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Conservation project focuses on Pond Mountain (complete article from source)
Source: Jefferson Post, by Linda Burchette
June 02, 2008
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| Walter Clark, executive director of Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, (pointing) and NC Senator Steve Goss look over the area of Pond Mountain that could be preserved through an ongoing conservation project. An Ashe County native, Goss has been instrumental in bringing together the various state agencies working toward the goal of protecting nearly 2,000 acres of Pond Mountain.(Photo by Joe Potts (Courtesy of Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust)) |
An effort to temporarily save a handful of jobs in the Christmas tree industry and ultimately a wild and scenic part of Ashe County has led to the Pond Mountain conservation project to protect nearly 2,000 acres.
At the time of his death, longtime Christmas tree farmer Dale Shepherd was selling half his business to his foremen, Mark Johnston and Chris Shumate, and they inherited the rest of New River Tree Company. The taxes proved insurmountable to the heirs and threatened an end to the business and the loss of jobs for about eight people, so Johnston and Shumate approached the National Committee for the New River. Developers had already come knocking, but wanted only to pay for the land, said Johnston, not the trees. And neither Johnston nor Shumate wanted to see the mountain developed.
Johnston had worked for Shepherd for 31 years, Shumate for 12 when they inherited the other half of the business they were buying. The inheritance taxes were tremendous, Johnston said, so they were looking to sell but developers wanting the land did not want to pay for the trees or give the workers time to harvest them. “The best thing was for the state to buy the land and we could stay in business, harvest the trees that were planted and close out the business, everybody keeping their jobs for the duration,” he said.
Then they came up with the idea of conservation. “It suited a means for us to continue the business,” Johnston said. “Dale was always a hunter and a farmer and a good steward of the land, so we thought this would honor his legacy. I had a conversation with Dale before he died and he said, ?Sell everything and protect yourself.’ There was just not a buyer for a million Christmas trees and we wouldn’t get what was put into it. Developers only wanted to give us what the land was worth. This was a way to keep the guys working and honor Dale and Ruth. Dale had taken bits and pieces over the years and put them together as a whole, and protecting that would be an asset to Ashe County.”
Shumate agreed. “Overall, it will be a great thing,” he said of the conservation project. “We will keep some of the mountain ridges looking like they do without condos and houses on the ridgetops. Dale could always see Pond Mountain from where he lived and I think he would like that.”
Through the conservation project, Pond Mountain would be open to the public as a recreation area for hiking, camping, hunting and fishing. “Mountain people like to hunt and fish and this will help them,” Shumate said, “because if there’s houses built up there the owners wouldn’t want people on their land.”
The workers with New River Tree Company are all close to retirement, Shumate said, and this project to continue the business until all the trees are harvested will preserve their jobs until they can retire. “In a perfect world, we would just keep the tree business going,” he said. “This is a great opportunity because we love what we’re doing so we didn’t want to go out of business.” This way, New River Tree Company can continue for about 10 years until the trees are harvested and then close out the business.
Johnston said he and Shumate first approached the National Committee for the New River because Pond Mountain is full of water. “We call it the big sponge,” he said. “If you’re protecting the water, why not go to the source. That’s what this is about, protecting resources for future generations so they can see it the way it was. When the trees are harvested, it will go back to its natural state.”
The National Committee for the New River contacted Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust and the conservation project got underway.
“We’re thankful to Walter Clark (executive director of Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust) and the National Committee for the New River and Senator Steve Goss,” Johnston said.
“I hope this goes through,” said Shumate. “It will be good for the county.”
The Project
(Information from Walter Clark with Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust n BRRLT.)
The land on Pond Mountain is known locally as the Dale Shepherd property. It includes a local historically significant area known as Listening Rock. Shepherd was one of Ashe County’s most successful Christmas tree growers and had a personal interest in conservation. The tract consists of approximately 1,825 acres - about 600 of which are planted in Christmas trees.
I. Why protect Pond Mountain?
? A 5,000 foot mountain located in the corner of NC, VA and TN and in the direct viewshed of significant mountains in North Carolina and Virginia. (Mount Jefferson, Three Top Mountain, Bluff Mountain, and Elk Knob in North Carolina and Whitetop Mountain, Mount Rogers and Grayson Highlands in Virginia).
? Presents a rare opportunity to protect large acreage by placing 1,825 acres into conservation. It could also open the door to protecting up to 1,000 additional acres n basically the entire northwest corner of North Carolina.
