Chattooga Conservancy Inc

We provide oversight of the us forest service's management of over 180,000 acres of national forest in three states: the andrew pickens ranger district in oconee county, sc, chattooga river ranger district in rabun county, ga, & the nantahala ranger district in jackson and macon counties, nc. In 2024 we partered with the usfs to implement a "pollution magagement plan' for a the riparian zone of a major tributary on the banks of the chattooga. We have continued to monitor and inform the public about logging projects, mature and old growth protections, carbon sequestration on public land, and prescribed burns in the watershed. We partner with usfs to manage a native river cane restoration project, and in 2024 we delivered a load of native river cane to cherokee artisans.

We have been accredited by land trust alliance since 2016, and we adhere to stringent standards and practices in stewardship of our conservation easements, and in advancing private land conservation opportunities in the chattooga river watershed. In 2024 each of the 12 easement properties was inspected, 2 current conditions reports were updated, and 1 baseline report was completed. We continued to make progress restoring a donated 52.66 acre property known as the clear creek property, with a focus on nnis removal. Stewardship of this property is an ongoing program aimed at preservation of the tract's conservation values while creating educational and stewardship opportunities for communities.

Dirt road aid: the conservancy is acting as the fiscal sponsor for an organization providing urgently needed supplies, equipment, food, transportation and resoruces to those impacted by hurricane helene.