“Catawba Lands Conservancy,” Margaret Brantley and Matt Covington

Catawba Lands
Conservancy
Leadership North
Carolina
February 5, 2015
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Catawba Lands Conservancy is a land trust
dedicated to saving land and connecting
lives to nature.
We are the lead agency for the
Carolina Thread Trail.
50,000 acres of nature preserves,
parks, and special places…..
all connected by over 1,000 miles of
Carolina Thread Trail.
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Catawba Lands Conservancy permanently
conserves :
174 properties, totaling 14,783 acres in our region
We protect land and focus our
conservation efforts in four areas:
• Clean Water
• Wildlife Habitats
• Local Farms
• Connection to Nature
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1976
89,600 acres
developed
2006
985,600 acres
developed
2030
1,702,400 acres
developed
Developed
Natural/Rural
Water
Protected Open
Space
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Nearly 15,000 acres of protected land
220+ miles of Thread Trail
• Local
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Opportunity
To create a healthy, sustainable community with a sense of place for our
children and future generations.
Wildlife Habitat
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Scoring Criteria
Habitat Conservation
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Internal score card developed
Advice received from:
• Natural Heritage Program
• Wildlife Resources Commission
• Green Growth Toolbox
• Conservation Biologists
Watershed Conservation
Scoring based on NC Clean Water Management
Trust Fund grant application
Farmland Conservation
Scoring based on USDA Farm and Ranchland
Protection Program grant application
Openspace Conservation
Internal score card developed by staff at the
Carolina Thread Trail
Habitat Conservation
• Goal: Locate areas with known or
potential quality natural areas and
communities
• Real habitat protection needs in
Union County
• Usual suspects: Spencer & Crowders
Mtns
• Prior to including NHAs, the
Habitat Conservation Plan
identified all NHAs as either Best or
Better
• Drivers of score were large areas of
undeveloped natural areas with EOs
and/or NHAs
Elemental Occurrences (EOs):
State/Federal protected species
or other rare flora/fauna.
Significant Natural Heritage
Areas (SNHAs): Areas
identified by NC Natural
Heritage Program as having
the high quality habitat or
important populations of rare
species or natural
communities.
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Watershed Conservation
• Goal: Identify streams that need
restoration or protection of highquality waters
• Highest priority areas are also
Carolina Thread Trail riparian
corridors
• Waters ranked high either because
of High water quality impacts or
integrity
• 303(d) Listing for impacts
• Presence of protected species
or quality aquatic habitat
Farmland Conservation
• Goal: Locate areas with prime
farms and a large farm economy to
support
• High quality farmland found in
Union Co and western Lincoln,
Catawba, and Gaston Counties
• Best opportunities for FRPP funding
are found around existing protected
farms
• Howey project area lacks critical
mass of protected properties to
move into “Best” category
CTT Conservation
• Goal: Identify areas with
“Critical Mass” of existing trails,
trailheads, or protected
properties for trails
• Plan focuses on areas with
existing trail to minimize
construction of new trailheads
and utilize existing infrastructure
• All CTT priority properties were
identified in High or Highest
categories
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TOP PRIORITY ACRES
• Habitat: 74,330
• Farmland: 10,220
• Watershed: 15,820
• Thread Trail: 7,530
TOTAL: 107,990 Acres
Overall Priorities &
Development Pressures
• Most often, watershed protection
overlapped with other priorities.
• Most common matches were
Watershed-Thread Trail or
Watershed-Habitat Protection.
• Habitat and Farmland never
overlap, but occasionally found in
same area.
Whitehall Preserve
Photos: Debbie Warren
Catawba Wildflower Glen
Photos: Debbie Warren
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Catawba Lands Conservancy
Critical Partnerships
Operating Partners -
Carolina Thread Trail
TreesCharlotte
Advocacy Partners -
Conservation Trust for North Carolina
The Nature Conservancy
Land For Tomorrow
North Carolina Wildlife Federation
Funding Partners - North Carolina Conservation Trust Funds:
Clean Water Management Trust Fund
Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Agriculture Development and Farmland
Preservation Trust Fund
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Catawba Lands Conservancy
Critical Partnerships
Local Partners -
Catawba River Keepers
US National Whitewater Center
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Friends of Crowders Mountain
Friends of Kings Mountain
Friends of Plant Conservation
Carolina Raptor Center
Land Trust Partners - Davidson Land Trust
Nation Ford Land Trust
Katawba Valley Land Trust
Land Trust for Central North Carolina
Foothills Land Conservancy
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How you can help:
Volunteer
Become a member
Spread the word
www.catawbalands.org
www.carolinathreadtrail.org
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Thank You!
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