Current Projects

November 10, 2025

The North Carolina State Park Partners Foundation will grant $1M to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation to purchase nearly 3,800 acres of critical habitat in McDowell and Rutherford counties. The funds are part of a bequest to the Foundation from Dr. James Bolling “Bo” Sullivan III and The Sullivan Family to conserve high biological value lands for the North Carolina State Parks system.

In partnership with the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, we are happy to announce a $1 million grant from the bequest to the Foundation from Bo Sullivan and The Sullivan Family for land conservation in high biodiversity, high quality habitat areas with connectivity potential to support wildlife.

The grant will help the Division purchase nearly 3,700 acres, the first phase in a conservation effort that will protect nearly 12,000 acres in the Hickorynut Mountain area. The lands support hundreds of plant species, including 28 rare plants, and over 100 wildlife species, including 11 rare species, including the Northern long-eared bat, the crevice salamander, and the largest reported population of the lampshade spider.

In addition to the grant from the Foundation, the funds for the acquisition were made possible with a $2 million matching grant from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and through the Division’s partnership with Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina and other funding partners, including N.C. Land and Water Fund, the N.C. Complete the Trails Program and private donors.