Note: When this opportunity is combined with the adjacent and nearby lands already under conservation easement, it could result in the protection of up to 4,000 acres ensuring that some of the most beautiful lands in North Carolina are protected in perpetuity. Pond Mountain is adjacent to existing conservation properties (Larry Almond property n 125 acres held in easement with BRRLT and very nearby Virginia and Michael Tate property n 668 acres also held in easement by BRRLT).
? Pond Mountain has outstanding water resources. Several streams originate on the property from a multitude of springs. It is the headwaters for Big Laurel Creek and much of Big Horse Creek n both of which flow into the north fork of the New River. The protection of Pond Mountain will protect close to 92,000 linear feet of these streams and springs.
Note: On a site visit in February, NC Wildlife Resources Commission staff determined that the waters of Pond Mountain support or protect significant brook trout resources.
? Pond Mountain presents an excellent opportunity for water quality and habitat restoration. Currently approximately 600 acres of the mountain are in Christmas tree cultivation. As these trees are harvested over the next few years the land will convert to prime wildlife habitat and water quality downstream will be further protected.
? The mountain has excellent wildlife habitat. With the tract’s proximity to Cherokee National Forest to the west and Jefferson National Forest to the north, Pond Mountain would be a valuable addition for wildlife.
II. The protection strategy.
The mountain’s current owners?Mark Johnston and Chris Shumate?are very interested in seeing the mountain protected. The asking price for the property is approximately $14 million based on an appraisal completed in late 2006.
? BRRLT holds an option on the property through June 2009. The option is contingent on funds being raised through private donations and conservation funds. It is also contingent on the owners being permitted to continue harvesting Christmas trees currently growing on the property.
? In late 2007, BRRLT received a pledge for $1.3 million from a private donor, Fred Stanback of Salisbury. These funds will be used to purchase up to 130 acres of the property and will constitute the “initial purchase.”
? In April 2008, the Natural Heritage Trust Fund granted $2.5 million toward the purchase of Pond Mountain. This was in partial fulfillment of a grant application from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission requesting $5,032,457. BRRLT is hoping that the balance of NCWRC’s request will come in NHTF’s next funding cycle, which should be known by August.
? In February of this year, BRRLT, in partnership with High Country Conservancy and the National Committee for the New River, submitted an application to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund for the purchase of approximately 980 acres (the acreage forming the riparian buffer along the mountain’s streams). The request from CWMTF is for $7,426,498.
? The NC State Property Office has begun the process of having the property appraised.
? Ultimately, the entire property will be held by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission as state game lands. With its proximity to other recreational resources, it is BRRLT’s (and the hope of sister land trusts n The National Committee for the New River and High Country Conservancy) that the property can be used for a variety of public recreational activities. In addition to hunting, this could include mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking. The current owners would like to see the protected lands of Pond Mountain named for Dale and Ruth Shepherd.
“Pond Mountain has long been regarded as important to North Carolina and Ashe County’s cultural heritage and scenic beauty,” said Clark. “The mountain was reportedly surveyed and named by Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson, in 1746 and 1749. It is said that Jefferson named the mountain for the many natural ponds that once dotted its high-altitude ridgeline. Pond Mountain stands prominently among other significant peaks, including Mount Rogers and Grayson Highlands in Virginia and Mount Jefferson, Elk Knob, Three Top Mountain and Bluff Mountain in North Carolina.”
Walter Clark said that Dale Shepherd was the brother of Swansie Shepherd, and both were known for their land stewardship. Swansie operated the county’s famous blueberry farm, which is now owned by Clark and his partner Johnny Burleson. Dale and Swansie grew up together at the blueberry farm in Lansing.
“The story is,” said Clark, “that Dale would walk out on the property where he could see Pond Mountain and say to his mother, ?One day, I’m going to own that mountain.’ And he did.”
Clark said that Dale would come visit after he and Johnny had bought Swansie’s property, and that he, Walter, would try to get Dale to do a land conservancy on his Pond Mountain property. “But he didn’t want to tie the hands of those who would inherit the approximately 600 acres in Christmas trees,” Walter said. “So this is a win-win situation for everyone. The state will see the land protected, and Mark and Chris can continue to grow the trees and harvest them.”
And Pond Mountain will hopefully forever remain the beautiful and majestic natural resource and wildlife habitat that it is today.
Click here for complete article from Jefferson Post
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