Three Rivers Land Trust permanently conserves 250 acres in Harnett County on Upper Little River

Three Rivers Land Trust is excited to announce the conservation of a 250-acre property located in Harnett County. The landowner donated a permanent conservation easement on his longtime family farm in April 2020. This working lands conservation easement allows for continued agricultural and forestry practices, while restricting the future development and subdivision of this important parcel.

“Our staff is very grateful to have worked with this family to conserve such a remarkable property. We are also thankful for our partners at the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, who provided funding for transactional costs through their mini-grant program,” states Executive Director Travis Morehead. As a result of the mini-grant funding, the easement will also protect a forested riparian buffer on the Upper Little River and the tributaries that flow through this property.

“This newly protected property has considerable frontage along the Upper Little River in Harnett County,” states Crystal Cockman, Director of Conservation. “By conserving this property, we are not only protecting the agricultural land, forest land, and wildlife habitat but are also protecting water quality along the Upper Little River and the tributaries that flow through this property. We are committed to working with property owners to conserve tracts like these, while they are still available.”

It was important to this landowner that the legacy of agriculture continue on this farm in perpetuity. Farmland conservation has been a focus of the land trust since our inception, having protected more than 15,000 acres of farmland since 1995. Three Rivers Land Trust merged with the Sandhills Area Land Trust in 2019, and expanded our conservation footprint to include Harnett County and four additional counties in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain.

To learn more about how to protect your own property, or how to support Three Rivers Land Trust in our conservation mission, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or crystal@threeriverslandtrust.org

About Three Rivers Land Trust

Three Rivers Land Trust works with private landowners and public agencies to conserve the most important natural, scenic, agricultural, and historic places in a 15-county region of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Since 1995, the Land Trust has worked to offer reasonable and attractive options to landowners who want to conserve their lands for future generations to enjoy. Our mission is to work thoughtfully and selectively with property owners to conserve our lands, vistas, and the essential nature of our region. For more information about Three Rivers Land Trust, please contact the Land Trust at 704-647-0302 or michael@threeriverslandtrust.org or visit their website at www.threeriverslandtrust.org