Catawba Headwaters
Catawba River headwaters
Allison Ridge tract
FCNC now owns more than 1,000 acres in the Catawba Headwaters above Old Fort with the acquisition of a 130-acre tract.
The Conservancy's 750+-acre June Carol Adams Preserve adjoins this new acquisition, as do adjacent lands at Creston
Development protected by conservation easement, resulting in the preservation of more than 1,100 acres of lands laced
with headwater streams feeding the Catawba River.
Funding support for this new acquisition came from the N. C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, a generous gift from
Fred and Alice Stanback, and a loan from The Conservation Fund. The Conservancy will be raising funds to repay this loan
in 2006. The new tract offers possible public access options for Catawba Falls in Pisgah National Forest.
June Carol Adams Preserve
June Adams' father, D.W. Adams acquired thousands of acres of the Catawba Headwaters southwest of Old Fort in the early
1900's including the spectacular Catawba Falls tract (Pisgah National Forest). June inherited her land on the Left Prong
Catawba River and Edmondson Mountain and wanted it preserved for wildlife. The project protects important habitat for black
bears in an area that over the past two years has seen two major developments get underway. The Catawba Headwaters along
the Blue Ridge Mountains are critical to supplying clean water drinking needs for North Carolina's most populated river basin.
In mid-June of 2005, Foothills Conservancy closed on the June Adams property on the Left Prong Catawba River - Edmondson
Mtn near Old Fort. About 754 acres, and the headwaters of the Catawba, are protected as the June Carol Adams Preserve with
Clean Water holding the easement on the tract. We are very pleased to have helped June Adams fulfill her wish to preserve her
property for wildlife. She made a very generous donation of over $1,000,000 of land value through the bargain sale. A generous,
private contribution to Foothills went toward the purchase price.
Thank you CWMTF and staff for the grant and their efforts that have made this project a success.
Aerial view of June Carol Adams Preserve
Creston Development Easement
In 2004 Creston Development LLC placed a conservation easement with the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina on 136 acres.
This conservation land within Creston remains in its natural state and consists of a hardwood forest, tributaries, native plants and
abundant wildlife. Additional land is scheduled to be protected by easement in 2005. The easement will encompass a portion of the
Left Prong of the Catawba River and the surrounding mountain cove and uplands. A significant portion of Creston's trail system is
contained within this easement. The easement extends to Allison Ridge where it shares a common boundary with Pisgah National
Forest.
As of April 2006, Foothills has placed another 130 acres of Allison Ridge - at Creston - under conservation easement, for a total of
266 acres.
View from Creston Reserve
