Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

Local farms that support local food production are critical for our communities. Thank you to Brooks Lamb of the American Farmland Trust and Asheville Citizen-Times Media Group for highlighting the important role that conservation plays in helping family farms transition through generations! Read the article at https://lnkd.in/ex3mNne5

Now hiring! SAHC is accepting applications for a new Stewardship Manager position. The Stewardship Manager is responsible for ensuring excellence in stewardship for a portfolio of lands that Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) has protected with conservation easements or through acquisition as nature preserve in perpetuity.?To date, the Stewardship Program is responsible for stewarding 192 conservation easements on +/-45,000 acres and 127 tracts of SAHC-owned land on +/-20,000 acres of working farms and forests.?The Stewardship Manager will work collaboratively with the Stewardship Director, other SAHC staff, board members, interns, volunteers and other state, federal and non-profit partners to help support SAHC’s growing program of managing conservation easements and SAHC-owned properties. Salary range: $63,000 – $68,000 depending on experience. Full details and application instructions: https://lnkd.in/eFs2ndYs

At the end of 2024,?Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy?purchased?407 acres on the?eastern edge of?Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Not far from Cataloochee Valley and other SAHC-protected lands, this new acquisition provides exceptional habitat for a variety of plant and animal species in an important corridor for wildlife movement. SAHC’s purchase of the property will not only protect this habitat, but also scenic views from the Appalachian Trail and water quality in headwater tributaries of the Pigeon River watershed. The property possesses more than two miles of boundary with the national park and the Pisgah National Forest. The purchase was made possible in part by a grant from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. SAHC plans to own the White Oak Mountain tract for the short term, then transfer the land to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, with support from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund. “At over 400 acres, this White Oak Mountain property was one of the largest unprotected, privately-owned tracts in the Pigeon River Gorge/White Oak area,” said SAHC Conservation Director Hanni Muerdter. “Long-term conservation of the land supports initiatives of the Safe Passage coalition.” Read more at https://lnkd.in/eXYHWMC3

Join our team! Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Roan Naturalist - deadline for applying is March 1. This seasonal position begins approximately May 15 and ends August 15, 2025. The Roan Naturalist represents Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club, as well as the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests in order to: 1) Educate hikers about the sensitive ecology in the Highlands of Roan and Leave No Trace outdoor ethics to minimize recreational impacts in the Appalachian Trail corridor, 2) Perform basic ecology and stewardship functions in support of SAHC’s and ATC’s grassy balds and open areas management programs, and 3) Collect visitor use data for use by the Roan Highlands Visitor Use Management team. Salary: $15.00 per hour (PLUS housing and utilities provided) Full position description and application instructions at https://lnkd.in/dsPcPvsu

https://lnkd.in/e7vhspYS Great work by SAHC to protect the #AppalachainTrail and Roan Highlands. #conservation

The Wilson Farm is one of several farmland conservation projects that Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy's land protection team closed at the end of 2024, permanently protecting local family farms in the mountains of NC and TN. https://lnkd.in/dHVdncYq

Over the weekend, we took a walk with our friends Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. Someone commented that walking in the woods was the first time in weeks they'd been able to breathe easier...a reminder that the stress our communities feel is very fresh still. Another person reflected that it almost felt wrong to simply "be" in the woods without cleaning or fixing or helping in some way. Another reminder to appreciate and support the volunteers and organizations whose continuing hard work helps our neighbors survive and recover, and takes care of our outdoor spaces, making hiking (or biking or running or riding or climbing) in the woods around us possible once more. Another person looked out to the view in front of us and commented how beautiful, and normal it looked from above. A final reminder that even scarred and worn, our mountains persist, and so do we. #madexmtns #wnc #wncstrong

I had such a wonderful time in conversation with LaKyla Hodges about our paths in the environmental field. Thank you, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy!

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy invites you to a Lunch & Learn panel next Wednesday at 12 pm EST. Hear from experts in the conservation, stewardship, and forestry management fields on how their organizations and agencies are beginning to approach recovery in the wake of Hurricane Helene. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end of the panel. Please find more information about our panelists on our website at https://lnkd.in/eBvHhwp5 and please feel free to submit questions in advance through your registration. A recording of this panel will be made available after its conclusion on our?YouTube Channel https://lnkd.in/ePefRBvv. Part II of this Lunch & Learn will focus on our partners who work with public lands, find more information on our website https://lnkd.in/e6J4jMwp.

Thanks to a National Forest Foundation grant supporting Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, our Highlands of Roan stewardship team expanded habitat management and outdoor recreation education efforts in the Pisgah National Forest and Cherokee National Forest area this year. Thousands of people visit the Roan Massif on summer weekends to hike and experience seasonal blooms and stunning views from open, high elevation grassy balds. SAHC’s grant-supported education and habitat restoration efforts help protect plant and animal species in these special ‘sky islands.’ “The project is focused on managing endangered habitats through hands-on volunteer engagement and outreach opportunities for diverse groups, fostering a sense of stewardship for Roan’s endangered grassy bald habitats,” says Marquette Crockett, SAHC’s Roan Stewardship Director. A special thank you to our incredible volunteers and staff! The Roan Highlands are roughly bisected by the NC/TN state border, with Cherokee National Forest (East TN) on one side and Pisgah National Forest (Western North Carolina) on the other. Grant-supported stewardship and outreach activities (including guided hikes and volunteer work days) were conducted between June to August this summer, and since then this area has been heavily impacted by hurricane Helene. We are deep in the stages of recovery, persevering in our conservation and restoration work. Please respect closed-off portions of public lands, for the safety of yourself and others. #NFFGranteesAreGreat