Our story is one of grassroots community action, dedication, perseverance, and partnership.
South Mountains State Park
Dwarf-Iris in the South Mountains
Sunrise at Brown Mountain overlook
John’s River Cleanup
Bob’s Pocket Natural Area
Short-leaf Pine Forest Restoration at
Foothills’ South Mountains Headwaters Preserve
Oak Hill Community Park in Morganton
Early 1990’s
Foothills Conservancy began as the South Mountains Coalition, a group of volunteers who were determined to protect the 35,000-acre “heart” of the South Mountains. At the time, this land was in danger of being clear-cut and subdivided.
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1995
Officially incorporated as a non-profit land trust.
1997
The organization was renamed Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina to reflect the expansion of the organization’s mission beyond the South Mountains.
1998
Success! Over 23,000 acres protected in the South Mountains! This included 2 tracts of land that are now part of the South Mountain Gamelands.
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1998 - 2004
The Early Years
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2005
4,757 acres protected
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2006
1,103 acres protected
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2007
4,227 acres protected
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2008
694 acres protected
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2009
1,555 acres protected
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2010
447 acres protected
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2011
198 acres protected
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2012
520 acres protected
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2013
1,049 acres protected
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2014
284 acres protected
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2015
2,452 acres protected
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2016
908 acres protected
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2017
3,161 acres protected
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2018
1,114 acres protected
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2019
4,466 acres protected
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2020
1,458 acres protected
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2021
1,125 acres protected
2022
3,871 acres protected
2023
Ongoing protection