The presentation by Commissioner Terri Wells at the Feb. 16 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners briefing provides a timely reminder of the positive impact of ongoing land conservation initiatives.
Since 2005, Buncombe County government and local conservation organizations have safeguarded over 8,000 acres of privately held farms and forests for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations through permanent conservation easements. By forsaking development rights to their properties, landowners have preserved mountain vistas, protected pastoral landscapes, set aside pristine woodlands, provided critical habitat for important animal and plant species, while improving soil, air and water quality.
These private parcels complement already protected federal and municipal holdings and together constitute roughly 13% of the county’s area. The Biden administration has proposed a target of 30% green space by 2030 as the benchmark for healthy communities. Buncombe County’s 2025 Strategic Plan and ongoing commitment to land conservation make this an attainable goal. By leveraging federal, state and private grants, county investment in land conservation is a proven win-win proposition.
Permanently protected farms have helped preserve a portion of the county’s rich farming heritage, kept intact part of the rapidly vanishing agrarian landscape, maintained the viability of local food supply and created new opportunities for agritourism. Furthermore, land use planning that offers abundant outdoor space, values unobstructed views and facilitates recreational opportunities can be entirely compatible with residential, commercial and industrial development.
In terms of quality of life, avoiding becoming indistinguishable from everywhere else has never been more attractive. Now is the time to ensure Buncombe’s bright tomorrow by leaving a land legacy of which we can be proud and our successors thankful. In this regard, we will be much obliged to county leadership for successfully navigating the way ahead.
— D. Everett
Big Sandy Mush
I totally agree. I have seen this over and over since I moved here in 1994. The mountains are being destroyed, beauty is being destroyed and all because everyone needs to see the bottom line as profit!
You do not have to rely on county leadership to protect farming landscapes.
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is the most active and effective non-governmental organization in the Sandy Mush farming community. Since the mid-70s, SAHC has permanently protected more than 75,000 acres of sensitive land in western NC and East TN, and more than 50,000 acres of that has been through conservation easements by private landowners. Their Farmland Protection Program, begun in 2005, strives to prevent the type of loss of historical family farms and important agricultural soils that you speak of in your letter. Most of this is being done one-on-one with actual landowners and requires no county leadership involvement.
Check out SAHC’s program objectives and success stories at Appalachian.org, and see if they couldn’t help you achieve your own private conservation goals.
(Disclaimer: I am a long-time member of SAHC and am proud of the work they do)