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Cotswold · Charlotte, North Carolina
Just 10 minutes south of Uptown Charlotte, a rare 14-acre urban forest is at risk of development. The Cotswold Conservancy is bringing together neighbors, conservationists, community leaders, and partners to protect this woodland and realize a larger vision for a publicly accessible ecological campus.
Together, we can preserve this natural sanctuary, expand access to green space, and reconnect our neighborhoods through nature–creating a place for wildlife to thrive, communities to gather, and future generations to explore.
This land is precious.
Once it's gone, we won't get it back.
Nature belongs close to home.
PHOTO CREDIT: P.A. MINYARD
1. Urge Mecklenburg County to Act
Ask our Mecklenburg County Commissioners to commit funding to protect this forest, expand public park access, and prioritize safe, connected walking and biking trails.
2. Join the Movement
Stand with your neighbors to protect this rare woodland. Volunteer, spread the word, and share your skills to help bring our vision to life.
3. Become a Conservation Partner
Help turn this conservation opportunity into a lasting public resource. We're seeking philanthropic, corporate, nonprofit, and institutional partners to help secure and steward the land.
THE LAND AT STAKE
14 acres. One chance to protect them. Surrounded by development, this rare stretch of mature woodland represents one of Cotswold's remaining opportunities to preserve its natural heritage and create accessible green space. What we choose to protect today will shape our neighborhood for generations.
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Protect what is here. Create what is missing.
A PLACE TO CARE FOR
Fostering stewardship through participation, ensuring this sanctuary is loved and protected by many.
A PLACE FOR LEARNING
Where Mother Nature is the greatest teacher a child can have, we are reimagining play as an act of discovery in her creek beds, trails, and forest floor.
A PLACE FOR NATURE
Safeguarding biodiversity in the heart of Charlotte, ensuring a corridor for native species to thrive.
A PLACE FOR ALL
Keeping natural spaces accessible to all, where neighbors can connect with one another, experience the beauty of nature, and build a stronger sense of community.
OUR FOUR PILLARS
Nature
Education
Engage with the habitats and everyday natural spaces that make our neighborhoods healthier and more beautiful.
Create opportunities for people to learn through exploration, play, and meaningful experiences in the natural world.
Community
Conservation
Bring every kind of people together to foster a deeper relationships with one another in our local green spaces.
Preserve rare urban forests before they are lost to overdevelopment, while providing thoughtful long-term stewardship and restoration.
THE FIRST CHAPTER -
our forest school
EARLY LEARNING STUDIO
The Cotswold Early Learning Studio is the beginning of our vision to bring nature-rooted education to the heart of Charlotte. Our Reggio-based, outdoor early learning studio will allow children to grow alongside the forest, developing a deep, lifelong bond with the living world through nature play and discovery-based learning. We believe that childhood should be filled with wonder, curiosity, and meaningful stewardship.
Our campus is the forest. The trees are the teachers, the creeks and trails are the classrooms, and every fallen leaf or unturned rock is an invitation to explore. This will be more than a school; it is the first chapter of a place for our children to learn from Mother Nature.
We are currently exploring potential locations to bring this vision to life and establish a welcoming home for our nature-based learning community.
GET IN TOUCH
Whether you're ready to lend your voice, volunteer your time, share your expertise, or explore a conservation partnership, we'd love to hear from you. We also welcome families and professionals interested in our nature-based early learning programming.
Together, we can protect what remains, create meaningful connections, and ensure nature stays close to home for generations to come.
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