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Bee Branch Farm, Sandy Mush

The Buncombe County Land Conservation Advisory Board was created by the County Commissioners in 2004 to promote the use of voluntary land conservation easements to preserve the beauty and ecology of Buncombe County.

Conservation easements are voluntary deed restrictions placed on an owner’s property that prohibit or limit future development on the property. These restrictions are perpetual and may be enforced in court. Since the easements are voluntary, there is considerable flexibility afforded an owner in tailoring the easement to the owner’s needs. Conservation easements do not require a landowner to allow public access to their property.

Buncombe County has selected ten high priority focus areas of importance for preservation using conservation easements. Eight focus areas are the beautiful and largely unspoiled mountain ranges throughout the County. One is along the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. The final focus area is lands adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

In 2004, the Conservation Advisory Board conducted a survey of all lands that were protected in Buncombe County. There are 422,208 total acres in Buncombe County. In 2004, 50,145 acres were already protected by national forests, State parks, conservation easements and protected water sheds. By the end of 2007, the total number of protected acres in Buncombe County will be over 60,000 acres. The support of the Buncombe County Commissioners and their focus on preserving lands in Buncombe County has been very successful. This leadership has generated over $10.0 million in gifts from landowners and private donors to make these easements possible.

Anyone with an interest in pursuing a conservation easement should contact Debbie Truempy (Debbie.Truempy@buncombecounty.org).

• Buncombe County Land Conservation
• A Complete Introduction to Voluntary Conservation Agreements
• 2007 Tax Information for Conservation Agreements
• Land Protection Grant Criteria
• Federal Land Conservation Tax Code
• Buncombe County Land Conservation 2004 Report
• Buncombe County Conservation and Public Lands 2004
• Buncombe County Conservation and Public Lands 2007
• Board Application
• How to Get Help and Local Contact Information for Conservation Easements

Board Members

Albert Sneed, Chairman

John Ager
Lindsay Benedict
Karen Cragnolin
Jon Creighton
John Dickson
Bob Gale
Kathryn Gubista
Greg Hutchins
Ada Khoury
Christie Melear
Kieran Roe
Carl Silverstein
Meredith Powell

Debbie Truempy, Staff

View of French Broad River Valley

© 2007 Land Conservation Advisory Board