Located in Hoke County are 272 acres of hardwood and longleaf pine forests that are now permanently conserved by Three Rivers Land Trust.

The property is near Fort Bragg, which will add to the network of conservation lands in the area.

This property is unique, with Buffalo Creek and its tributaries going through the property. This conservation project helps protect water quality for both wildlife and people. Buffalo Creek is a tributary of Drowning Creek, which is a watershed that feeds into the Lumber River, a major drinking water source. Additionally, the property features wetlands and even a beaver swamp which provide migratory stop-over habitat for waterfowl, giving them a place to rest and fuel up before they continue migration.

This property also contains a longleaf pine forest that provides critical habitat for a variety of plant and animal species.

Protecting longleaf is important, Three Rivers officials said, because it now only occupies a fraction of its historic range. In the early 2000s, less than 3% of the historic longleaf acreage remained. The permanent conservation of this property will
contribute to the network of longleaf pine stands by providing habitat connectivity for the species that depend on them.

This 272-acre conservation project was made possible through a donated easement by Ralph and Linda Huff. When reflecting on the project, Ralph Huff commented that “Linda and I are
delighted to conserve this property with Three Rivers Land Trust. It is land that we wanted to remain undeveloped in perpetuity. We are so pleased to have worked with TRLT to accomplish this goal of ours and hope others in the area will choose to do the same.”

“We are extremely pleased to work with Ralph and Linda to accomplish their conservation goals for their property. Conserving strategic tracts like this one is a goal of TRLT’s mission,” TRLT Associate Director Crystal Cockman said. “This property is unique from its hardwoods to the wetlands on the property, and now we can proudly say that it will be protected for generations to come.”

To learn more about how to conserve lands or support Three Rivers Land Trust in its conservation mission, contact Emily Callicutt, land protection specialist at Three Rivers Land Trust, by calling 704-647-0302 or email emily@trlt.org.