THE MISSION
Three Rivers Land Trust is working to purchase lands on the Tuckertown Reservoir owned by Alcoa in order to keep these lands accessible to the public for recreation (as Gamelands); with the ultimate goal of transferring the ownership of these lands to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Time is of the essence, these lands could be sold for development tomorrow. We need your support now to keep these lands open to the public, to protect water quality, and to provide habitat to numerous wildlife species. For updates on this project, follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
THE MISSION
Three Rivers Land Trust is working to purchase lands on the Tuckertown Reservoir owned by Alcoa in order to keep these lands accessible to the public for recreation (as Gamelands); with the ultimate goal of transferring the ownership of these lands to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Time is of the essence, these lands could be sold for development tomorrow. We need your support now to keep these lands open to the public, to protect water quality, and to provide habitat to numerous wildlife species.
For updates on this project, follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Phase i complete 200 acres conserved. the work continues.
Thanks to the incredible support of donors from across the country, along with a generous matching gift from onX and MeatEater, TRLT has completed the first land acquisition as part of the Save Tuckertown campaign.
This first phase permanently conserves 200 acres along the Tuckertown Reservoir. TRLT will ultimately transfer ownership of this property to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, where it will remain part of North Carolina’s public gamelands.
While this is an important milestone, the work is far from over. The remaining 3,800 acres surrounding the Tuckertown Reservoir are still at stake.
In celebration of this major milestone, everyone is invited to a ribbon-cutting for this acquisition, to be held on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 1347 Newsom Rd in Denton, North Carolina, at 10:00 AM.
Thanks to the incredible support of donors from across the country, along with a generous matching gift from onX and MeatEater, TRLT has completed the first land acquisition as part of the Save Tuckertown campaign.
This first phase permanently conserves 200 acres along the Tuckertown Reservoir. TRLT will ultimately transfer ownership of this property to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, where it will remain part of North Carolina’s public gamelands.
While this is an important milestone, the work is far from over. The remaining 3,800 acres surrounding the Tuckertown Reservoir are still at stake.
In celebration of this major milestone, everyone is invited to a ribbon-cutting for this acquisition, to be held on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 1347 Newsom Rd in Denton, North Carolina, at 10:00 AM.
Phase II
Proudly show your support for the Save Tuckertown Campaign by displaying a yard sign at your home or business. Yard signs are a visible way to help raise awareness and demonstrate your commitment to protecting Tuckertown for future generations.
With a donation of $100 or more to the campaign, you will qualify to receive a yard sign as a thank-you for your generous support. Once your donation is received, TRLT staff will coordinate the pickup of your sign.
Messages from our partners
Messages from our Partners
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Proudly show your support for the Save Tuckertown Campaign by displaying a yard sign at your home or business. Yard signs are a visible way to help raise awareness and demonstrate your commitment to protecting Tuckertown for future generations. With a donation of $100 or more to the campaign, you will qualify to receive a yard sign as a thank-you for your generous support. Once your donation is received, TRLT staff will coordinate the pickup of your sign.
VIDEO LIBRARY
VIDEO LIBRARY
Playlist
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the land now?
These parcels have been privately owned by Alcoa for decades and enrolled in the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Gameland Program, making them accessible to the public.
Wasn't this land already conserved?
These lands were not part of the 2007 Relicensing Settlement Agreement and therefore were not conserved in 2019 and 2021 by Three Rivers Land Trust or the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. View the 2007 Relicensing Settlement Agreement here.
If purchased by TRLT, will these lands be publicly accessible?
Yes, if TRLT is successful in purchasing these lands they will be accessible by the public as a part of the NC Wildlife Commission Gamelands Program.
Will you really make this land publicly accessible?
2014 – Uwharrie River Gamelands (600+ acres): Transferred to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for public gamelands access.
2017 – Dark Mountain (70 acres): Added to the Uwharrie National Forest through transfer to the U.S. Forest Service.
2019 – High Rock Lake (2,463 acres): Transferred to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for permanent public access.
2021 – Tuckertown Eastern Shoreline (2,424 acres): Purchased from Alcoa and transferred to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
2022 – Morrow Mountain State Park (215 acres): Added to Morrow Mountain State Park for expanded public recreation.
2023 – Watery Branch (210 acres): Transferred to the U.S. Forest Service, expanding Uwharrie National Forest.
2023 – Panther Branch (92 acres): Transferred to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for public access.
2023 – Wolf Den Trail (8 acres): Secured and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service within Uwharrie National Forest.
2024 – Uwharrie Wilderness Inholding (99 acres): Transferred to the U.S. Forest Service for permanent public access.
We not only say we expand public lands, we do it.
What happens if the land is purchased before TRLT raises enough funding to purchase?
If we are unsuccessful in raising enough funds in time to purchase these lands, the money will be utilized on a future Gameland acquisition project.
Will the land be owned by the state?
All of the Tuckertown lands that are acquired by TRLT will be transferred to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Does TRLT buy land from public agencies?
TRLT does not purchase land from public agencies. Instead we purchase land that we can transfer to public agencies in order to expand public recreational opportunities. To date we have transferred over 8,000 acres of land to the public trust.
What will happen when the land is purchased and is awaiting transfer to the NCWRC?
The land will remain as a public Gameland while it is awaiting transfer to the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission.
Where are the properties located?
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the first phase of the Save Tuckertown project.
We are grateful to the more than 1,400 grassroots donors who came together to support the Save Tuckertown Campaign. This conservation success would not have been possible without their generosity and commitment.
A special thank you to the following for their incredible support of the Tuckertown efforts: Rednecheck Securities Fund, Fred and Alice Stanback, onX Maps, MeatEater, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Amy Grissom, Anonymous, Kimberly Hamilton-Carr and Dick Carr, North Carolina Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, The North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation, The Hunting Public, Duke Energy Foundation, Richard and Kay Cosgrove, Daniel Monroe, Glen & Diane Williams Family Foundation, Jeff Moose, Alexander Jones, Adele Kirk, Virginia Russell, and Steve Smith.