Long Point Preserve I and II ~ 100 acres, Surry County
Vernon and ReElla Ball. Bargain Sale of Land.
Randall Tuell. Sale of Land.
Situated at the confluence of the Mitchell River with its major tributary, the South Fork, this parcel encompasses steep forested slopes shading the Rivers and holding the soil in place for two and a half miles of river frontage with pastures located along ridge tops and bottomlands. Vernon and ReElla had farmed this land and approximately 20 additional acres for many years. As they neared retirement, they decided that they didn’t want to hold on to all of their land, but they didn’t want to see it developed either. Through the Surry County Soil and Water Conservation District, Vernon and ReElla were introduced to PLC in 2002. While it took some time to complete the transaction, PLC acquired 83 acres of their 100 acre farm at a bargain sale price early in 2004.
As often happens when PLC works with several landowners in the same community, information about conservation options spreads from neighbor to neighbor. While working with the Balls to acquire Long Point Preserve I, PLC learned that their adjoining neighbor on the South Fork of the Mitchell River was interested in exploring the options available. PLC met with Randall Tuell who eventually decided to sell a portion of his family’s land too. Similar to Long Point Preserve I, this land is comprised mostly of forested slopes along the river with existing trails. PLC completed the acquisition of Long Point Preserve II which encompassed an additional 17 acres in 2006.
Upon acquisition of these
properties, PLC granted conservation easements to the State to ensure that the
land would be managed for the protection of water quality and wildlife habitat.
Today, PLC is working with Surry County Soil and Water Conservation District and
the US Fish and Wildlife Service to convert former fescue pastures into Piedmont
Prairie for the benefit of wildlife including turkey, quail, deer, rabbits, and
migratory songbirds. 
Project funding provided by the landowner, the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, and the US Department of Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program.