Landowner Stories - Arthur and Lislott Harberts

A Working Forest

When Arthur and Lislott Harberts bought 800 acres in the Blue Ridge foothills east of Lenoir, they were looking for a tract of land where they could manage a natural stand of hardwood and pine for environmental diversity and well-balanced timber production. They knew they had identified the right location when they discovered a piece of forested property that encompassed an entire small watershed.

“We had previously owned small pieces of property, but they were always donwstream from other landowners and we were never able to control the water quality,” said Lislott Harberts. “We knew we had found a place to do real resource management when we were able to buy both sides of the ridge. This gave us control over the water sources of the whole property.”

The Harberts knew that forest management for long-term sustainability takes generations, not years. “Serious resource management is a long-term commitment,” says Lislott. “We have seen too many well managed forests ravaged when the land is transferred to another landowner.” The Harberts also wanted to make sure a blueprint was provided for their children and grandchildren to take care of the land.

The Harberts decided upon a conservation agreement to fulfill their goals. The easement is a model for the Conservation Trust to use with other landowners interested in a working forest conservation easement. Unlike traditional “forever wild” easements, the agreement spells out guidelines for environmentally sound timber harvesting and other management activities on the land.

“The Harberts’ property shows how conservation agreements can provide the flexibility needed to sustainably manage a forest for revenue-generating activities while assuring permanent protection of habitat and other conservation values,” says Rusty Painter, CTNC Director of Land Protection.

The Harberts’ conservation agreement was dedicated April 26, 2002 on the lawn of the property’s historic home site. Caldwell County commission chairman and key-note speaker, Harb Greene, applauded the Harberts at the dedication for being a positive force for conservation and setting an example for other landowners in the county.