Long Creek Conservation Area

These two protected properties marry conservation and recreation and highlight the importance of partnerships.  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department, CLC and US National Whitewater Center collaborated to extend the Center’s trail network into the two conserved properties. The forested areas adjacent to Long Creek continue to do their part in protecting water quality in the Catawba River watershed, while hikers and cyclist are often treated to the sight of wild turkeys and white-tailed deer.

Silverbell, lizard’s tail, camphorweed, rusty blackbirds and Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle – while this may sound like the contents of a Halloween brew, it’s actually just a few of the plant and wildlife species that call this area home. The rusty blackbird is one of North America’s most rapidly declining bird species and this property provides critical winter habitat for these unusual birds. The population has plunged an estimated 85-99 percent over the past 40 years, puzzling scientists. The property is paralleled by the Catawba River on the west and Long Creek to the south and east.