Tanasee Ridge

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy was loaned $565,000 to protect 109 acres of the Tanasee Ridge tract near Panthertown Valley, North Carolina. Tanasee Ridge contains Bracken Creek, classified by the state as “Outstanding Resource Waters”, which intends to protect waters of excellent quality and special ecological or recreational significance. The property scored "far above average for climate resilience" in The Nature Conservancy's 2016 Resilient and Connected Landscapes project and falls entirely within Open Space Institute’s Climate Resilience Blue Ridge Focus Area, an area prioritized for protection for ecosystem support to mitigate climate change impacts and to provide important corridors for species to travel on as temperatures change. The property is surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest on three sides and Tanasee Ridge is a U.S. Forest Service priority. The USFS plans to purchase the property from SAHC in 2024 using NC Threatened Treasures Program funding and manage it long-term. Dependent on USFS planning, the property's protection provides the potential for a new public trail for hikers and sportsmen’s access.