Robert and Betty Balentine, an Atlanta couple, recently received the Garden Club of America's highest honor, the Cynthia Pratt Laughlin Medal. The medal, which recognizes outstanding achievements in environmental protection, was awarded to them for their work as founders of the Southern Highlands Reserve. The 120-acre preserve at the summit of Toxaway Mountain in Lake Toxaway, NC, is a private arboretum and research center focused on the conservation of plants native to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Robert's history with the Garden Club of America spans three generations: his mother was a member of the Peachtree Garden Club and the Horticulture Judge of the Garden Club of America; his wife, Betty, has been a member of the Peachtree Garden Club since 1992; and his daughter Emily Barbour is a current member. “We have great respect for the organization and are honored,” he says.
The Balentines purchased property in western North Carolina that bordered a national forest in the 1990s. (Robert grew up hiking and camping in the area as an Eagle Scout.) Over the years, they purchased additional adjacent property to protect it from development. “It’s an extremely fragile place,” says Robert. “It sits at an elevation of 4,500 feet on the Eastern Continental Divide. This is the most diverse collection of plants that exists outside of the tropical rainforest in the world, and we wanted it to remain wild forever.” They formalized their efforts in 2002 with the creation of the Southern Highlands Reserve.
The foundation is a founding partner of the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative, which helps restore the region's spruce forests. (America's second most endangered ecosystem.) “They used to be considered the 'sequoias of the East,'” says Robert. “This spruce supports an entire ecosystem that is under attack from deforestation, acid rain, fires and more. The Southern Highlands Reserve is now the sole source of Norway spruce for the U.S. Forest Service.” The reserve has planted more than 6,000 mature spruce and fir trees with a 95 percent survival rate.
These efforts were particularly effective given the devastation suffered by the wider area following Hurricane Helene. “The work we did before was crucial, and it’s even more important now,” says Robert. “We only have one chance, but even small organizations like us can make a difference.”
The Southern Highlands Reserve is open to the public on the first Tuesday of the month from April to October. Private tours are also available.
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