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Three Rivers Land Trust announces the permanent conservation of 250 acres of land in Davie County.

The farm, owned by Sam and Blair Howard, is in small grain production.

This conservation easement is just the beginning of the legacy that Sam and Blair Howard want to leave, as they plan to conserve more property in the future.

“I am most excited about the preservation of farmland for future generations,” Sam said. “Three Rivers Land Trust was excellent to work with. They were super responsive and I wouldn’t have been able to navigate this process without their help.”

This property has frontage on US 64 West and Godbey Road west of Mocksville. The easement area buffers Hunting Creek for .6 miles, a WS-III Class stream that is a tributary of the Yadkin River. This easement is just one of the eight projected farmland conservation easements planned for Three Rivers Land Trust this year.

“We are excited to have worked with Sam and Blair on this conservation easement in Davie County, one of the counties we serve that hasn’t had much farmland conservation, but is facing development pressures from every side,” TRLT Director of Conservation Crystal Cockman remarked. “Saving farmland in this county while we still can is an important goal of ours.”

This conservation easement aids Three Rivers Land Trust in its mission to conserve farmland for future generations. “Conservation comes in different forms,” said Executive Director Travis Morehead. “We [TRLT] have a particular focus on conserving farmland. Agriculture is the foundation of our society, so each acre of farmland conserved is important for future food and fiber production.”

The primary purpose of the conservation easement is to protect the land from permanent development and to allow for continued agricultural uses. Three Rivers Land Trust has conserved more than 16,000 acres of local farms in its 15-county footprint. This conservation easement was made possible by funding from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.

To learn more about how to protect property or learn more about farmland easements, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or crystal@threeriverslandtrust.org.

To become a member and support TRLT in its conservation mission, contact Michael Fulk, associate director, at 704-647-0302 or michael@threeriverslandtrust.org.

Three Rivers Land Trust works with private landowners and public agencies to conserve the most important natural, scenic, agricultural, and historic places in a 15-county region of the Piedmont and Sandhills of North Carolina.

Since 1995, the Land Trust has worked to offer options to landowners who want to conserve lands for future generations. The mission is to work with property owners to conserve lands, vistas, and the essential nature of the region.

For more information about Three Rivers Land Trust, please contact the Land Trust at 704-647-0302 or michael@threeriverslandtrust.org or visit the website at www.threeriverslandtrust.org.