The Athens Conservancy and Nature Conservancy are collaborating to preserve and protect 2,973 acres of land located in the Appalachian corridor. The land was donated by Betty Lowe, whose family owned the parcel of property for a century.
Athens Conservancy is a non-profit organization focused on protecting and preserving the local lands surrounding Athens County. The Nature Conservancy is a worldwide environmental organization that works to sustain ecosystems everywhere.
Betty Lowe chose the Athens Conservancy and Nature Conservancy, following about 10 years of discussions with organizations and universities across the state. Lowe wanted to ensure the land would remain protected from future mining operations and development for generations to come.
The Athens Conservancy will own the land, adding the Joy Valley Nature Preserve on the site, while the Nature Conservancy will own a permanent conservation easement on the property, a contract that gives an organization the rights to monitor land uses and ensure continued conservation.
“It's all kind of done so there's a balance between the uses that will continue to go on and the ability for people to enjoy the property, but just not to the point where ultimately, it could be destructive to the natural systems that are there,” Terry Seidel, director of land protection for the Nature Conservancy, said.
The Nature Conservancy worked with Lowe to plan the terms of the easement, ensuring her interests were honored. The contract contains many terms, including outlined locations that are approved for the construction of trails, picnic benches, shelters and research facilities.
The easement also allows for restoration projects to occur on previously mined areas of the land. The Athens Conservancy is planning to work with the state’s Orphan Well program to plug these wells.
The land resides in the Appalachia, a temperate deciduous forest, of which there are only three large-scale temperate deciduous forests in the world. According to the press release by the Athens Conservancy, the conserved land is in one of the most biologically diverse, most climate-resistant and carbon-rich landscapes on the planet.
“Large areas of contiguous woodland habitat are really important for protecting those deep forest species that need large areas of land,” Athens Conservancy Board Member Brian Blair said.
The donated land is a vital host for migratory birds, including 26 different species of warblers. It also provides habitat for endangered bats and plant species, according to a press release by the Athens Conservancy.
In alignment with Lowe’s wishes, the Athens Conservancy is establishing the land as a nature preserve, titled the Joy Valley Nature Preserve. The non-profit organization will continue allowing visitors to utilize the land for activities ranging from bird watching to hunting, Blair mentioned.
“We're not land developers and we're not timber cutters,” Blair said. “So what we will be doing with the property is maintaining it as a nature preserve, and that will allow people to visit and enjoy hiking and birding and those kinds of non-consumptive activities on the property.”
Additionally, the conservancies intend to collaborate with local universities for trips and educational research on the wildlife and ecosystems. Blair noted the land contains a multitude of eco-types, allowing for great research potential.
The Athens Conservancy officially obtained the land on Aug. 19 and plans to set up more trails, parking spots and signage for the area. Blair stated these features are important measures to ensure visitors become aware of the land's geography.
“The local people know it because they've been on there for years and years, but for newer visitors, I would encourage them to wait till we have some marked trails on there so they can feel a little more comfortable knowing where they're going,” Blair said.
The conservancies plan to host an opening event at some time in the future, but do not yet have a date.
