The Protected Property is located in Whiteside Cove, one of the areas in the Chattooga headwaters that is experiencing the most intense development pressure. Here, private subdivided lands are intertwined with larger Nantahala National Forest tracts around the iconic Whiteside Mountain, an imposing, 4,930-foot granite monolith that marks the headwaters of the Chattooga River. The recently protected 12-acre tract is southwest of Whiteside Mountain, and the majority of the property is directly within the viewshed of Whiteside Mountain. The view from Whiteside’s summit captures a relatively undeveloped portion of the Chattooga watershed, and the Protected Property’s conservation easement will help ensure that this spectacular vista remains unencumbered by excessive development.
The Protected Property contains a native forest regenerating from previous land uses (such as clearing for agriculture) and contains oak-hickory forest types, as well as white pine dominated stands that are indicative of prior clearings. The Property also includes a segment of a small perennial stream that drains into Norton Mill Creek, which is a tributary to the Chattooga River. The tract’s proximity to national forest land and the Wild & Scenic Chattooga River corridor means it provides important habitat connectivity, a value made crucial by the intense development pressure in the Cashiers area.
The Chattooga Conservancy is a nationally accredited land trust and member of the Land Trust Alliance. This enables us to work with willing landowners to protect land through conservation easements, to protect the ecological, agricultural, and/or historical values of qualified properties in the Southern Appalachian Bioregion. If you are interested in placing a conservation easement on your land, please contact us for more information!
Image: The Protected Property is in the viewshed of Whiteside Mountain and contains native forest types, providing habitat connectivity with national forest lands in the Chattooga River headwaters. Credit: Adam Kluge