Blue Ridge Conservancy is pleased to announce local farmer Kelly Coffey as BRC’s inaugural “Land Conservationist of the Year.” The award was presented at the 67th annual Farm-City Banquet, held by the Watauga County Cooperative Extension. This event brings the urban and rural community together to celebrate the contributions and local impact of farming and conservation.
Read MoreSince 2019, Blue Ridge Conservancy’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency has earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. In the newest ratings released earlier this month, BRC jumped from a 92% to 99% rating, meaning donors can “give with confidence.”
Read MoreBlue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) and Camp Lutherock (NovusWay Ministries), a Lutheran camp and conference center, recently settled a lawsuit with WFG Sugar Pointe, LLC, a developer who encroached and trespassed on a conservation easement in Avery County. This is the first time BRC has sued to defend a conservation easement, and sets a precedent for the enforceability of conservation easements.
Read MoreThe NC Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR) recently awarded $3,025,636 in grants for 13 land acquisition projects through the Complete the Trails Program Fund (CTF). These grants will leverage more than $13 million in matching funds to help local nonprofit partners acquire land for state trails projects in nine North Carolina counties. Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) was awarded two land acquisition grants, for $125,000 and $144,000 respectively, to expand the corridor for the Northern Peaks State Trail (NPST). These grants will allow BRC to protect an additional 48 acres on The Peak in Creston, which will eventually become part of Elk Knob State Park and the NPST.
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