The Troutman community in Iredell County is growing rapidly thanks to development from Lake Norman and Statesville, but those traveling on Troutman Farm Road alongside the historic Troutman Family Cemetery will forever be able to enjoy the scenic vistas made possible by an 80.28 acre conservation easement by Ray Kent and Jo Ann Troutman. The easement protects significant frontage on Powder Spring Branch, a perennial stream that crosses into Lake Norman State Park. The LandTrust has been working with the Troutman family for several years to complete this donation and hopes to make this the cornerstone of a much larger project area. Several other landowners in the area have expressed interest in conservation easement donations, notes Jason Walser, executive director of the LandTrust and an Iredell County native. “I feel a special connection to Iredell County and look forward to future easements in Troutman,” says Walser. “Our thanks to the Troutman family for leading land conservation efforts in this community.”