---
title: Double Rock | Conservation Easement | Unique Places to Save
description: This stream restoration project in Alexander County NC enhances water quality and habitat in the Catawba River Basin through conservation easement
image: https://uniqueplacestosave.org/hubfs/photo%20of%20double%20rock%20conservation%20easement%20nc.jpg
---
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# Double Rock | Conservation Easement
Michael Scisco - April 2025
### Total Acres
39.6
### Project Year
2022
##### Located in Alexander County NC[](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/our-values#badge)
The Double Rock Mitigation Site is a stream restoration project designed to improve water quality and ecological health in the Catawba River Basin. Managed by [Wildlands Engineering](https://www.wildlandseng.com/) and protected by a permanent conservation easement held by Unique Places to Save, the project restores and enhances degraded streams on active farmland.
The site includes Elk Shoal Creek and multiple unnamed tributaries, many of which were historically channelized and impacted by cattle access and erosion. Restoration activities include reconstructing over 4,400 linear feet of stream, planting native vegetation, building instream habitat structures, and installing best management practices to reduce agricultural runoff.
These efforts reduce sediment and nutrient loads flowing into Lookout Shoals Lake, a key water supply reservoir, while enhancing aquatic habitat and reconnecting natural floodplains. Unique Places to Save ensures the site’s permanent protection and long-term stewardship, aligning with its mission to protect land and water for people and nature.
The Double Rock easement covers 39.6 acres in the Catawba River Basin and was placed in 2022, with Wildlands Engineering as the mitigation partner. Unique Places to Save is the conservation easement grantee, so the restored reaches of Elk Shoal Creek and its tributaries upstream of Lookout Shoals Lake are protected permanently.
##### Mitigation Partner
[](https://www.wildlandseng.com/)
Our Role
### Conservation Easement Grantee
Mitigation Type
### Stream & Wetland Restoration & Conservation
- 
- 
- 
- 
About the Author
Michael brings nearly 20 years of experience to his role as Trusted Conservation Advisor at Unique Places to Save. He has worked to conserve over 200,000 acres across the U.S. while securing over $200M in funding and transacting $500M in land and other real estate.
[Learn More](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/michael-scisco-conservation-expert)
#### We are a trusted non-profit partner for mitigation banks seeking high-quality conservation projects
[Learn More](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/conservation-mitigation)
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Madilyn Deifell, October 2026
### [Why are wetlands so full of life?](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/why-are-wetlands-so-full-of-life)
This fall, we are pleased to share a blog from Madilyn, who is working with us as a Conservation Intern through a collaborative effort with UNC-Chapel Hill's EcoStudio. The internship at Unique Places to Save enables students to gain hands-...
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Michael Scisco, October 2026
### [Poe's Landing | Conservation Mitigation Easement](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/poes-landing-conservation-mitigation-easement)
Total Acres 321 Project Year 2026 Located in York County, South Carolina Covering approximately 320.69 acres within the Upper Broad River Basin, the easement safeguards critical aquatic corridors including Bullock Creek, Bells Creek, 11 unn...
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Michael Scisco, September 2026
### [What Happens After a Mitigation Bank is Complete?](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/mitigation-bank-long-term-management)
Regulatory closeout is a major milestone for a mitigation bank. It confirms that the required restoration or enhancement work has been completed, performance standards have been met, and the formal monitoring and maintenance period can end....
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Mandi Taylor, September 2026
### [The Impossibility of Capturing Nature in a PDF](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/baseline-documentation-report)
Every profession has the gap between what the job looks like on paper and what actually happens on the ground. In land conservation, that divide can be neatly summarized by one specific, legal document: the Baseline Documentation Report (BD...
[](https://app.candid.org/profile/9341350/unique-places-to-save-46-2076094/?pkId=e9b6f29d-825a-42e5-88cd-e7520d3fe801)
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