Graham County

Mainspring and OSI Save More than 4,400 Acres Across the Snowbird, Unicoi and Cheoah Mountain Ranges

June 2, 2026

Snowbird Effort Yields Wealth of Benefits for Recreation, Wildlife, and Clean Water

CHEROKEE, GRAHAM, AND SWAIN COUNTIES, N.C. (June 1, 2026) – Open Space Institute (OSI) and Mainspring Conservation Trust (Mainspring) have announced the conservation of more than 4,400 acres across the Snowbird, Unicoi and Cheoah mountain ranges. The multi-year project comprises a patchwork of 17 parcels connecting more than 1.65 million acres of ecologically rich public lands in a region of national conservation significance.

Long regarded by the State of North Carolina and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) as a top conservation priority, this assemblage forms crucial connections among protected landscapes that stretch across three states. With shared boundaries, connected trails and viewshed impacts, this conservation project enhances protections for the Snowbird Wilderness Study Area, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Appalachian Trail.

Mainspring Executive Director Jeremy Hyatt said the effort has been years in the making. “These properties were among the most significant remaining private lands in the Southern Blue Ridge,” he said. “After nearly a decade of effort, securing them together is a big win for clean water, wildlife, and mountain heritage. We’re grateful to our partners at OSI and the many funders who helped make it possible.”

“The rugged and beautiful Snowbird project perfectly demonstrates ‘how’ and ‘why’ OSI is showing up in the southern Appalachian region,” said Dr. Maria Whitehead, OSI’s Senior Vice President of Land. “The project protects critical natural resources while providing exceptional new recreational opportunities and could only have been accomplished with savvy partners and dedicated funders. We are extraordinarily grateful to Mainspring, the Wildlife Resource Commission, USFS and our funding partners because this landscape deserves nothing less than our best efforts!”

The Snowbird properties had been increasingly threatened by encroaching development. OSI and Mainspring completed the $23.3 million acquisition in early 2026, and will transfer the properties to the State of North Carolina and the USFS between 2026 and 2029. The properties will not be open to the public until transferred and prepared for public use, but once under state and federal ownership and management, traditional recreational uses like hunting and fishing will be preserved.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), which manages more than two million acres across the state, commended Mainspring and OSI on the project. “The protection of the Snowbird properties is a remarkable achievement that strengthens the entire region of conserved lands,” said Tom Berry, Chairman of the Land Acquisition and Property Committee for NCWRC. “We commend the Open Space Institute and Mainspring Conservation Trust for their leadership and for laying the groundwork for expanded wildlife-associated recreation opportunities. Through the stewardship of the Commission, these lands will be opened to everyday people to enjoy hunting, fishing, birdwatching, and a wide range of outdoor activities, ensuring they remain a vital part of North Carolina’s outdoor heritage for generations to come.”

The Snowbird properties feature prominent ridgetops, healthy forests, open meadows and more than 17 miles of headwater streams that provide habitat for a diversity of flora and fauna. This landscape supports state- and federally endangered bat species, several threatened plant types, and species of conservation concern, including the Golden-winged Warbler. Abundant trout streams and high-quality waters protect aquatic habitat and provide clean drinking water for downstream communities, as several tracts lie within municipal water-supply watersheds.

As part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the landscape contains some of the most biologically diverse forested regions in North America, home to thousands of native wildlife species and more than 100 tree species, including stunning eastern hemlock specimens. This region supports a vast corridor of intact wildlife habitat—the large, unfragmented blocks of land that are essential for species to migrate, thrive, and adapt to the impacts of extreme weather and changing weather patterns. According to OSI’s analysis, the area holds the highest rank possible for greenhouse gas emission absorption and storage: the landscape’s varied forest types and high-quality soils are a carbon stronghold, in addition to protecting wildlife food and water sources. Under the state’s management and stewardship, the properties will continue to perform these vital functions, providing cleaner air and supporting healthy ecosystems.

Support for the Snowbird conservation project came from the USFS Forest Legacy Program, Fred and Alice Stanback, Brad and Shelli Stanback, Knobloch Family Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Acres for America Program, Mike Leonard, The Nature Conservancy, Ron Thurman, Appalachia Rising, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, OSI’s Appalachian Landscapes Program, NC Land and Water Fund, and the Foundation for the Carolinas.

