Three Rivers Land Trust has named Sam Parrott its membership and outreach director.

Land Trust, headquartered in Salisbury, has conserved more than 26,000 acres in 10 central North Carolina counties.

“Sam joined the Land Trust in 2017 as the membership and outreach associate and has since shown incredible dedication and responsiveness to conserving our region’s natural resources,” says Michael Nye Fulk, associate director of the agency. “His natural ability to communicate with all outdoor enthusiasts is especially important as we ensure all demographics are represented in our conservation efforts.”

Parrott began as membership and outreach associate in January 2017. He was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and attended his hometown university, Wofford College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and business in 2015.

Before joining Land Trust, Parrott worked with conservation organizations in the High Sonoran Desert of Arizona, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and the Piedmont Region of South Carolina. He is passionate about conserving the Carolinas’ natural resources, including its land, wildlife and heritage.

His focus has been on increasing membership and support for Land Trust’s conservation work and programs, while broadening outreach efforts across the 10-county footprint through county chapters.

“I am honored to serve as Three Rivers Land Trust’s membership and outreach director,” says Parrott. “The Carolina Piedmont is my home, and my love for the outdoors was developed here. I feel extremely fortunate to be a leader in conserving this region’s natural resources.”

State appointment

Fulk has been appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper as an at-large member of the Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council. The mission is to “provide statewide leadership, guidance and funding to measurably expand opportunities for current and future generations to experience quality outdoor activities.”

Fulk has been with Land Trust since June 2016. He was membership and outreach director before becoming associate director in January 2018. Before that, she worked for nearly 12 years in Wyoming as a wildlife biologist and in Montana as the access coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Fulk was born and raised in Orrum in Robeson County and attended North Carolina State University, where she earned a degree in fisheries and wildlife science and a minor in environmental science. While in Montana, she received both the Montana Hunting Heritage Award and the Montana Wildlife Federation Special Achievement Award.

Fulk started several programs at Land Trust, including the Leopold Society that reaches out to youths in grades six through 12 to get them involved in conservation and the outdoors, as well as the Sportsman Access Program, which connects local sportsmen to Land Trust properties.

Fulk was nominated for the council by Land Trust Executive Director Travis Morehead.

“I could think of no one more committed to conservation and to promoting hunting and fishing than Mikey,” Morehead says.

“I am humbled to be appointed to the Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council by Gov. Roy Cooper. For the last 17 years, I have spent my career advocating for the conservation of our natural resources both across the west and here in my home state. The Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council provides opportunities for current and future generations to explore and enjoy North Carolina’s rich outdoors, in hopes that one day, they too will be advocates for our natural resources. I am honored to be chosen to assist in leading this effort,” Fulk said.

10 acres acquired

Three Rivers Land Trust recently bought 10 acres adjacent to the South Yadkin Refuge Project in Rowan County. Earlier this year, the trust acquired a 40-acre tract to the west.

Land Trust already owns property to the east and north of the new tract, so when it became available, the agency acted quickly.

The property is a mix of field and mature hardwood forest, with frontage on two unnamed tributaries of the South Yadkin River. The water intake for the city of Salisbury is just south of this property, so conserving these mature hardwood buffers will protect water quality for residents and businesses.

“The Land Trust is grateful to the Young family for working with us to add this important puzzle piece to our conserved lands in this area,” says Morehead. “Acquiring this property allows us to expand our habitat management efforts and protect a great wildlife corridor along these tributaries.”

For more information on Three Rivers Land Trust and its mission to conserve natural areas, family farms, rural landscapes and historic places, contact Crystal Cockman at crystal@threeriverslandtrust.org or 704-647-0302, or visit www.threeriverslandtrust.org today.