High Country Conservancy
Encyclopedia
High Country Conservancy (aka HCC) is a non-profit land trust
operating in northwest North Carolina
. Its mission is "to protect the natural resources of Appalachia by conserving land with significant ecological, cultural, recreational, or scenic value in the North Carolina High Country." Through 2007 HCC has protected 2069 acres (8.4 km²) in Watauga County, Ashe County and Avery County.
HCC, the first local land trust in the North Carolina High Country, is a member of the Land Trust Alliance
, a national umbrella organization of over 1600 land trusts located in the United States of America. It is also a founding member of Blue Ridge Forever http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2007/0122web/inregionallandmoreconservationiststrust.php, a consortium of 13 land trusts in Western North Carolina. Additionally HCC is a member of a coalition of land trusts that have worked to promote Lands for Tomorrow http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2007/0716web/conservationcoalition.php, a bond initiative to promote land preservation across North Carolina.
HCC was originally founded in 1995 as the Watauga Land Trust, primarily with a mission to protect a bouldering site on Howard's Knob above Boone. In 1997 it changed its name to High Country Conservancy and expanded its mission to include Ashe and Avery Counties. Since then HCC has completed 36 projects protecting 2069 acres (8.4 km²).http://www.highcountryconservancy.org/community/page.php?12 Twenty-five of these projects, totaling 1459 acres (5.9 km²), are protected by conservation easement
s and the remaining 11 projects, 611 acres (2.5 km²), through fee simple
donation or purchase. Protected lands have been transferred to the Blue Ridge Parkway
and Elk Knob State Park
.
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
operating in northwest North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Its mission is "to protect the natural resources of Appalachia by conserving land with significant ecological, cultural, recreational, or scenic value in the North Carolina High Country." Through 2007 HCC has protected 2069 acres (8.4 km²) in Watauga County, Ashe County and Avery County.
HCC, the first local land trust in the North Carolina High Country, is a member of the Land Trust Alliance
Land Trust Alliance
The Land Trust Alliance, originally formed in 1982 as the Land Trust Exchange, is a national conservation organization representing more than 1,700 land trusts across the United States...
, a national umbrella organization of over 1600 land trusts located in the United States of America. It is also a founding member of Blue Ridge Forever http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2007/0122web/inregionallandmoreconservationiststrust.php, a consortium of 13 land trusts in Western North Carolina. Additionally HCC is a member of a coalition of land trusts that have worked to promote Lands for Tomorrow http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2007/0716web/conservationcoalition.php, a bond initiative to promote land preservation across North Carolina.
HCC was originally founded in 1995 as the Watauga Land Trust, primarily with a mission to protect a bouldering site on Howard's Knob above Boone. In 1997 it changed its name to High Country Conservancy and expanded its mission to include Ashe and Avery Counties. Since then HCC has completed 36 projects protecting 2069 acres (8.4 km²).http://www.highcountryconservancy.org/community/page.php?12 Twenty-five of these projects, totaling 1459 acres (5.9 km²), are protected by conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
s and the remaining 11 projects, 611 acres (2.5 km²), through fee simple
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
donation or purchase. Protected lands have been transferred to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
and Elk Knob State Park
Elk Knob State Park
Elk Knob State Park is an North Carolina state park in Watauga County, North Carolina, in the United States. Opened in 2003, it is one of North Carolina's newest state parks. Elk Knob State Park was established to preserve the natural state of Elk Knob, the second highest peak in Watauga County...
.