Contact: Diana Hackenburg
Communications Manager
919-908-0056 | 419-603-0816
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CHATHAM COUNTY, NC – Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) has permanently conserved 607 acres of contiguous farmland in Chatham County with the signing of a new 97-acre conservation easement this month.
The conserved property, located about 10 miles south of Siler City, protects almost 14,000 feet of streams, including a tributary of Tick Creek, itself a major tributary to the Rocky River. Tick Creek provides habitat for nine mussel species, including three species of state concern and a federal species of concern.
Classified as an impaired stream on the state’s 303(d) list, Tick Creek is a high priority for conservation. The new conservation easement specifies a 300-foot buffer to protect stream banks and keep sediments from entering the stream.
“Protecting this property was a high priority because of its importance to safeguarding clean water and natural wildlife habitats in a biologically significant but vulnerable area,” said Sandy Sweitzer, Executive Director of TLC. “Conservation projects like this help balance the continued growth in the Triangle with conservation of the resources that make it such a great place to live, work, and play.”
Bobby Branch, the landowner, chose to permanently conserve the property by donating conservation easements designed to shield it from incompatible land uses and excessive development. The conservation easements allow for farming and forest management, but extinguish all mining rights on the protected property. Triangle Land Conservancy holds the easements and is responsible for making sure the easement’s terms are followed into the future.
“We were excited to partner with Bobby to achieve his conservation goals for the land,” said Bo Howes, Director of Conservation and Stewardship for TLC. “It’s a special place and now our role is to make sure it remains that way through continued stewardship.”
Triangle Land Conservancy has conserved over 17,400 acres in the Triangle and it now holds conservation easements on 5,750 acres in Chatham County. The conserved property is adjacent to TLC’s Condoret Nature Preserve and is in the same general area as TLC’s Winter Farm, Sheppard Farm, Seilkop Forestland, and Robinson Forest easements.
Read more about the conservation of this farm in the Winter 2015 issue of Conservation Connections.
