Cotton Creek Longleaf Preserve

Piedmont longleaf pine forests are few and far between these days, and finding one intact with remnants of the past in the form of historic cat-face stumps and standing trees is even more uncommon. That’s why when Jerald Saunders reached out to The LandTrust looking into options for conserving his unique property, our board of directors quickly saw the need to accept ownership of this special place.

This 30 acre property near Biscoe was donated to The LandTrust in December of 2014. “This unique property boasts some 90+ year old longleaf pine, and has more historic stumps and trees with cat-facing and boxing than any other site I’ve ever seen,” said Associate Director Crystal Cockman. In just two causal site visits here, staff and volunteers found a wide variety of wildlife, including an ovenbird nest, a spotted salamander, and a rare baptisia plant.

Mr. Saunders remembers working in these trees when he was very young, helping gather pitch used to make tar and turpentine. His parents and grandparents’ love of the land and his understanding of the special management needs longleaf pine forests have resulted in his seeking out The LandTrust to manage and own this property. It’s unique location between known longleaf in the Sandhills and Uwharries may make it an even more significant site in the future.