50 Acres Preserved on Fishing Creek
Tar River Land Conservancy recently acquired a 50-acre tract of forestland adjoining Fishing Creek in southwestern Halifax County. This property completes a 5½ mile stretch of protected land along the north bank of Fishing Creek stretching from NC Highway 561 to NC Highway 43. Acquisition of this property was made possible by the generous support of the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation, the NC Attorney General’s Environmental Enhancement Grant Program, and the Hillsdale Fund. The Conservancy purchased the property from Lane Land and Timber, Inc.
Land conservation along Fishing Creek has been a priority of the Conservancy since it was founded in 2000. Fishing Creek is designated as a nationally significant stream because of its excellent water quality and the presence of several rare and endangered fish and wildlife species, including the Tar spinymussel, Roanoke bass, Carolina madtom, and Neuse River waterdog. Fishing Creek is the largest tributary of the Tar River, draining an 894-square mile area from its headwaters northeast of the City of Henderson in Vance County to its confluence with the Tar River near the Town of Tarboro in Edgecombe County. “We will continue to work steadily to preserve more tracts of land along Fishing Creek,” said Derek Halberg, TRLC Executive Director. “The purchase of the Lane Tract was another critical link in this conservation chain.”
The Conservancy plans to offer guided hikes on the Lane Tract, possibly in the fall of 2014 or spring of 2015, to provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about this protected property and about the importance of conservation in the Fishing Creek watershed.
With the acquisition of the Lane Tract, Tar River Land Conservancy has protected 17,532 acres across an eight-county region – Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Nash, Person, Vance, and Warren Counties. To receive announcements of hikes and events offered by Tar River Land Conservancy, send an email with your contact information to events@tarriver.org.
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