SALISBURY — Three Rivers Land Trust has received a conservation easement from anonymous donors on a 50-acre property in Rowan County.

The property is a mix of field and forest, and an unnamed tributary of Sills Creek bisects it.

The easement will allow the landowners to continue farming and forestry, according to a Three Rivers news release. But it also preserves an untouched stream buffer on either side of the tributary, thereby protecting much of the remaining plant diversity while providing wildlife habitat and travel corridors.

The Clean Water Management Trust Fund provided funding because of the water quality protection the conservation easement provides.

Wild comfrey, rattlesnake plantain, wild ginger, Solomon’s seal, cranefly orchid and other species of native plants known to inhabit intact hardwood forest habitats are found on the property near the tributary. A large population of paw paw trees is also on the site.

The property is in an area where Three Rivers has worked with a number of other property owners to conserve land as well. These donors wanted to make sure their property would also remain undeveloped to retain the natural character of the region, the Three Rivers release said.

“We are grateful to the family for working with TRLT to conserve their property,” Executive Director Travis Morehead said. “It takes thoughtful and committed people to make conservation projects like this a reality.”

To learn more about supporting Three Rivers Land Trust or how to conserve property in its 15-county region, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or crystal@threeriverslandtrust.org.