Archived Outdoors

Purchase will protect Canton water quality

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has completed a critical land purchase in Haywood County. Johnny Davison photo The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has completed a critical land purchase in Haywood County. Johnny Davison photo

A newly conserved 139 acres in Haywood County will connect the Town of Canton’s Rough Creek watershed property to other tracts of protected land, permanently protecting wildlife habitat, scenic views from public trails and water quality. 

The land, purchased by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, connects to land previously protected by SAHC to form, in conjunction with the watershed property, 1,120 acres of nearly contiguous land. 

The purchase will improve the surface water quality by protecting 2.5 miles of stream from development. That bodes well for Beaverdam Creek, whose water quality is considered to be on the decline. The acquisition directly supports the Beaverdam Watershed Action Plan, produced by the Haywood Waterways Association and Pigeon River Fund. 

A generous seed gift from private donors, combined with support from SAHC members and $25,000 from the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, made the project possible. 

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.