Since 1997, Mainspring Conservation Trust has been dedicated to three core initiatives in the heart of the Southern Blue Ridge: conserve the land, restore the water and connect the people to these valuable resources. Our vision is clean water flowing through a healthy, rural landscape and a vibrant, sustainable economy within a well functioning ecosystem. We work toward this vision in many different ways. From more traditional conservation methods like conservation easements, to programs that teach kids about the importance of cool, clear water, to transforming contaminated brownfield sites into green community spaces. Mainspring’s service area covers approximately 1.8 million acres in the Little Tennessee and Hiwassee River Basins located within the six most-western counties in North Carolina: Cherokee, Clay, Swain, Macon, Jackson and Graham Counties and Rabun County, Georgia.