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Merck Family Fund awards gifts to protect the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains

Release Date: November 26, 2007
Contacts: Valerie True, Blue Ridge Forever, 828.253.0095 x213
Carl Silverstein, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, 828.253.0095 x202
Paul Carlson, Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, 828.524.2711 x204

ASHEVILLE - The Merck Family Fund recently awarded the Blue Ridge Forever campaign $105,000 over three years to protect more clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, farms and scenic landscapes in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Their gift to the Blue Ridge Forever campaign helps support the work of 13 local land trusts and conservation organizations with a 5-year goal to protect 50,000 acres in Western North Carolina by 2010.

The Blue Ridge Forever campaign addresses one of the greatest threats to Western North Carolina - rapid, poorly planned development. Land trusts are on the frontline working to protect the places residents and visitors of Western North Carolina love for future generations through voluntary conservation agreements. The campaign pools more than 30 years of experience, over 50 full-time staff, and 7,000-plus members to raise awareness and financial support to protect the region’s most special places before it is too late.

"The special places we protect – or lose – this decade will determine the character of our landscape forever," Phyllis Stiles, campaign director for Blue Ridge Forever, stated. "The gift from Merck will be key in helping the land trusts work together to put more people on the ground to complete protection projects."

Developed land has increased 77 percent in Western North Carolina in the last two decades. Without coordinated efforts in conservation, the mountains will lose a predicted 500,000 acres of forests, farms, stream banks and wildlife habitats by 2022 — a size almost as large as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Blue Ridge Forever partners have worked in partnership with voluntary private landowners and public agencies to protect more than 150,000 acres of farms, pristine streams, sensitive ecosystems and scenic landscapes in western North Carolina to date.

In addition to Merck’s collective gift to the campaign, two of the local land trusts received individual grants from the fund. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy received $50,000 over two years toward land protection in seven Western North Carolina counties – including Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Jackson, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey. The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee was awarded $20,000 to protect lands in Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Macon, Swain and Jackson counties.

The Blue Ridge Forever partnership has developed a landscape-scale conservation vision for the region to guide the land trusts’ protection work in places ranging from the Sandymush farming community, to areas adjacent to the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway, to the Little Tennessee River basin and the headwaters of the New River, to the ecologically rich Highlands of Roan, Black Mountains and Snake Mountain.

"As we watch the rise of mountain land values — to $46,400 an acre in the example of one recently purchased Fairview ridgeline property — the need for additional resources for land conservation becomes vastly apparent," Carl Silverstein, executive director of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy said. "Increased support in land conservation is critical to protecting the qualities that draw so many to this region."
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Blue Ridge Forever is a collective campaign led by local land trusts and national conservation organizations to engage the public and raise financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge for present and future generations. For more information, see www.blueridgeforever.info.

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee is dedicated to conserving the waters, forests, farms, and heritage of the Upper Little Tennessee and Hiwassee River Valleys. We work in partnership with private landowners, public agencies, and others to conserve land, insuring that the natural beauty, ecological integrity, and rural character of our region are preserved for generations to come. For more information, see www.ltlt.org.

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy works with individuals and local communities to conserve the clean water, unique plant and animal habitat and scenic beauty of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In the last three decades, the conservancy and its 1,500 members have protected more than 39,000 acres, including working farms and key sites adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and in the Highlands of Roan. For more information, see www.appalachian.org.

The Merck Family Fund is a private family foundation that awards grants to non-profit organizations in the United States. Merck Family Fund has been a supporter of the Blue Ridge Forever Campaign since its inception in 2005. For more information, see www.merckff.org.







	Merck Family Fund awards gifts to protect the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Release Date: November 26, 2007 Contacts: Valerie True, Blue Ridge Forever, 828.253.0095 x213 Carl Silverstein, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, 828.253.0095 x202 Paul Carlson, Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, 828.524.2711 x204 ASHEVILLE - The Merck Family Fund recently awarded the Blue Ridge Forever campaign $105,000 over three years to protect more clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, farms and scenic landscapes in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Their gift to the Blue Ridge Forever campaign helps support the work of 13 local land trusts and conservation organizations with a 5-year goal to protect 50,000 acres in Western North Carolina by 2010. The Blue Ridge Forever campaign addresses one of the greatest threats to Western North Carolina - rapid, poorly planned development. Land trusts are on the frontline working to protect the places residents and visitors of Western North Carolina love for future generations through voluntary conservation agreements. The campaign pools more than 30 years of experience, over 50 full-time staff, and 7,000-plus members to raise awareness and financial support to protect the region’s most special places before it is too late. "The special places we protect – or lose – this decade will determine the character of our landscape forever," Phyllis Stiles, campaign director for Blue Ridge Forever, stated. "The gift from Merck will be key in helping the land trusts work together to put more people on the ground to complete protection projects." Developed land has increased 77 percent in Western North Carolina in the last two decades. Without coordinated efforts in conservation, the mountains will lose a predicted 500,000 acres of forests, farms, stream banks and wildlife habitats by 2022 — a size almost as large as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Blue Ridge Forever partners have worked in partnership with voluntary private landowners and public agencies to protect more than 150,000 acres of farms, pristine streams, sensitive ecosystems and scenic landscapes in western North Carolina to date. In addition to Merck’s collective gift to the campaign, two of the local land trusts received individual grants from the fund. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy received $50,000 over two years toward land protection in seven Western North Carolina counties – including Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Jackson, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey. The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee was awarded $20,000 to protect lands in Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Macon, Swain and Jackson counties. The Blue Ridge Forever partnership has developed a landscape-scale conservation vision for the region to guide the land trusts’ protection work in places ranging from the Sandymush farming community, to areas adjacent to the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway, to the Little Tennessee River basin and the headwaters of the New River, to the ecologically rich Highlands of Roan, Black Mountains and Snake Mountain. "As we watch the rise of mountain land values — to $46,400 an acre in the example of one recently purchased Fairview ridgeline property — the need for additional resources for land conservation becomes vastly apparent," Carl Silverstein, executive director of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy said. "Increased support in land conservation is critical to protecting the qualities that draw so many to this region." # # # Blue Ridge Forever is a collective campaign led by local land trusts and national conservation organizations to engage the public and raise financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge for present and future generations. For more information, see www.blueridgeforever.info. The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee is dedicated to conserving the waters, forests, farms, and heritage of the Upper Little Tennessee and Hiwassee River Valleys. We work in partnership with private landowners, public agencies, and others to conserve land, insuring that the natural beauty, ecological integrity, and rural character of our region are preserved for generations to come. For more information, see www.ltlt.org. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy works with individuals and local communities to conserve the clean water, unique plant and animal habitat and scenic beauty of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In the last three decades, the conservancy and its 1,500 members have protected more than 39,000 acres, including working farms and key sites adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and in the Highlands of Roan. For more information, see www.appalachian.org. The Merck Family Fund is a private family foundation that awards grants to non-profit organizations in the United States. Merck Family Fund has been a supporter of the Blue Ridge Forever Campaign since its inception in 2005. For more information, see www.merckff.org.