11/18/2025

Landmark Conservation Effort Protects Nearly 3,000 Acres in Ohio’s Appalachian Foothills

The effort is a partnership between Athens Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy

Athens Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy recently began working together to conserve nearly 3,000 acres of forested land in the southern Ohio foothills that are part of a vital wildlife corridor in the majestic and globally significant Appalachian Mountains. The endeavor marks one of the largest private land-protection initiatives by nonprofit organizations in the state's history.

Thanks to an extraordinary donation, private landowner Betty Lowe – whose family has owned the land for a century—will transfer ownership of the 2,973-acre parcel to Athens Conservancy, a local land trust that protects the forests and hills in Athens and Morgan counties. The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit committed to conserving nature for the people of Ohio, will hold a permanent conservation easement on the property.

This collaborative approach to conservation provides two layers of protection for the land, reflecting the donor's vision for the future of the property. Athens Conservancy will oversee, manage and steward the land while the conservation easement will enable The Nature Conservancy to monitor the property. Together, these efforts will ensure the land is protected in perpetuity.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Nature Conservancy.