0325-GCG-FoothillsConservancy_ESG25_12-18 (2) - Flipbook - Page 33
2025 Impact Report / Celebrating 30 Years
“At the base of it all is
community, and people
in the community
who care.”
Susie Hamrick Jones
Founding Executive Director
Brittany Watkins
Community Engagement Director
Connecting with
Conservation
While land conservation involves many professionals
and partners, its heart is found in the people who care
for the places they call home. Every acre protected,
and Forest, hikers can walk through restoration plots
that highlight the importance of conserving oak and
hickory forests for wildlife habitat and climate resiliency.
Healthy lands and healthy communities go handin-hand. When people learn that conserving land
safeguards drinking water, supports local farms, and
preserves the natural character of their hometown,
conservation becomes personal, and something
worth advocating for.
every stream and forest restored, relies on people who
Conservation, with its complex history in the U.S.,
feel connected to the land. Community engagement
must re昀氀ect a diversity of perspectives. FCNC’s
brings conservation to life, linking local residents to
commitment is demonstrated through projects like
shared goals, energizing public support, and ensuring
Rock Hill Cemetery, supporting Hmong farmers at Oak
that land protection is lasting and inclusive.
Hill Community Park and Forest, and partnering with
Community engagement makes conservation a
resilient practice. For Foothills Conservancy of North
Carolina (FCNC), engagement starts with experiences
and education.
Many people love being outdoors and are eager
to deepen their understanding of conservation’s
value where they live. By hosting hikes, 昀椀eld trips, and
volunteer workdays, FCNC invites the community to
explore local natural systems. Visitors at our Possum
Rock access on the Henry Fork River, for example, can
see how forests naturally 昀椀lter water, thanks in part to
native trees and shrubs planted by volunteers that help
keep the Henry Fork clean. At Oak Hill Community Park
community groups such as Latinos Aventureros for
activities at Wilson Creek. When conservation projects
are shaped with the input of local residents, they meet
both ecological and human needs.
Connected communities keep conservation strong:
public enthusiasm drives policy, attracts resources,
and strengthens the staying power of conservation.
When people are involved, from education and
planning to hands-on stewardship, conservation shifts
from a specialized task to a shared commitment.
Engaged communities not only protect the
landscapes they love, they strengthen their sense of
place, purpose, and connection to one another.
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