Southern Highlands Reserve

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United States
Lake Toxaway, NC
Southern Highlands Reserve

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SHR is a private native plant arboretum and research center accessible by reservation only.

The Southern Highlands Reserve is dedicated to sustaining the natural ecosystems of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the preservation, cultivation and display of plants native to the region and by advocating for their value through education, restoration and research. Located in Western North Carolina at an elevation of 4500 feet, the varied topography and forest types found on our 120 acres allow us to emulate many of the plant communities found in the higher reaches of the southern Appalachians.

10/28/2026

Fall is putting on quite a show at Southern Highlands Reserve. 🍁☁️
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10/27/2026

Great gardens grow through collaboration! 🌿

We were delighted to welcome horticultural teams from Morris Arboretum & Gardens, Stoneleigh: a natural garden, and Mt. Cuba Center to Southern Highlands Reserve for a guided tour and a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas, share expertise, and connect with fellow horticulture professionals.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to learn from one another and strengthen the partnerships that help horticulture thrive.

10/20/2026

THE SPRUCE IS LOOSE. 🍻🌲

Our favorite fall collaboration is back! Join Southern Highlands Reserve and Noblebräu for the annual release of SOS (Save Our Spruce) Spruce Tip IPA on Saturday, November 7th!

Crafted with spruce tips gathered from trees at Southern Highlands Reserve, this seasonal brew is more than just a great b**r. It’s a toast to conservation, community, and the forests we’re working to protect.

High-elevation spruce-fir forests are Ice Age relicts and the second most endangered ecosystem in the United States. Through the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI), SHR and its partners have planted more than 10,000 young spruce trees on national forest lands, with a survival rate exceeding 90%.

And every pour makes a difference! A portion of SOS b**r sales at 185 King Street supports SHR’s conservation, research, and education efforts, with roughly $1,000 raised for spruce restoration last year alone.

📍 185 King Street | Brevard, NC

🗓️ Saturday, November 7 | 2–5 PM

Come enjoy a fresh pour, connect with our community, and raise a glass to the future of Southern Appalachia’s red spruce forests.

Good b**r. Great cause. Here’s to keeping our forests thriving! 🌲🍻

10/16/2026

Let the week fade away and the colors take over. 🍁

10/14/2026

There’s nothing quite like fall in the Southern Appalachians.🍁

10/09/2026

Big news from the mountain!
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Southern Highlands Reserve is proud to announce our partnership with nationally renowned Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects to help shape the future of our 120-acre mountain sanctuary.
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What makes this partnership so significant? Nelson Byrd Woltz is celebrated for its innovative approach to landscape architecture, combining ecological science, conservation, and design to restore and protect extraordinary landscapes.
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Recent ecological research at the Reserve documented 247 plant species, 82 animal species, and 12 rare plant species, highlighting the remarkable biodiversity found right here in the Southern Appalachians.
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Together, we’re developing a long-term plan to protect these rare ecosystems, strengthen the health of the landscape, and create meaningful opportunities for future generations to experience and appreciate this special place.
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We’re excited for what’s ahead!
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Read the full announcement:
https://www.dispatch.com/press-release/story/250364/southern-highlands-reserve-and-nelson-byrd-woltz-partner-to-steward-a-vital-southern-appalachian-landscape/

10/07/2026

Nature has a way of painting its own masterpiece. 🍂🎨
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10/02/2026

Fall color is beginning to peek through the cracks at the Reserve. 🍁

Address

558 Summit Ridge Road
Lake Toxaway, NC
28747

Telephone

+18288852050

Website

http://www.southernhighlandsreserve.org/

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