Conservancy buys 65 acres of forest near Johnson City
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A 65-acre tract of woods minutes from Johnson City is set to become part of the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) in the future after the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) purchased it.
The land trust bought the property, which contains steeply sloping, forested ridges with multiple springs draining to Little Cherokee Creek in the Nolichucky River watershed, late last month.
SAHC’s land protection director, Michelle Pugliese, said the land had been in the same family for four generations and was owned by several different cousins who lived in various areas of the country.
“SAHC was able to work with our partners in the U.S. Forest Service to fulfill their goals, and provide a means for the landowners to meet their own needs, while securing a conservation outcome for the land — a win, win, win situation,” Pugliese said in a news release.
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The steep land on the slopes of Cherokee Mountain is described as “Union Church Cove,” and ranges in elevation from 2,100 feet to 2,800 feet. Part of its uppermost ridgeline is visible from the Appalachian Trail.
“We felt good about the relationship with SAHC because the land would be preserved,” said Doug Delaney, one of the six landowners who sold the tract. “It was a mutually beneficial agreement. When the opportunity to conserve the land with SAHC came up, we felt that would be a good solution all the way around. We are happy that eventually it will be transferred to the national forest.”
Property records show the tract sold for $116,505 on Jan. 30.
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is a non-profit land trust conserving land and water resources in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Since its founding in 1974, SAHC has protected over 80,000 acres of unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic views and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation.
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