Restoration Education

April 1, 2019

Flowing around the southern perimeter of the Robbinsville Middle and High School campuses, Sweetwater Creek is an ideal place for outdoor science learning, and Mainspring’s youth education program is taking advantage.

Through a partnership with Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team (GREAT) and Robbinsville High School, Mainspring is improving the quality of the streambank while teaching kids about non-native invasive plants and the harmful effect they have on aquatic habitat, birds and native plants.

“Students generally understand the idea that some species are invasive in certain areas,” says Ben Davis, Robbinsville High School science teacher. “But when they get out on the creek bank and see both the sheer amount of invasive plants and the work it takes to restore the environment to its natural state, it really drives the idea home that we should try to control our invasive species as much as possible.”

Rivercane, a native bamboo important for thousands of years to indigenous people, was growing along Sweetwater Creek, but was being invaded by Chinese privet, a very aggressive non-native plant. Since 2016, students have been pulling up Chinese privet by hand and with a lever-like tool called the Weed Wrench and replacing it with native trees and shrubs. Davis says the continuity of the project is one of the benefits. “Since we’ve been doing this for several semesters and with all science classes, some kids have followed the project for several years and can see the progress we are making.”

The restoration project includes sampling fish and catching birds to monitor their populations in and near the creek. In 2019, Mainspring will add instruction on traditional Cherokee basket making using rivercane to the curriculum.

“It makes it easier for me as a teacher to discuss ecosystems and native species when we can give examples of plants right here on campus,” Davis said. “It’s fun to observe which of my students will really throw themselves into the physical labor, because it’s not always the ones I expect.”

Funding for this program comes from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation through its Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources Program.

Deep Impact – How Conservation Wins With Private Land Sale

April 1, 2019

When Barry and Carol Gay of Blairsville, Georgia, considered selling their almost 118-acre Graham County property known as Deep Gap, they knew finding a buyer might be difficult. “We preferred that the property remain protected,” Barry says, “and knew that requirement would limit the potential interest.”

After an unsuccessful attempt at listing the property, the Gays researched the benefits of gifting the land to Mainspring. “We were pleased to learn that, in making a land donation, we could realize a desirable tax break,” Barry says. “It was a win-win for us, as the land would remain essentially protected, and we were able to adjust our direction for a long-term investment.”

In December 2017, the Gays gifted the land to Mainspring. Mainspring then placed a conservation easement on the tract that protected the forested land, which includes the headwaters of East Buffalo Creek and four rare or exemplary natural communities: Rich Cove Forest (Montane Rich Subtype), Rich Cove Forest (Boulderfield Subtype), Montane Oak-Hickory Forest (Basic Subtype), and Rich Montane Seep. Half of the property borders Nantahala National Forest.

One year later, Mainspring sold the conserved property to Stephen and Dawn Robertson of Madison County. Profits from the transaction were divided into Mainspring’s Land Protection, Operating and Stewardship Funds. Additionally, Mainspring purchased a gently used Ford F150 and a UTV for office and land management use.

“This was an incredible gift to conservation in many ways,” says Jordan Smith, Mainspring land protection manager. “We protected a special property with abundant conservation values while simultaneously increasing Mainspring’s ability to continue to conserve new lands and steward lands we’ve already protected.”

A primitive cabin was already built in the forest of Deep Gap, and the Robertsons plan to expand it by adding a few modern amenities. “We’re actually grateful the conservation protections were already in place, because we wanted to leave it as untouched as possible,” Stephen says. “We are working closely with the engineer to upgrade the cabin while keeping as many trees as we can.”

Both the Gays and Robertsons know that the natural cove and unique character of Deep Gap make it a special tract. “A property like this deserves to be protected and remain natural for future generations,” Barry says. And Stephen agrees: “It was exciting to work with Mainspring and learn about the conservation process. I’m glad it’s protected and am thankful we were able to find it.”

*If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of donating property to Mainspring, contact Jordan Smith at [email protected].