Blue Ridge Conservancy protects 2,400 ft peak in the Brushy Mountains

Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) recently protected a 2,400 ft peak in the Brushy Mountains in Wilkes County. The 2.2 acre lot is surrounded by land already owned by BRC, and was the location of a decommissioned communication tower. The tract is two miles northeast of Pores Knob, the highest point in the Brushy Mountains, and the intention is to restore and manage the site to increase wildlife habitat and the ecological integrity of the property.

Fitting in this necessary “puzzle piece” completes a project that began in 2011, and brings the total land owned by BRC at this site to 99 acres. The highly visible property has scenic and ecological value, and includes the headwaters of Cub Creek.

“Blue Ridge Conservancy continues to focus on land conservation projects in the Brushy Mountains,” said Eric Hiegl, BRC’s Director of Land Protection. “The Brushy Mountains are a unique mountain range with tremendous conservation potential.”

This is the second project BRC has completed in the Brushy Mountains in the past year, the first being a 1,125-acre property protected in collaboration with Foothills Conservancy of NC.