A purchase of 48 acres adjacent to the Pisgah National Forest and the Highlands of Roan by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy saved the tract from development.
“The tract was slated for development but SAHC was able to work with the developers to purchase the land for conservation,” said Land Protection Director Michelle Pugliese. “It’s a great example of conservation serving as a viable alternative to an unrealized development.”
The tract shares a half-mile boundary with the national forest and boast elevations exceeding 4,500 feet. It’s within two miles of the Appalachian Trail and in the state-designated Roan Mountain Massif Natural Area — about 75 percent of the property falls within the Roan Mountain Important Bird Area designated by the National Audubon Society.