Picturesque Jackson County Property Conserved
Laura and David Adams placed their 98 acre tract of land near Big Ridge into a conservation easement with LTLT this past December. The Jackson County property is within close proximity to four State-designated Significant Natural Heritage Areas that contain numerous rare species and exemplary or unique natural communities, including Robinson Creek Gorge and Panthertown Valley. “We wanted to try and preserve what we could of a disappearing mountain landscape,” says Laura Adams, “there aren’t many places like this left. This area of Jackson County is so remote and beautiful. It deserves protection.”
The Adams’ picturesque property borders what was once slated to be a 3,000 plus acre addition to Panthertown Valley National Forest. “The fact that transfer to the Forest Service fell through is sad,” says David Adams, “with all the pressures exerted on the existing Panthertown Valley today, that additional acreage would really be a plus, not to mention the protection it would have provided to a pristine watershed feeding into Bear Lake.” The property includes over a mile of perennial streams, a 1.5 acre pond and numerous springs and riparian areas. The springs and streams serve as the headwaters of Slatten Branch, which is a tributary to Robinson Creek, a classified Trout Water, which feeds into Bear Lake. The property also comprises a diverse mix of various forest types, open woodlands, grassy fields, and unique natural rock outcrop communities. This natural landscape provides abundant habitats for a diversity of wildlife species.
A conservation easement is a voluntary process in which a landowner chooses to limit the development rights on their property. Every conservation easement is unique to the property and the landowners. In the conservation agreement with LTLT, the Adams retained the right to build a house and a barn on their property and to farm the land. The conservation easement will protect and preserve in perpetuity the water quality and aquatic values; forest, wildlife, and natural heritage values; scenic views; and ecological values of this beautiful property. LTLT is entrusted to permanently maintain the protection of the conservation values of the property as outlined in the conservation agreement. Since 1997, the Franklin based Land Trust for the Little Tennessee has conserved over 10,000 acres in the six county region that it serves - Macon, Jackson, Swain, Graham, Clay and Cherokee.
On July 11, 2008, in conjunction with the announcement of the conservation easement, the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT) hosted an opening reception for the collage art work of Laura Adams entitled “Bee Balms to Bears” The Conservation of a High Mountain Farm at The Artists’ House Too Gallery in Bryson City. The collage works Laura Adams prepared for her show represent the natural beauty of conservation in action. As evidenced in her artwork, Laura Adams has developed a creative passion for the wildlife, wildflowers and natural beauty of their property and the surrounding areas.
