Land Acquired for Future Person County Nature Preserve
Tar River Land Conservancy (TRLC) purchased 85 acres in Person County in November 2024 from the family of the late Rachel Allen Hornbuckle. TRLC will manage the property as a nature preserve, with plans to create several miles of hiking trails that will eventually be opened to the public. The property, known as the “Mt. Harmony Tract,” is located eleven miles from downtown Roxboro on Mt. Harmony Church Road.
The Mt. Harmony Tract is completely forested except for six acres of former crop fields that TRLC plans to convert to wildflower meadows. The future hiking trails will wind along several streams inside the property, including the scenic Rock Fork Branch.
TRLC secured funding from three governmental partners to cover the costs to buy the property. Person County contributed $50,000 to the acquisition of the project following a presentation at the Board of Commissioners’ meeting on July 15. Significant funding contributions were also made by two downstream partners. TRLC received $332,400 from the City of Raleigh’s watershed protection program and $158,000 from the City of Durham’s water supply protection program. The streams on the Mt. Harmony Tract flow toward the Flat River, which supplies Lake Michie and Falls Lake, sources of drinking water for Durham and Raleigh.
“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the Tar River Land Conservancy in their efforts to preserve land in Person County,” said Katherine Cathey, Person County Manager. “The future use of this land will greatly benefit the residents of Person County and surrounding counties, enhancing health and wellness through outdoor recreation and improved water quality for the region.”
“Raleigh is excited to partner with our upstream neighbors in Person County and the City of Durham to help preserve the Mt. Harmony property,” said Edward Buchan, Assistant Director of Raleigh Water. “We anticipate being in the water treatment business in perpetuity, which is why it is so important to protect properties like Mt. Harmony. It is also satisfying to know that the Tar River Land Conservancy will take on the stewardship of this property.”
The Mt. Harmony Tract was owned since the 1930s by the Allen and Hornbuckle families, most recently by Rachel Allen Hornbuckle, a Person County resident who died in 2022. TRLC will own and manage the Mt. Harmony Tract going forth. Person County government holds a conservation easement on the property, which allows TRLC to manage the land as a nature preserve with public hiking trails but prohibits any future development on the site.
TRLC currently manages four nature preserves in southern Granville County that offer eleven miles of hiking trails. The planning and layout of hiking trails on the Mt. Harmony Tract will begin in 2025, with the goal of opening the trails to the public in 2026. TRLC plans to recruit local volunteers to help build trails at the Mt. Harmony Tract, following an approach taken at its Granville County preserves.
“We are grateful to the family for working with us to preserve this beautiful property and to our funding partners for their incredible support,” noted Derek Halberg, TRLC Executive Director. “As more people are expected to move to Person County, we hope to acquire more land to set aside for conservation, and where possible, to create new outdoor recreational destinations.”
If you or a family member are interested in learning about ways to conserve your land, please contact Tar River Land Conservancy by emailing info@tarriver.org or calling 919-496-5902.
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