Honoring Our Founder

PLC Founding Members Dedicate a New Table and Benches
at Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve

JULY 2022

Founding members of Piedmont Land Conservancy gathered to honor Kathy Treanor, founding director, by dedicating a new table and benches in her name for the terrace at Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve in Winston-Salem. Providing a place for gathering was always a central part of the mission of the preserve, and these new benches and table are honoring that goal. The terrace furniture is not only beautiful, but also made sustainably from recycled materials.

The Wildflower Preserve is a jewel of PLC’s and Kathy’s early projects. The 5½-acre wildflower garden continues to inspire, seven years after Emily’s passing. Kathy and Emily became fast friends over negotiations, meals, walks, and laughter. Today, PLC owns Emily’s home, the Garden, and the honor of continuing Emily’s work. See more about the Garden here.

Back row: Howard Arbuckle, Charlie Brummitt, Palmer McIntyre, Virginia “Ginny” Weiler, Luann Bridle, Ken Bridle, Mindy Mock, and Peggy Ferebee

Middle row: Norman Smith, Carolyn Smith, Lois Brummitt, Margaret Arbuckle, Lyn McCoy

Seated: Kevin Redding, Lewis Brandon, Carolyn Allen

Donors unable to attend: Missy and Sam Rankin, John Martin and Marcia Mohney, Royce Hough, Claudine Legault

Thirty-plus years after conversations around Kathy and Lary Treanor’s dining room table began (part of the legend of PLC’s founding), Piedmont Land Conservancy has protected nearly 30,000 acres. Our Piedmont Legacy Trails initiative is leading efforts to create more trails in the Triad region and getting the word out about the beautiful places to explore in our area.

From the Mitchell River in the west to Cane Creek Mountains Natural Area in the east, Ridges Mountain to the south and Mayo River State Park to the north, Piedmont farms, forests, waters, and parks are better than they ever could have been without Kathy’s inspiration.

We are so grateful to all our founding members for their continued involvement and support. It was a wonderful gathering and reunion to honor Kathy and celebrate the foresight and work that has gone into being good “shepherds” of Emily‘s home and garden, and the dedication that our supporters have to the entire scope of PLC’s conservation work.

We are so grateful for the care and support our members provide for PLC to continue fulfilling its mission.

The Latest Additions to the Garden

In 2021, we began Phase 3 and the most exciting change, the addition of a new terrace spanning the back of the residence overlooking the Preserve. Its purpose is to enhance the enjoyment of the garden by providing the perfect space for visitors and volunteers to gather for educational workshops, tours, and events, to make views of the garden more accessible to guests who may be unable to walk the paths, and to provide a place to relax while enjoying nature.

This new terrace was completed at the end of 2021, along with the planting of a new terrace garden that brings a representation of the native plants in the Preserve up close to serve as a teaching tool by providing an opportunity to view a wide variety of the plants in detail.

After phase 3, the Garden looks absolutely stunning! We are so grateful to the volunteers and supporters who continue to pour their time and energy into making the Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve an impactful preserve and center for education.

Consider giving to

Piedmont Land Conservancy

to protect more special places like this one.