Southern Conservation Partners

Cherokee & Pisgah National Forests border TN/NC (photo by David Ramsey)

Southern Conservation Partners helps local initiatives and communities across the southern US to save, restore, and enhance premier environmental resources and natural heritage assets. We promote innovative collaborations designed to conserve and care for the South's natural and cultural heritage and ecological health. We believe in the power of partnerships, creativity, and storytelling to build respect and care for the South's natural heritage.

Board of Directors

{See a list of Our Advisors HERE.}

Charles Roe, President Southeast U.S. regional program director for the Land Trust Alliance (retired); founding director of the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, NC Natural Heritage Foundation, and Conservation Trust for North Carolina.
Milo Pyne, Board Chair NatureServe senior regional ecologist (retired); past board chair of NC Friends of Plant Conservation and Eno River Association; actively involved with other nonprofit conservation and community organizations.
Hugh Archer Co-founder and executive director of Kentucky Natural Lands Trust and Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission (retired); actively involved with other nonprofit conservation organizations.
Charlotte Jones-Roe North Carolina Botanical Garden director of development and conservation (retired); actively involved with other nonprofit conservation and community organizations, including City of Oaks (Raleigh) Foundation Board of Directors.
Nelwyn McInnis President Southern Wild Heritage, LLC; Land Trust for Louisiana advisory board member and chair of its land conservation committee; retired from 25-year career with The Nature Conservancy-Louisiana as a program manager specializing in wetlands mitigation.
Julie H. Moore US Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Endangered Species-Ecological Services (retired); Longleaf Alliance founding Board member; current chair of North Carolina's Plant Conservation Program advisory board; actively involved with other nonprofit conservation organizations and initiatives, including Venus Flytrap Champions.
John Taggart Associate professor emeritus University of North Carolina-Wilmington; Carolina Wetlands Association regional coordinator; former manager of North Carolina's Estuarine Research and Coastal Reserve Program.
Kathleen Williams Founder and president of Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation (TennGreen) (retired); co-chair of Alliance for the Conservation of Nashville's Highlands Rim Forest.

All who are concerned about environmental protection and the survival of our natural heritage must act to defend the integrity of our legal system and the bedrock environmental laws and public funds that protect our communities and environmental assets. For information and resources, see our DEFENSE section.

Check Out Our "Viewpoint" Blog

Don’t ever give up. Never give up the fight for what is good, for the fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld. The fight for our country is always worth it. Do not despair. This is not the time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we can build together . . . Let courage be our inspiration . . . determination be our charge. [Read on, at our Viewpoint Blog.]

Our Goals

Encourage and strengthen capabilities of local initiatives to save, safeguard, and sustain the best of the South’s natural heritage.
Forge connections and foster collaboration among groups and individuals sharing environmental concerns and demonstrating effective conservation strategies and practices .
Help local project leaders improve skills so they can manage their programs effectively and attain their environmental conservation objectives.
Champion and advocate for protection and defense of important natural areas and imperiled elements of natural diversity

How It Works

SCP is a service center that provides matchmaking, educational, and project fiscal sponsorship assistance.
SCP is designed to be an entrepreneurial, innovative, adaptive, opportunity-oriented, and resourceful change agent.
SCP does not hold land or conservation easements; we are not a membership organization.

Friends of the Black River NC

Southern Conservation Partners is collaborating with individuals and allied organizations who would like to assure long-term protection, security, and integrity of North Carolina’s extraordinary Black River and its primary tributary streams.
A major tributary to the Cape Fear River, this stream’s ecological and historical heritage includes swamp forests containing bald cypress trees that are 1000 to nearly 3000 years old. These are the oldest known wetland trees in the world! In fact, this is the largest surviving expanse of old-growth swamp forest left in eastern North America!!
Visit FRIENDS OF THE BLACK RIVER NC website. Also, READ an essay on one person's experience with these ancient trees in our Viewpoint Blog.

(Photo above courtesy of Dan Griffin.)

Southern Conservation Partners is operated by volunteers. We depend on donations to finance our operational expenses and services. Become a partner and offer financial support for continued operation of SCP or in support of a project we sponsor. DONATE through our secure online giving option offered through PayPal, where you may designate your contribution for one of our sponsored projects or in general support of our mission (see dropdown menu in the PayPal link). THANK YOU! (You may also send a check to the address below.)

SUPPORT OUR WORK

Southern Conservation Partners, Inc., is IRS-certified as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity.