Our Mission

• To recognize and honor the Philadelphia-born naturalist, William Bartram, who traveled through the southeast between the years 1773 and 1777, writing exact and vivid descriptions of the plants and animals he saw and the native tribes he encountered, and who published these writings in 1791 as Travels of William Bartram.
• To establish and maintain a 110 mile memorial trail, following a route as close as possible to Bartram’s original route through northeast Georgia and western North Carolina.
• To promote further inquiry and knowledge about the plants and animals of the southern Appalachians, as well as the traditions and culture of the native Cherokee people, which Bartram encountered on his travels here in 1775.Today, the Conservancy has grown to more than 200 members, who come primarily from the Southeastern states but also from across the country and around the world, from British Columbia to New Zealand. It is governed by a 501c3 non-profit Board of Directors that meets quarterly to direct the growth of the Conservancy. Board members come from all walks of life—professors from various disciplines, attorneys, firemen, professional and amateur naturalists, some retired and some actively working—all with one common goal: to keep alive the spirit of the explorer/botanist that the Native Americans called Puc Puggy (translates as “the Flower Hunter”). For in keeping alive his spirit of the joy of noticing and noting the wonders and intricacies of the natural world, we are reminded of how precious yet precarious our natural resources are and the importance of their stewardship for future generations.

  The Conservancy is supported solely by memberships and occasional grants written by board members. Donations are tax-deductible and most welcome. Members are also from all walks of life bringing with them interests such as hiking, backpacking, the natural history of local fauna and flora as well as first-time visitors to these ancient Appalachian Mountain Ranges.