Along the Dan River
A Rare Flower Finds Refuge
November 2025
Written and photographed in spring by Brianna Haferman, PLC Communications & Engagement Director
One of the region’s rarest plants now has a new protected refuge along the Dan River, where generous landowners Alyson and Joe Best have donated a permanent conservation easement on 12 acres of pristine riparian land along the river and two tributary streams. In spring, trilliums, trout lilies, and violets carpet the forest floor, but tucked along the creekside grows something much rarer: the endangered Small-anthered Bittercress (Cardamine micranthera).
A Fragile Survivor
Once thought extinct for decades, the Small-anthered Bittercress was rediscovered in Stokes County in the 1980s. Today, it grows only within the Dan River basin in Patrick County, VA and Stokes County, NC, typically in the shallows along the edges of small tributary streams. First listed as federally endangered in 1989, it remains vulnerable with its few surviving populations threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and development.
For this species to be removed from the federal Endangered Species List, it must be secured on at least six permanently protected sites. With this new project, PLC has helped to bring the Small-anthered Bittercress halfway to that goal. Three sites down, three to go.
Beyond its role as rare plant habitat, the property is part of the Dan River Gorge Natural Heritage Area, recognized nationally for its unique plant communities and water quality. This area is truly one of North Carolina’s natural treasures, harboring an incredible diversity of plant and aquatic species, including the federally endangered James River Spiney mussel. It is a true gem for the Piedmont and a high priority area for land conservation.
A walk through the land
Walking this beautiful land, it’s easy to understand why it’s worth protecting. Standing on the river’s edge, you half expect to see a black bear wander past at any moment.
The air feels mountain-like. On a spring day it smells like damp earth and wildflowers, with the forest floor covered in bloodroot, foamflower, bluets, mayapples, and dwarf ginseng. Two small creeks with little cascades tumble toward the Dan River where you’ll see the rare Small-anthered Bittercress quietly claiming its creekside pockets.
A Lasting RefuGe
Development is spreading quickly in our region, but thanks to the generosity of Alyson and Joe Best, who donated this conservation easement on their property, this stretch of creeks and riverbank will remain forever wild, protecting critical habitat for the Small-anthered Bittercress and aquatic species in the river. This project was also made possible through grants from the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and the North Carolina Native Plant Society. We are grateful for these partners and neighbors who have incredible foresight.
This stretch of the Dan River now stands as a lasting refuge. Even in a time of rapid change, together we can ensure rare species and wild places can endure.
