The LandTrust for Central North Carolina has purchased and protected Buzzard Mountain in Montgomery County.

The 45-acre property is a county landmark, situated prominently on N.C. 24/27 near Swift Island Bridge.

The purchase was made from the Blair family.

“The most important thing is that it is preserved,” said Joann Blair Adams.

The Blairs have worked with LandTrust before to protect Long Mountain near Jumpin’ Off Rock and the northern section of the Uwharrie Trail.

“This is a significant acquisition for the LandTrust,” said Executive Director Travis Morehead. “This property is at the southern end of the Uwharrie Trail and could eventually become an extension of the trail, providing for more public recreation opportunities. The views from atop Buzzard Mountain are remarkable, as well.”

The forested tract provides a scenic view along the N.C. Scenic Byway of N.C. 24/27. A variety of wildlife live on the property, which adjoins additional Uwharrie National Forest land. There are rock outcrops as well.

Cagle property

The LandTrust also bought and will protect the Cagle property in Montgomery County. The 20-acre property is on the Uwharrie River and adjoins 1,288 acres already owned by the LandTrust.

The Cagle property fills a gap between LandTrust-owned property and the Uwharrie River on the southernmost parcel of the Low Water Bridge Preserve and adds to this already protected conservation area.

The Cagle property is a tract of young hardwoods. It is one of only a handful of sites in the Uwharries where the yellow lady slipper flower, now in bloom, grows.

“The acquisition of the Cagle property is an incredible asset to the land protection work we have been doing on the Uwharrie River,” said Morehead. “Adding onto where we have already protected lands provides us with greater conservation value for our efforts. We would like to thank the Cagles for providing us with this great opportunity.”

The Smithfield Agreement Environmental Enhancement Grant Program, administered through the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, provided funding for the Cagle acquisition. Through an agreement between NCAG and Smithfield Foods Inc., Smithfield contributes as much as $2 million per year to a fund administered by the Attorney General’s Office for projects that provide long- or short-term environmental enhancement.

The LandTrust works to secure these grants to continue land protection work in a 10-county region of the Piedmont. The grant funding for this project goes toward buying the property and does not go toward the LandTrust’s operational budget.

To learn more about this project or LandTrust for Central North Carolina, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or crystal@landtrustcnc.org.