Lakey Creek Mitigation Bank

The Lakey Creek Mitigation Site is an exciting stream and wetland restoration project located in the picturesque mountains of North Carolina. The project is in Macon County, roughly eight miles northwest of the Town of Franklin. The project provides approximately 26.1 acres of land that will be protected in perpetuity through the placement of a conservation easement. The project will include the restoration and enhancement of multiple stream channels (over 5,900 linear feet of stream) in the Cowee Creek watershed, and will restore and protect over 4.5 wetland acres. The project will include wider protected buffers, the removal of invasive species, cattle exclusion from streams and buffer areas, reduction of nutrient, sediment, and fecal coliform to the tributaries and their receiving waters, and enhancement of riparian corridors for wildlife passage. The project will result in both ecological and water quality benefits within the Little Tennessee River Basin, a watershed that has historically been very challenging to find and secure restoration opportunities.

Typical for restoration projects in the North Carolina mountains, the Lakey Creek project will involve multiple landowners and families that call this valley home. The primary landowner that owns the majority of the land has been great to work with as together we’ve designed a specific plan that allows them to continue farming outside of the easement. We’ve had so much fun designing an aesthetically pleasing planting plan and fence structure since their beautiful home overlooks the entire valley where the restoration will take place. This project will be really exciting to complete and is a good example of a strong partnership between V2 and multiple families.

This mitigation site was approved in Fall of 2023 and will be constructed in the Fall of 2024.

Project Updates 2025