Conserving Carolina
Description
Conserving Carolina is a land trust that protects land and water in the mountains of the Carolinas.
It works in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, including Polk, Henderson and Transylvania Counties and the Landrum area of South Carolina. It buys land, holds conservation easements with private landowners, restores habitat and builds parks, trails and greenways. It has helped protect more than 51,000 acres and has created or expanded public lands such as Chimney Rock State Park and Headwaters State Forest. It also runs speaker series, school and college programs, and an AmeriCorps program called Project Conserve.
The organization was formed in July 2017 through the merger of two older land trusts, Pacolet Area Conservancy, founded in 1989, and Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, founded in 1994. Together they bring over 35 years of conservation work in the region. It partners with businesses, landowners, communities and government agencies, and works with Indigenous partners including the Eastern Band of Cherokee on some of its preserves.
Latest news
Land Protected Next to Chimney Rock State Park
More land protected—full of unique plants and animals, with three miles of headwater streams, right next to Chimney Rock State Park!
16 Sep 2026
Where to Find Native Plants in WNC and Upstate SC
Native plants attract birds, butterflies, and bees! Here’s where to find native plants in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina.
7 Sep 2026
Discover our newest restoration project, near Brevard. Landowner Scott Hodgson says when they bought the land, it was “pure business” but it turned into more.
1 Sep 2026
Conserving Carolina’s Fall Hiking Series Begins September 25th!
Conserving Carolina invites the community to join us for our Fall Hiking Series by enjoying the work that conservation organizations have done over the years to preserve our area’s natural spaces.
27 Aug 2026
August Is Make-A-Will Month—Leave a Legacy That Lasts
August is National Make-A-Will Month—a reminder that planning for the future can be about more than caring for loved ones; it can also be an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for the places and causes you cherish.
12 Aug 2026
Read our Spring/Summer newsletter, with updates on the Saluda Grade Trail, a new community forest, restoration projects, and more!
6 Aug 2026
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