Three Rivers Land Trust is excited to announce that it has partnered with the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation to add 25 acres to Morrow Mountain State Park in Stanly County. This newly acquired property boasts mature hardwood forests and frontage along beautiful Mountain Creek.
This acquisition was made possible through funding from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Curt Dorsey with Rite Time Realty assisted in finalizing the transaction. The site is part of Stony Hill Church Hardwoods, which is identified as a natural heritage area by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program due to its mature hardwood forests and rocky outcroppings. Mountain Creek is a pristine stream that is home to a variety of species of rare and endangered mussels. A large population of a rare plant known as ravine sedge (Carex impressinervia) can be found on the property, as well.
“Three Rivers Land Trust is proud of our longstanding commitment to expanding public access. While adding 25 acres to Morrow Mountain will be one of our smaller conservation projects in 2019, it is one of our most important,” states Executive Director Travis Morehead. “Including this property, the Land Trust and our partners at State Parks have added 75 acres to Morrow Mountain in the past two years.”
“I am thrilled with this addition to Morrow Mountain State Park,” said Superintendent Jeff Davidson. “Mountain Creek is one of the most special features in the park, and this acquisition will allow us to protect these natural resources, provide education to our visitors about their importance, and offer opportunities to enjoy this beautiful area with low-impact recreation.”
Thank you to Gary and Nancy Deeck, the landowners, for working with Three Rivers Land Trust and the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation to conserve this property.
The park will host a dedication of the new property on June 25th at 11:00am. The event will be held at the picnic shelter on top of Morrow Mountain. In the event of rain, we will gather in the park’s lodge adjacent to the park office. The event is free and open to the public.
To learn more about how you can support Three Rivers Land Trust, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or crystal@threeriverslandtrust.org. More information about Morrow Mountain State Park can be found at ncparks.gov/morrow-mountain.