Conservation Trust.

Monday, January 29, her request was fulfilled, and 30 acres is now forever protected.

Owned by a member of the Tiger family since 1938, the land is bordered by 1,300 feet of the Hiwassee River. It is believed to have been part of the Cherokee Town-site of Quanassee, one of the major trading hubs between the British and Cherokee from the early 1700s to 1725. Two of the four main soil types found on the property are classified as prime farmland soils, while the other two are classified as being of local importance.

Jim Tiger is glad to see his mother’s request finalized. “Mom’s wishes were to preserve the property as a farm and prevent it from being divided and developed. She had looked at conserving it in a farm easement and we are seeing that her intentions are carried out. Mainspring was her choice and, after talking with other conservation trusts, it was our choice as well. They are great folks to deal with and have been a huge help in making a complicated decision easier.”

Sara Posey, Mainspring’s Hiwassee Programs Manager, says this project embodies what the regional land trust’s work is all about. “This picturesque farm showcases our mission in so many ways: conserving a working farm that contains prime farm soil, river frontage, cultural significance, and scenic view shed. It’s been great working with landowners who have employed best management practices such as fencing livestock out of surface water and allowing woody vegetation to shade their streams. We’re proud of this project, and so happy Mrs. Tiger’s farm will be conserved forever.”

Asheville Citizen-Times: Nantahala National Forest Grows With Protected Land

November 27, 2017

By Karen Chavez
November 27, 2017

FRANKLIN – A highly prized 50-acre slice of forest will remain forever untouched as it officially becomes part of the Nantahala National Forest.

The relatively small Fires Creek parcel on the Cherokee-Clay county line of the 500,000-acre forest was the object of a contentious, decadelong battle among the private landowners, the U.S. Forest Service and forest visitors who wanted to see a wildernesslike setting remain in its natural state.

Everyone involved seemed to walk away satisfied Nov. 20 when the nonprofit Mainspring Conservation Trust closed on the property to keep Fires Creek forever preserved in conservation.

Click here to read the rest of the story on the ACT website.

Lead Gift Bring Fires Creek Property Purchase One Step Closer to Reality

October 10, 2017

October 3, 2017 – A major pledge to Mainspring Conservation Trust places the regional nonprofit near their goal to conserve private property in Cherokee and Clay counties that surrounds U.S. Forest Service.

Fred and Alice Stanback, North Carolina’s leading environmental donors based in Salisbury, have committed $500,000 to Mainspring for the purchase price of 50 private acres along Laurel Creek, a tributary to Fires Creek. Fires Creek is designated as an Outstanding Resource Water. Mainspring, a land trust serving the six western-most counties in North Carolina, is currently under contract with four landowners to purchase the land. Prior to private ownership, the property contained more than 1/3 mile of popular Fires Creek Rim Trail.

Mainspring will hold the property before eventually transferring it to the U.S. Forest Service, to become part of the Nantahala National Forest.

“Mainspring is acquiring the property for the appraised value, and we are thankful the Stanbacks, who are passionate about protecting the places we love in North Carolina, are supporting this project in such a tremendous way,” says Executive Director Sharon Taylor. “Their contribution will make a lasting difference.”

The nonprofit still needs to raise $25,000 for transaction and maintenance costs before the contract expires in the middle of November. People interested in supporting the project can click here and have an opportunity to designate their gift for the Fires Creek project.