On Friday, March 21, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina permanently protected a 1,439-acre property in southern McDowell County.
Foothill Conservancy conveyed a conservation easement to the state run North Carolina Land and Water Fund, limiting development of the land, according to a news release from Foothills Conservancy. Foothills Conservancy bought the property in late 2023.
The property, which Foothills Conservancy calls Pinnacle Mountains West, spans the southern McDowell and northern Rutherford county lines. It is an important component in the conservancy’s effort to create conservation lands connecting the South Mountains to the Blue Ridge Mountains, according to the news release.
Pinnacle Mountains West adjoins 960 acres that the conservancy bought in 2022. The properties are crucial for the organization to develop the Wilderness Gateway State Trail, a long-distance, public trail system, the release said. A section of that public trail system is currently being built on Pinnacle Mountains West.
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Pinnacle Mountains West has strong ecological values, including two large North Carolina Natural Areas.
Pinnacle Mountains West has ecological value, including two large North Carolina Natural Areas that are designated by the Natural Heritage Program as “Very High†and “Exceptional,†and extensive surface waters in the headwaters of the Broad River Basin, the release said. The state-held conservation easement ensures the highest level of protection for those natural resources, according to the news release.
The conservation easement was funded by the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, the North Carolina Complete the Trails Program and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina.
“The completion of this conservation easement ensures that this important landscape will be protected forever,†said Dr. Michael Gaffney, conservation and GIS specialist for Foothills Conservancy. “We’re very grateful for our partnership with the NC Land and Water Fund, the NC Complete the Trails Program and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina to protect this special place. I’m looking forward to hiking the future Wilderness Gateway State Trail on this property and enjoying its natural features, including Morgan Creek and Ledbetter Mountain.â€
The property, which Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina refers to as Pinnacle Mountains West, spans the southern McDowell and northern Rutherford county lines.
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is a regional land trust in western North Carolina that permanently protects land and water for the benefit of people and all living things. Foothills Conservancy has permanently protected over 71,500 acres across eight counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell and Rutherford.
