How We Work

The Conservation Fund established the 10,000 acre Palmetto-Peartree Preserve in 1999 with funding from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The preserve serves as an endangered species mitigation bank for the red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW). Protection of the RCWs at the preserve offsets RCW habitat lost in road construction projects. Listed as endangered in 1970, the red-cockaded woodpecker has declined by 99% since European settlement due to habitat loss and degradation. In addition to the significant woodpecker population, the largest on private land in the state, the preserve also provides habitat to a multitude of other wildlife species, including the bald eagle, peregrine flacon, red wolf, black bear, bobcat, and more than 100 migratory bird species.

The Conservation Fund, a national non-profit organization, owns and manages the preserve to protect wildlife habitat and serve as a demonstration project for sustainable forestry and working lands preservation. The goals of the project are to:

Manage the preserve to protect the existing red-cockaded woodpecker population and enhance the habitat to increase the population
Use an ecosystem approach to manage and protect the preserve’s natural resources
Provide sustainable revenue sources through selective logging, hunt leases, and nature tourism activities
Implement natural resource-based economic and community development

The Conservation Fund is developing the preserve as a public park for recreation, environmental education, and economic development. The Fund works closely with local leaders and community members to implement ecotourism projects and programs, capitalizing on the area's natural and cultural resources. The Palmetto-Peartree Preserve serves as an example of a long-term partnership that integrates economic, social, and environmental efforts in order to protect our nation’s outdoor heritage.