Anyone who has spent time near the Reynolda Road area knows how beautiful the land around Crossnore School & Children’s Home is and how nice it is that it has remained untouched by commercial development through the years. With the help of the Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC), the hope that it will be preserved for all the years still to come is within reach!
Kevin Redding, the executive director of the PLC, is at the forefront of this endeavor. “I’ve been the Executive Director for 11 years,” said Redding. “PLC was founded in 1990 to protect important lands throughout our nine-county region. To date, we’ve conserved more than 26,000 acres. PLC’s mission is to protect our region’s natural lands, farms and waters for present and future generations; we connect people to nature.”
The land in question has been used for educational and recreational purposes for years, and the benefits it creates for the children who enjoy it and the community who lives beside it are immeasurable. “We’ve been having conversations with the Crossnore School & Children’s Home, then The Children’s Home, for about five years,” explained Redding. “There was a large outcry back then about the cows being taken off the property because of financial issues. We reached out just to get a better understanding of what was going on. Those conversations continued and have evolved into this once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
This opportunity requires help from the community to come to fruition. “PLC is launching an $8 million capital campaign to cover the cost of purchasing the conservation easement,” said Redding. “For the remainder of 2018, we are working primarily with private individuals. We will be involving local corporations and foundations in early 2019. This is not a done deal. We have to raise a substantial amount of money to complete the transaction. Anyone interested should contact Angie Wilson or me via e-mail at kredding@piedmontland.org or awilson@piedmontland.org, or by calling 336.691.0088.
The land is very special, and the hope is for it to continue to be used the way it has always been used. “Many generations have treasured this land,” declared Redding. “Those same generations have also always wondered how long that treasured landscape could elude the risk of development. If successful, this project will put those concerns to rest. The land will remain an iconic, greatly valued part of Winston-Salem in perpetuity. Crossnore will continue to own the land. They will continue its use for farming, educational and recreational uses. Probably the biggest change will be the construction of a public walking trail. This will give citizens a better chance to visit the property, exercise and take in some of the incredible views. The Crossnore property is one of the unique pieces of land in North Carolina.” Let’s make sure it stays that way!
