week of  3/6/02
 
 
 


The ‘Heart’ of preservation
Unahwi Ridge and Land Trust celebrate establishment of conservation easement
By Don Hendershot
Unahwi, according to the owners of Unahwi Ridge, is the Cherokee word for heart. It was chosen as the name for this 600-acre development in Jackson County, south of Dillsboro, to reflect the goal of creating a mountainside community with heart. A community based on respect and cooperation with nature and dedicated to sustainable human use and enjoyment.

Owners John Beckman and Jane Finneran joined with the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (TLT) on Feb. 28 to celebrate one aspect of that goal — the creation of a 48-acre conservation easement at Unahwi Ridge. After more than a year of study and consultation with TLT Executive Director Paul Carlson, an easement was created that would allow some timbering and forest restoration, protection of the watershed, continued agricultural practices and wildlife habitat protection.

Carlson said the forest portion of the easement, which fits like a horseshoe around the 12 acres of agricultural land is primarily second-growth forest between 40 and 60 years of age. The prominent forest types are cove hardwood and northern hardwood with a small area of fire-climax pine-oak forest.

According to Carlson, the easement is the southern most extension of the Cowee Mountains. He pointed out that it was only four miles from Cowee Bald, the southern most red spruce bog in the eastern U.S. and served as a refuge for many northern plant species.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony attended by approximately 40 people, Carlson said TLT was “proud to partner with John and Jane.” He acknowledged the couple had a tough financial decision to make in regards to the easement, but Carlson said he hoped it would serve as a model for other land owners and give them pause to think about “the highest and best uses” of the landscape in the Little Tennessee River basin.

Beckman said he felt conservation, natural resource protection and preservation of farmlands were important issues for the region. He told the crowd the conservation easement at Unahwi Ridge was a “stake in the ground.” He said it would protect the watershed and insure the integrity of the property for at least the next 100 years.

The ribbon cutting also celebrated the creation of the Seven Generations Learning Center. The non-profit learning center is an entity that will serve as an outdoor classroom to present public education programs regarding local and global environmental issues and public health concerns. Beckman said there would be programs designed for youth and adults. Programs are scheduled to begin later this year.

Beckman and Finneran moved to Jackson County from Raleigh. Beckman, a building contractor for 15 years, said a lot of study went into the site selection for Unahwi Ridge. He said they must have looked at at least 20 different developments across the country ranging from communes to golf courses to try and find a model for the kind of environmentally sound community they wanted to create. He said that while they were able to collect bits and pieces of information, the core vision of Unahwi Ridge came from within.

Beckman said it took a year to acquire the whole tract because it was owned collectively by several different family members. It was the Warren’s family farm from the 1920s to the 1950s. The family moved off the property in 1958 and the forested area was intensively logged. Beckman procured the tract in 1992.

The mission at Unahwi Ridge is to provide for the long-term protection of the natural beauty, biodiversity and ecological integrity of the property; develop sustainable business and agricultural practices; and create a small community atmosphere offering enriching social, educational and recreational opportunities.

Beckman believes the easement and the Seven Generations Learning Center are good starts to fulfilling that mission.