Last Updated on January 14, 2025 2:23 pm
Ashe, Alleghany and Watauga, NC Counties: A partnership of non-profit organizations is working to provide options for landowners now considering conservation in the wake of hurricane Helene. While property owners with damaged homes may be eligible for federal buy-out programs, the scale of Helene’s impact is leading some landowners of undeveloped land to consider a conservation sale, especially for lands within a floodplain. The New River Conservancy and Blue Ridge Conservancy are actively developing resources to provide landowners with market-value alternatives to development if plans have changed.
The scale of Helene’s impact to lands near rivers and waterways has led some landowners previously planning to develop floodplain property to seek out alternatives. Conservation, which has a variety of benefits to the communities of Western North Carolina, is a viable option. Not only does the conservation of floodplains help preserve water quality, promote river-based recreation and support recreation economies, but the expansion of healthy floodplains also helps the region prepare for future flood events. “Our stream and river corridors are vital parts of our community, providing water based recreation, ecologically significant aquatic habitats and a sense of place,” said Eric Hiegl of Blue Ridge Conservancy. “Conservation of these areas can help current landowners impacted by Helene as well as future generations of river users.”
As Helene has forced some landowners to rethink their plans, non-profit land trusts are working to create viable alternatives to floodplain development. Andrew Downs of the New River Conservancy summarizes the situation: “Helene changed the New River for generations to come and required many landowners to rethink their plans. What once might have seemed like a viable location for construction may look completely different now. We want to make sure that folks in our communities know that the sale of property to a conservation organization like the New River Conservancy or Blue Ridge Conservancy is a viable option to receive fair-market value for your property if your plans have changed.”
Any landowner interested in the conservation of their property should reach out to receive more information. While both organizations only work with willing landowners, it’s clear that many landowners previously planning to develop river lands are now seeking viable alternatives.
About the New River Conservancy
Founded in 1975 by a group of local, state and national advocates as the National Committee for the New River, the New River Conservancy’s mission is to protect the waters, woodlands, and wildlife of the New River. Learn more at www.newriverconservancy.org
About Blue Ridge Conservancy
BRC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust, partners with landowners and local communities to permanently protect natural resources with agricultural, cultural, recreational, ecological, and scenic value in northwest North Carolina. Learn more at www.blueridgeconservancy.org
