The F. M. Kirby Foundation is honored to celebrate 20 years of partnership with the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving land in ways that build resilient communities across North Carolina. Since its founding in 1991, CTNC has protected over 35,000 acres along the Blue Ridge Parkway, working with landowners, public agencies, and land trusts to preserve forests, scenic views, and wildlife habitat.

CTNC brings an equity-driven and climate-resilient approach to land conservation. On the advocacy front, the organization leads the statewide Land for Tomorrow coalition to pursue public funding and bipartisan policy change, prioritizing conservation strategies grounded in climate science and community needs. Their Resilience Program has supported environmental education, disaster preparedness, urban tree canopy projects, and other community-led resilience efforts.

CTNC acknowledges conservation’s exclusionary history and actively strives to uplift underrepresented communities, ensuring that land protection benefits everyone in North Carolina. The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to back CTNC’s bold, inclusive vision and its transformative work at the intersection of land, equity, and community.