Preserving the High Country

Our primary purpose for being in business is to promote and further wiser land use and private-effort land preservation.  By “wiser land use” we mean development or other use that is more in harmony with nature and preserves its natural beauty as much as possible. We want to see the High Country remain a great place for people to live or visit.  We want to see it continue as one of the prettiest, most ecologically and environmentally healthy places for people and animals and plants anywhere.  We want healthy waters and air for all creatures, including us humans.  We want a sustainable water table, less dense development in rural areas and more affordable housing both in and out of town.

Fortunately, we at Sundance Mountain Lands know that we are not alone.  Many people are coming to value and actively promote sustainable development, land use, resource management and industry.  More are coming to understand that our lives here and our invaluable tourist industry are indeed dependent for the long haul on sustaining the health and beauty and affordability of this Appalachian High Country.  A growing number of ordinary citizens are now knowing what cutting edge economists and ecologists have known for years:  that economics and ecology work synergistically.  Over the long haul – and we’re well into that “long haul” now – an area’s strong economy can be sustained only if it is ecologically healthy and environmentally sound.  Each benefits the other.

What do we want to evolve here : Charlotte-on-the-mountain, or something quite different from an urban/suburban ambiance, dense population and a disappearing natural environment?  Pigeon Forge may be nice where it is, but do we want another one here?

Needless to say, we come here and stay here precisely because it is different in some very important regards.

Do we really want a 39.99 foot condo or house on every ridge, sans trees?  A rapidly dropping water table?  A shrinking middle class who have to leave for East Tennessee or Wilkesboro to find affordable homes and land?  Young adults who can’t afford to live here? Teachers who can’t make it, unless they’re in a two-income household?

Do we want to keep the trout, the deer, the bear, the falcon, the hemlock, Gray’s lily?  Do we want to keep the rich Appalachian culture and music that is here?

The purpose of this article is to provide a forum for these and other topics related to preserving the natural beauty and ecological health of the High Country and how these contribute to the economic well-being of the region.

Though we will be doing some of the writing ourselves, we hope many, if not most, of the articles here will be contributed by interested individuals and organizations.  We will be approaching some of you as time goes by, but, if you know you want to contribute something, don’t wait for us – contact us by visiting our contact us page, or comment on one of our blog posts.  Please.  We want this to be a community effort.  Photos and art work related to this purpose are also welcome.

Conservation organizations, green builders, green developers, water quality experts, ecologically-conscious economists, energy conservation specialists, experts on alternative energy sources and visionaries who promote low-impact, simplified lifestyles – these are some of the numerous possible sources we would like to have contribute to this page.  Likewise, organic farmers, entomologists, horticulturalists, botanists, climate experts, foresters.

Two other categories of potential contribution:

1. business people and organizations who want to speak to the interface of economics and ecology and natural beauty here in the High Country
2. individuals who have a passion for living in harmony with the natural world and who perhaps have a sense of spiritual connection with it.

Contact us.  We look forward to hearing what you have to say!