Three Rivers Land Trust, formerly known as The LandTrust for Central North Carolina, announces the awarding of a grant from the National Wild Turkey Federation for $100,000 to go toward the conservation of 4,700 acres and 76 miles of shoreline along the Yadkin River.

This funding brings the total raised for the purchase of the Alcoa lands located on High Rock Lake to $5.7 million. That leaves another $2 million needed to purchase the first 2,300 acres.

The Land Trust, in partner with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, is raising funds for the conservation of these lands. Once conserved, these lands will be owned by NCWRC and will stay in the game lands program.

The public has had access to these lands for more than 30 years for hiking, hunting, fishing and paddling, and if the Land Trust and WRC are successful in raising the funds, this public access will remain in perpetuity.

The clock continues to wind down on the time remaining to purchase the lands. They must be acquired by September 2019, as per the relicensing settlement agreement signed by Alcoa and other parties. If the Land Trust and NCWRC are successful in acquiring these lands on High Rock Lake, they will have two additional years to purchase 2,400 acres on Tuckertown Lake from Alcoa.

“We are extremely excited about our continued partnership with the North Carolina State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The State NWTF Board saw how important the conservation of these lands are and stepped up, in a big way,” Executive Director Travis Morehead said. “We are hopeful that other national conservation organizations will follow NWTF’s lead in conserving these important lands and preserving our shared hunting heritage.”

The acquisition of these lands conserves habitat, connects conserved areas and wild places, provides access for the public and helps to sustain the local outdoor recreation, tourism and forestry economies.

“The NCNWTF Board of Directors is truly honored for this opportunity to partner with Three Rivers Land Trust to ensure the conservation of these lands for generations to come. This is what the NWTF is about,” said Robert Smith, president of the NCNWTF state board. “This acquisition fits perfectly with our Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, and, it’s what our dedicated volunteers across North Carolina so generously support.”

To contribute to this once conservation project, contact the Land Trust at 704-647-0302 or donate online at www.threeriverslandtrust.org/alcoa-lands-conservation/.

For more information about this project, or to learn how to support Three Rivers Land Trust to conserve other lands in the central Piedmont, visit www.threeriverslandtrust.org or contact Crystal Cockman at crystal@threeriverslandtrust.org or 704-647-0302.

Three Rivers Land Trust works with private landowners and public agencies to conserve the most important natural, scenic, agricultural and historic places in a 10-county region of the central Piedmont, which includes Stanly County.

Since 1995, the Land Trust has worked to offer options to landowners who want to save their lands for future generations to enjoy.