ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Some of Buncombe County’s most important conservation work happens one farm and one mountain tract at a time.

Five conservation projects approved Tuesday by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will protect about 250 acres of farmland, forest and natural areas, including four farms in the Newfound community and an 80-acre expansion of the historic Camp Sequoyah conservation easement in Weaverville.

The projects include three portions of the Rymer-Davis Farm and the Ruby Brown Farm in Leicester.

The county’s conservation easement program uses voluntary agreements that restrict development while allowing landowners to retain ownership and, in many cases, continue farming the property. Buncombe’s Land Conservation Advisory Board says projects are evaluated based on factors including proximity to protected lands, waterways and watersheds, historic and working farms, and other natural resources.

Newfound farms

The four Newfound projects total 170.4 acres:

• Rymer-Davis Farm A: $62,400 for 60.7 acres
• Rymer-Davis Farm B: $60,600 for 51.4 acres
• Rymer-Davis Farm C: $53,000 for 17.8 acres
• Ruby Brown Farm: $59,800 for 40.5 acres

The three Rymer-Davis properties are portions of a century farm along Newfound Road in Leicester. County staff said the properties are within the Leicester-Sandy Mush conservation focus area and include working farmland, forest and scenic views.

The Ruby Brown Farm is also in the Newfound community. County staff described it as a working beef operation with highly productive agricultural soils.

The money approved for the four farms is primarily for transaction costs, including appraisals, surveys, environmental assessments and title work needed to complete the conservation easements.

Buncombe’s Farmland Preservation Program uses conservation easements as permanent legal agreements that restrict development while allowing landowners to retain ownership.

Camp Sequoyah

The board also approved $351,500 for an 80-acre expansion of the Camp Sequoyah Conservation Easement in Weaverville.

The 80 acres will expand an existing 37-acre conservation easement. The property is near other protected lands, including the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Woodfin Watershed easement, Snowball Mountain and Reems Creek Bowl preserves, Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Camp Sequoyah operated as a summer camp from 1924 to 1978. Historic buildings on the property continue to be maintained and used by the owners and camp alumni.

County staff and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy said the property also contains headwater streams that flow into designated trout waters and provides scenic views from nearby roads and trails.

The county’s share of the project includes $288,000 toward the purchase of the conservation easement and $63,500 for transaction costs. A private donor is providing additional money for transaction costs.

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has worked with Buncombe County on conservation projects involving farmland, watersheds and other environmentally significant properties.

Another $2 million state grant

Commissioners also approved a $2 million match from the county’s Open Space Bond Fund so Buncombe can apply for another $2 million Agricultural Growth Zone Grant from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

The state grant requires a dollar-for-dollar local match, which could provide another $4 million for farmland conservation.

County staff said Buncombe previously received a $2 million Agricultural Growth Zone Grant and matched it with $2 million from the Open Space Bond. Those funds have been earmarked for existing conservation easement projects.

Staff said the county’s participation in the program makes it eligible to apply for another grant.

Conservation easement projects can take time to complete. County staff told commissioners they commonly take two to three years to move through the appraisal, environmental, legal and closing processes.

Money allocated for a project is not necessarily spent immediately, staff said.

The board approved the conservation funding requests without opposition.