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CMLC honors Gerton couple

Jane Lawson and John Myers and Gerton were honored with the CMLC's 2015 Lela McBride Award.

Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy honored John Myers and Jane Lawson of Gerton with the 2015 Lela McBride Award for their work in preserving land for hiking and public enjoyment in the Hickory Nut Gorge.

The award was given out at CMLC’s Annual Meeting at Camp Tekoa in Hendersonville on Sunday, April 12. Bestowed annually, Myers and Lawson are the 21st recipients of the award. Former winners include state Rep. Chuck McGrady, former U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor and state Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to land conservation and stewardship in the region.

Beginning nearly a decade ago, Myers and Lawson have partnered with CMLC on multiple conservation projects that have been a catalyst for a growing network of land protection and public hiking trails in the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge. The couple has directly protected 169 acres of their own land in Henderson County and have been visionaries of the region’s budding trail network.

Lela McBride, the award’s namesake, was a community leader and conservationist that enabled the completion of Henderson County’s first Natural Heritage Inventory. She subsequently created the Henderson County Natural Heritage Trust, which grew to become CMLC.

CMLC also recognized McGrady and his wife, Jean, for their two decades of commitment to CMLC’s conservation efforts. An early board president of CMLC, McGrady played an instrumental role in the organization’s involvement in the conservation of DuPont State Recreational Forest.

Also honored at the meeting were 23 community volunteers for donating at least 70 hours of volunteer service to the land trust in 2014: John Humphrey, David Brown, Diana Richards, Al and Barb Pung, Mike Knoerr, Genien Carlson, Bill Imhof, Fred Weed, Jerry McAninch, Wes Burlingame, Patrick Horan, Connie Backlund, Amos Dawson, Chris McDonnell, Bob Lindsey, Skip Sheldon, Jim Neal, Mary Beth Hayes, Brenda Hillyer, Tom Weaver, Mickey Kilpatrick, and Tom Davis.

Volunteers donated a total of 5,743 hours in 2014 which made it possible for CMLC to conserve more than 1,000 acres of land last year.

CMLC conserves land and water resources to benefit the quality of life of residents and visitors in Henderson, Transylvania, and surrounding counties. Since 1994, the land trust has protected more than 28,000 acres of natural lands in western North Carolina. For more information, visit www.carolinamountain.org.