On Dec. 11, staff closed on the purchase of just under 20 acres of a high-priority natural area, which will serve as a future nature preserve and an expansion of the Seven Mile Creek Natural Area with a trailhead for the Mountains to Sea Trail. The acquisition of this land was done in partnership with the Eno River Association and the North Carolina Land and Water Fund.
The property features more than 1,600 linear feet of Rocky Run, a tributary to the Eno River, and is recognized as part of the State Inventory of Natural Heritage Areas. This project highlights the critical role that strong partnerships with local nonprofit land conservancies play in advancing Orange County’s conservation goals.
Just 10 days later, staff closed on a 28-acre working lands conservation easement on property owned by RambleRill Properties LLC. For more than a decade, the land has supported a mix of organic farming, environmental education, and a community farmers market. The conservation easement will ensure the property remains in agricultural use while permanently protecting its valuable natural resources.
The farm contains over 1,700 linear feet of streams, with a tributary and a section of New Hope Creek, part of the Jordan Lake Watershed.
Together, these projects bring Orange County’s total park and nature preserve lands to 1,133 acres, with an additional 3,068 acres protected through county conservation easements—marking a strong and impactful conclusion to the year for the Lands Legacy Program.
