The Jonas Ridge property borders the Pisgah Loop Scenic Highway and was purchased from landowner Hazel Shell with funding from the Clabough Foundation, N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund and a private donor. 

“It means a lot to me to have that land protected,” said Shell. “It isn’t being used, and I think Jonas Ridge needs something that residents of Jonas Ridge and all people of Burke County can enjoy.”

Southern Appalachian mountain bogs are rare and contain vulnerable ecosystems. Located at the highest elevations in Burke County, Jonas Ridge Bog is home to a variety of uncommon plant, animal and insect species, including cranberries, a species typically associated with New England. It drains to headwaters of Upper Creek, a high-quality trout stream as designated by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.

Foothills Conservancy intends to donate the property to Burke County under an N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund conservation easement. Future plans include an interpretive trail that will allow hikers to learn about bog systems.