Triangle Land Conservancy preserves Neuse Islands Wilderness
The property gets its name from pockets of higher ground that remain above floodwaters,
creating “islands” within the forest.
SMITHFIELD — The Triangle Land Conservancy has acquired more than 800 acres of ecologically significant land along the Neuse River.
The property, known as Neuse Islands Wilderness, is the second-largest land acquisition in TLC history. Johnston County contributed $1.06 million toward the $4.6 million purchase, helping secure the permanent protection of this natural landscape. Because of its ecological importance, the N.C. Natural Heritage Program has added the entire tract to the Richardson Bridge Bottomlands Natural Area.
“This project represents an extraordinary investment in Johnston County’s natural heritage,” said Patrick Harris, chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. “Protecting these lands preserves wildlife habitat, improves water quality, helps reduce flooding, and ensures future generations will be able to enjoy and learn from this unique landscape.”
The property lies within the Neuse River Lowgrounds, one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in the Triangle region. The property gets its name from pockets of higher ground that remain above floodwaters, creating “islands” within the forest. The area provides habitat for migratory birds, fox squirrels, amphibians, reptiles, and several rare species. It contains mature bottomland hardwood forests, wetlands, oxbow lakes, vernal pools, and extensive stands of native rivercane. Among the trees are cherrybark oak, overcup oak, swamp chestnut oak, cypress, and red maple. Many are more than 200 years old.
“We can think of no better way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary than to protect some of the forest that was there when our country was founded,” said Leigh Ann Hammerbacher, a TLC director of conservation.
The purchase adds another piece to a growing corridor of protected land along the Neuse River. It sits about five miles downstream from several large conservation areas, including the 2,700-acre Howell Woods property and the 1,100-acre Brogden Bottomlands Natural Area.
The property also complements the 308-acre Rose Dairy tract, which TLC transferred to Johnston County in May. Rose Dairy marks the beginning of the Neuse River Lowgrounds, while the Neuse Islands property lies at the opposite end.
The land also has cultural and historical significance. It contains a historic Black cemetery, Native American archaeological deposits, and evidence of rice cultivation more than 200 years ago — an unusual find in this part of North Carolina. TLC worked with the Johnston County Heritage Center and a local archaeological group to conduct a preliminary assessment of the sites and plans to continue that research.
In addition to Johnston County, funding for the project came from the N.C. Land and Water Fund, TLC donors, and a U.S. Air Force program focused on mitigating flooding along the Neuse River upstream of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro.
Page last updated on: July 21, 2026