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LAND TRUSTS ON TRACK TO MEET BLUE RIDGE FOREVER CAMPAIGN GOAL
Land trusts protect 25,508 acres in Western North Carolina since 2006

Release Date: June 10, 2008
Contact: Valerie True, Blue Ridge Forever, 828.253.0095 x213

ASHEVILLE - Land trusts and land conservation organizations in the Blue Ridge Forever coalition are doing better than expected in their campaign to protect the places we love in North Carolina’s mountains. A recent tally shows the coalition partners are more than halfway to their conservation target, protecting 25,508 acres in Western North Carolina in just over two years. Facing unprecedented growth, Western North Carolina’s 13 land trusts and land conservation organizations launched the collective Blue Ridge Forever campaign in 2006 to protect more land and water than ever before. The coalition set an initial five-year goal to save 50,000 acres by 2010. “With land at a premium in Western North Carolina, the acreage we protect or lose this decade will define our landscape for generations,” said Carl Silverstein, executive director for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. “Working together with willing landowners, the we protect the farmland, waterways, special habitats and scenic vistas our coalition prioritized in our collective conservation vision.” Land trusts fill a unique niche as communities explore how to plan and build responsibly in the mountains through public land use planning forums such as the Mountain Landscapes Initiative, currently underway in the far western counties. They offer options to landowners who wish to permanently protect their property. In most cases the land trusts acquire just the development rights through a donated or purchased conservation agreement, leaving the property in the hands of the landowner. However, in some cases land trusts buy property outright, frequently to transfer it to public ownership such as state or national parks, wildlife or forest lands. Since 2006, the land trusts involved with the Blue Ridge Forever campaign:
Closed on 178 projects averaging more than one closing every week. Of those projects, 138 protected water resources and 54 protected farmland.
Raised over $19 million in private funds and $59 million in public grants for land protection.
Received $115 million in donated land value from landowners who wanted to permanently protect their land from development by donating their property or its development rights at appraised value, or by selling the land or development rights well below appraised value. Most of the public grants were from trust funds established for land and water protection by the state of North Carolina. Future funding amounts for these trust funds are currently being determined by the General Assembly. “Conserving the world’s richest temperate woodlands is very expensive. In most cases, land values in the Southern Blue Ridge have doubled or tripled over the last decade. Our coalition members are successful because of partnerships with the state and with generous individuals,” said Stiles. “We are experienced at leveraging funds, turning one dollar into ten,” Stiles continued, noting that each dollar donated by individuals leveraged, on average, another three public dollars and six dollars’ worth of donated land value from private landowners. Download a spreadsheet detailing the sources of funds raised by region and county. Graphics and photos are available upon request. ### Blue Ridge Forever is a coalition campaign led by local land trusts and national conservation organizations to raise public awareness and financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge for present and future generations. The coalition works in local communities to ensure that critical lands are protected for clean drinking water, recreation, tourism, and working farms. To learn more, visit www.blueridgeforever.info.

PARTNERS OF BLUE RIDGE FOREVER
Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, High Country Conservancy, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, National Committee for the New River, Pacolet Area Conservancy, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, The Trust for Public Land
Advisors: The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy - North Carolina Chapter







	LAND TRUSTS ON TRACK TO MEET BLUE RIDGE FOREVER CAMPAIGN GOAL Land trusts protect 25,508 acres in Western North Carolina since 2006 Release Date: June 10, 2008 Contact: Valerie True, Blue Ridge Forever, 828.253.0095 x213 ASHEVILLE - Land trusts and land conservation organizations in the Blue Ridge Forever coalition are doing better than expected in their campaign to protect the places we love in North Carolina’s mountains. A recent tally shows the coalition partners are more than halfway to their conservation target, protecting 25,508 acres in Western North Carolina in just over two years. Facing unprecedented growth, Western North Carolina’s 13 land trusts and land conservation organizations launched the collective Blue Ridge Forever campaign in 2006 to protect more land and water than ever before. The coalition set an initial five-year goal to save 50,000 acres by 2010. “With land at a premium in Western North Carolina, the acreage we protect or lose this decade will define our landscape for generations,” said Carl Silverstein, executive director for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. “Working together with willing landowners, the we protect the farmland, waterways, special habitats and scenic vistas our coalition prioritized in our collective conservation vision.” Land trusts fill a unique niche as communities explore how to plan and build responsibly in the mountains through public land use planning forums such as the Mountain Landscapes Initiative, currently underway in the far western counties. They offer options to landowners who wish to permanently protect their property. In most cases the land trusts acquire just the development rights through a donated or purchased conservation agreement, leaving the property in the hands of the landowner. However, in some cases land trusts buy property outright, frequently to transfer it to public ownership such as state or national parks, wildlife or forest lands. Since 2006, the land trusts involved with the Blue Ridge Forever campaign: Closed on 178 projects averaging more than one closing every week. Of those projects, 138 protected water resources and 54 protected farmland. Raised over $19 million in private funds and $59 million in public grants for land protection. Received $115 million in donated land value from landowners who wanted to permanently protect their land from development by donating their property or its development rights at appraised value, or by selling the land or development rights well below appraised value. Most of the public grants were from trust funds established for land and water protection by the state of North Carolina. Future funding amounts for these trust funds are currently being determined by the General Assembly. “Conserving the world’s richest temperate woodlands is very expensive. In most cases, land values in the Southern Blue Ridge have doubled or tripled over the last decade. Our coalition members are successful because of partnerships with the state and with generous individuals,” said Stiles. “We are experienced at leveraging funds, turning one dollar into ten,” Stiles continued, noting that each dollar donated by individuals leveraged, on average, another three public dollars and six dollars’ worth of donated land value from private landowners. Download a spreadsheet detailing the sources of funds raised by region and county. Graphics and photos are available upon request. ### Blue Ridge Forever is a coalition campaign led by local land trusts and national conservation organizations to raise public awareness and financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge for present and future generations. The coalition works in local communities to ensure that critical lands are protected for clean drinking water, recreation, tourism, and working farms. To learn more, visit www.blueridgeforever.info. PARTNERS OF BLUE RIDGE FOREVER Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, High Country Conservancy, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, National Committee for the New River, Pacolet Area Conservancy, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, The Trust for Public Land Advisors: The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy - North Carolina Chapter