Blue Ridge Conservancy

Registration is now open! https://lnkd.in/dsCHN9hr

On Friday, Blue Ridge Conservancy and partners officially opened the Watauga River Access on 194 in Valle Crucis. BRC staff were joined by officials from the Tennessee Valley Authority and Watauga Tourism Development Authority, MaryAnn Mueller and Diana Travis, who gifted the majority of the land for the access point, and supporters of the project. This beautiful spot, including 1,300 feet of river frontage located in between the Valle Crucis Community Park and the Watauga Gorge Park, provides parking and recreational opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, tubing, and fishing. “Blue Ridge Conservancy is committed to creating recreational opportunities and expanding public access, which is getting more and more difficult,” said BRC Director of Land Protection Eric Hiegl at the dedication. “Creating access is so important, and this is for everyone in the community. Thank you to everyone who made this a reality. It takes a lot to make this happen, it takes a lot of partners.” Travis echoed Hiegl’s statement about the importance of public access: “When you get out there on the river, you want to conserve it. You just fall in love with it and want to protect it all. We hope that having this access will make more people love it too.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eSDTE6bY

The 2024 NC Land Trust Federation Assembly was held over two days last week at the Valle Crucis Conference Center in Valle Crucis, NC. 14 of the state's land trusts were represented, as well as six conservation-focused groups. Thanks to Mast General Store for sponsoring this great event and welcoming us all to the Valle!

Earth Day Cleanup at BRC, April 22, 2-5pm First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is widely recognized as one of the largest observed days in the world, as more than a billion people every year take action to make our planet more beautiful and sustainable. You can help locally by joining us Monday at BRC's Conservation Campus at 416 Aho Rd. We'll be cleaning up the road, pollinator meadow, and trail, readying the campus for a summer full of activities and fun. Bring your boots, gloves, water bottle, and sunscreen for an afternoon of fun and (hopefully) sun! If you have them handy, bring along rakes, shovels, loppers, 5 gallon buckets, and wheelbarrows. Let us know you'll be part of the day by signing up here: https://lnkd.in/gwxNV_zV The cleanup is scheduled from 2 - 5 pm, but don't worry if you can't stay the whole time, we welcome any help. Thanks for joining us to save, and beautify, the places you love! 🦋 🌎

Today is National Ag Day, celebrating the abundance provided by agriculture across the United States. In 1997, Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust was formed to “protect rapidly vanishing rural landscapes and farmland” in Northwest NC, and in 2010 it merged with High Country Conservancy to form BRC as we know it today. Conserving farmland remains one of BRC’s priorities, and one shining example of a working family farm is the 260-acre Stony Knob Farm in Alleghany County. James Coman, and now his nephew Jay, have managed operations on the farm since 1986, and the land is under a conservation easement held by BRC. James was a founding member of BRRLT and its Executive Director until his passing in 2009, conserving 10,000 acres of land during his tenure. He dedicated his time to growing the network of neighbors with a common interest in farmland preservation and ecologically sound farming methods. After James’ passing, his nephew Jay took over the farm, using environmental best practices to produce pastured beef, pork, and lamb, as well as small-scale aquaponics and vegetable production. You can learn more about the farm at www.stonyknobfarm.com/. : Bob Bamberg (Duke University Alumni Magazine), Stony Knob Farm website, BRC archive #nationalagday #conservation #farmland #agriculture

Blue Ridge Conservancy Purchases Acreage on The Peak for Northern Peaks State Trail Blue Ridge Conservancy recently purchased 48 acres on The Peak in Ashe County for use as part of the Northern Peaks State Trail. This land is key to constructing the trail in a sustainable manner to avoid the ecologically significant rock outcroppings of The Peak. Located in the Long Hope Valley/Elk Knob/The Peak Natural Area as identified by the NC Natural Heritage Program, the acreage has an “Overall Rating” of Excellent, the highest designation. Funding for this project came from the NC Complete the Trails Program. https://lnkd.in/diGCetWv

It's a winter wonderland here in Boone! The first photo is BRC's Conservation Campus. You can see Aho Branch Creek meandering through the pollinator meadow, and up in the woods you can make out the winding loop trail. (Although we'd suggest a slightly warmer day for a hike!) The second photo is the future site of the Middle Fork Greenway's Boone Gorge Park. The park will connect through the gorge to the currently open Payne Branch Park to the south and Boone to the north. Amenities will include parking and facilities, a walking trail loop, a handicap-accessible fishing pier, picnic tables, and sculpture garden. Depending on weather and construction delays, the park is slated to be open by the end of 2025.

It's Giving Tuesday! As a staff, we are proud to be a part of the important work of Blue Ridge Conservancy, from conserving land in perpetuity to creating access to recreation areas for the public. As a supporter, you can know that you are contributing directly to saving the places we all love - BRC holds a four-star, 99% rating from Charity Navigator, meaning you can "give with confidence." Put another way, BRC leverages $11 in land conservation value for each $1 given. Today we’re talking about stewardship, our conservation campus, and why we are privileged to do this "forever" work in the High Country. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram to see the impact an organization can make when bolstered by a vibrant community of volunteers, advocates, supporters, and friends. As always, thank you for being a partner on this journey of conservation. We simply couldn't do it without you. https://lnkd.in/gxj2MNbR

#givingtuesday is the single biggest day of non-profit giving of the year. Tomorrow, Blue Ridge Conservancy staff will be telling the story of our conservation campus and telling you why we are so proud to be at BRC. Join us on our social media channels and email list to learn more. There are many worthy non-profits in the High Country, so whether you choose BRC or others, thank you for your support. 💙