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Ron Lance
Ron Lance works to give our land a more natural look while ensuring a higher diversity of plant life.
A Naturalist with a Love for Native Species
Ron Lance, a 1975 Fish and Wildlife Technology graduate and 1984 Lumber Specialist graduate, is a Senior Naturalist at Balsam Mountain Preserve and is a part-time naturalist at Chimney Rock Park. He has written five books and is working on two more.
Balsam Mountain Preserve is a private 4,400 acre community with 3,000 acres of conservation land which borders the Nantahala National Forest and Smoky Mountain Expressway. The preserve has 38 miles of streams and 50 miles of hiking and equestrian trails.
As Senior Naturalist at Balsam Mountain Preserve, the Asheville resident manages the land, completes botanical and wildlife inventories, helps administer a community outreach program, updates the approved plant list, and is involved with the selection of species for the new Arnold Palmer design golf course.
A typical day for Lance could mean working in the forest to thin stems or looking for rare species on a particular lot. He might be found teaching residents or local school children about the environment through a tree identification walk or showing them some of the preserve’s rehabilitation birds.
“I work to give the land a more natural look and to ensure a higher diversity of life,” Lance explains. “I try to keep the natural integrity of the land. If a rare species is found, it may be replanted to protect it.”
Balsam Mountain Preserve has over 1,000 species of plants and fungi. Some of the rare species include the yellow lady slipper, the star flower, or the leatherwood shrub. Some of the wildlife at the preserve’s nature center includes a bald eagle, several different kinds of hawks, a raven, fish, turtle, and others.
“This job is a challenge for me. It’s a good opportunity,” he said.
Lance has had an extensive career in his field. Two of his books are used by students in HCC’s Natural Resources programs. He has traveled all over the United States, South America, Canada, and Spain studying plants and animals. Before coming to Balsam Mountain Reserve, he spent five years as a naturalist at Chimney Rock Park.
During 13 years at the North Carolina Arboretum, Lance was instrumental in building a unique collection of trees and shrubs in addition to bringing into cultivation both rare and significant selections to be tested for hardiness in the Asheville area. Lance initiated an active conservation program working with regionally rare or endangered species and collaborating restoration projects in the Blue Ridge and in other states.
In affiliation with professionals in 14 states and Canada, Lance has worked with field, cultivation, and genetic research of hawthorns, a variety of woody plants. This resulted in the rediscovery of the rarest hawthorn species, C. harbisonii. After six years of research, he completed a status survey of C. harbisonii and C. ashei for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Lance has been a member of the International Oak Society since 1993, serving various posts such as Conference Chairman, President, Secretary, and is currently a board member.
“Keeping affiliated with trees and natural history has provided a gratifying life for me, all initiated by my time spent at HCC,” Lance said.
Lance was recognized as Haywood Community College’s Outstanding Alumni Award for 2007. HCC’s Outstanding Alumni Award is given to an alumnus who has attained extraordinary distinction and success in their career field and who has demonstrated exceptional and sustained leadership in the community. It is based on occupational or professional excellence, career accomplishments, and humanitarian/civic service.
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