Events

Join Foothills Land Conservancy & Mast General Store for a June 6th Land Trust Day Celebration!

In honor of Land Trust Day, Foothills Land Conservancy and Mast General Store’s Knoxville location are partnering this year with an in-store fundraiser on Saturday, June 6th. Everyone is invited to visit Mast General Store during store hours between 10AM-9PM to learn more about Foothills Land Conservancy, our efforts to preserve and protect the rural character of East Tennessee, as well as spend some time shopping! Mast General Store has generously agreed to donate 20% of their sales on that day in support of Foothills’ East Tennessee land conservation projects.

Land Trust Day is a friend-raising event coinciding with National Trails Day that encourages new memberships in local land trusts. It’s also an educational opportunity to learn how these organizations unite the past and future by preserving our land heritage. Jim Richards, Mast General Store’s Outdoor Area Manager, says by partnering together both groups hope to “raise public awareness about land protection and what’s being done at the local level.”

Bill Clabough, FLC’s Executive Director, will be on hand to answer any questions along with a few East Tennessee land owners who have placed conservation easements on their property. “Conservation easements are one of the most popular land preservation methods in the East Tennessee region. It’s basically an agreement between a landowner and conservancy describing activities that may take place on the land while protecting its conservation values.” Clabough adds that it is important to note with this type of easement “landowners can continue to own, use, live, sell, lease, or donate their property.”

Founded in 1985, the mission of the Foothills Land Conservancy is to protect, preserve, and enhance the lands and associated environments of East Tennessee and to promote the character of the region for the benefit of the general public.

• In 2008 alone, FLC worked with land owners to preserve for future generations over 1900 acres including: farmland, woodlands, native wildlife, public parks, and watersheds.
• To date, FLC has helped over 58 land owners in protecting a combined 23,000 acres. Foothills also worked with several individuals and organizations to purchase 10,000 of these acres – donating that land to the State of Tennessee or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• FLC is a 501(c)(3) non profit and is not affiliated with any local, state, or federal governments.

For more information, please contact Elise Eustace, FLC’s Communication & Development Director at eeustace@foothillsland.org or 865-681-8326 or Jim Richards, Mast General Store’s Outdoor Area Manager jimr@mastgeneralstore.com or 865-546-1336. Mast General Store is located at 402 South Gay Street in Knoxville, TN. Free evening and weekend parking is available behind Mast Store in the State Street Garages and in the Market Square Garage.