This Land is Our Land: How Sustainability Impacts Us All

Foundation For The Carolinas
220 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
United States

Thank you to everyone who joined us for This Land Is Our Land | How Sustainability Impacts Us All. Let's build on this momentum to safeguard our clean air, clean water and green spaces for a healthier and more vibrant region for generations to come.

If you were unable to attend, below is a recap of insights from our expert panelists, as well as a compilation of resources and links that can help you make a difference.

Panel highlights: 

Mark Anderson (The Nature Conservancy), Jay Leutze (Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy) and Bart Landess (Catawba Lands Conservancy | Carolina Thread Trail) highlighted the global conservation significance of our region:

  • The Appalachian Mountains stand out for biodiversity and climate resilience.
  • The Cape Fear River Basin is a critical corridor for water quality.
  • Protection of these areas is vital for climate adaptation.

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and Catawba Lands Conservancy actively protect connected land in these corridors. Their challenge is how to accelerate the pace and scale of conservation when they face barriers, such as the cost of land acquisition.

Bart Landess also stressed the need for the sustainable management of Charlotte’s growing population – linking economic development to quality-of-life issues such as clean air, water and green space.

The panel's hopeful message is that by safeguarding these special places in our region, we strengthen the greater natural world.

Other champions in this space:

Consider ESG investing and donating to FFTC's Environment Fund:

Thank you again for your commitment to advancing this discussion. As the community foundation serving the greater Charlotte region, we value the opportunity to bring like-minded individuals together to amplify our collective impact.