The forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains need your help. The second most endangered ecosystem in the United States, the high-elevation spruce-fir forests visible all along the Blue Ridge Parkway have battled decimation from logging, fires, pests, and climate change for more than 100 years. With red spruce (Picea rubens) as their keystone species, they are home to two federally endangered animals, the Carolina northern flying squirrel and the spruce-fir moss spider, as well as many other rare and threatened animals and plants. Southern Highlands Reserve is working with the federal government to make sure they do not disappear.

Southern Highlands Reserve has embarked upon the epic task of raising 50,000 new red spruce. More than 6,000 of our trees are already thriving on public lands in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, with an unprecedented 90 percent survival rate. To accommodate our increased propagation efforts, our new nursery facility will more than double our current capacity and add automated systems to increase efficiency and reduce  our carbon footprint. Thanks to support from the National Forest Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority, we are on our way to our fundraising goal. But we need a community of friends and partners to help ensure our success. Please join us, and together, we can seed a new future for our forests and for generations to come.