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LTLT Conserves Another Two Miles of Little Tennessee River

A recent donation of a conservation easement to the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT) protects close to a half mile of Little Tennessee River frontage upstream of McCoy Bridge in northern Macon County. The easement was conveyed by partners in Melcar, LLC who acquired the land in 2005. While the owners are evaluating possible development designs for the upland portion of the property, they were committed to conserving the floodplain and riverfront area. “We are very interested in preserving the quality of the river for future generations,” said Mike Maher “We understand that it is not a replaceable resource and action to protect it now is our contribution to the community.”

The conservation agreement prohibits subdivision and building along 2300’ of river frontage and adjacent floodplain while retaining the possibility for agricultural and recreational use of the land. The protected land lies directly across the river from land conserved by LTLT in 2005, and lies less than a quarter mile downstream of the Welch Farm which was conserved under a working farm conservation easement last December.

Also in December of 2006 LTLT facilitated a State of North Carolina purchase from Duke Energy of 89 acres on the river near Queen Branch creating an expansion of the Needmore Game Lands. This was followed in March of this year by LTLT’s acquisition of the Cowee Mound and over one-half mile of river frontage. After securing permanent protection of the floodplain and property surrounding the Mound, LTLT conveyed title of this exceptional cultural heritage site to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Over the past eight months LTLT has conserved a total of 242 acres and over two miles of Little Tennessee River frontage in northern Macon County. The 25-mile reach of free-flowing Little Tennessee River downstream of the Town of Franklin is the most ecologically-intact river system in the southern Blue Ridge. Since 2001 LTLT has been instrumental in conserving nearly two-thirds of this river corridor. Today the NC Wildlife Resources Commission manages the Needmore Game Lands spanning some 4716 acres and nearly 28 miles of river frontage while LTLT oversees 412 acres and over 4 miles of river frontage on 13 sites under conservation easement or directly owned by the Land Trust.

For further information contact: Paul Carlson or Sharon Taylor, The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, 828-524-2711.