The woods frequently double as a classroom for the College's students and faculty. A conservation easement would protect the woods' pristine state forever.
The leadership and personal investment the Sloans bring to the campaign will add powerful momentum to the once-in-a-lifetime campaign.
Piedmont Land Conservancy has announced that longtime community leaders and philanthropists Linda E. Sloan and Thomas R. Sloan will serve as Honorary Chairs of the Saving Guilford Woods Campaign, an $8.5 million effort to permanently protect 120 acres of ecologically, historically, and culturally significant forest on Guilford’s campus.
The campaign will enable PLC to purchase the development rights to Guilford Woods from the College and place a permanent conservation easement on the property. This approach ensures the forest will be protected forever while Guilford College retains ownership and continues to use the land for teaching, research, recreation, and reflection.
Surrounded by rapid development in the heart of Greensboro, Guilford Woods is one of the most significant remaining natural areas in the region.
Known across Greensboro as bridge-builders and opportunity-makers, Linda and Tom Sloan have long championed efforts that strengthen community well-being, expand access, and encourage shared civic responsibility. Their leadership and personal investment in the campaign add powerful momentum to what supporters describe as a once-in-a-generation conservation opportunity.
During a recent visit to Guilford Woods with PLC Board President and Campaign Chair Mary Magrinat and PLC Executive Director Kevin Redding, the Sloans toured the forest’s centuries-old trees, historic Quaker sites, wildlife habitat, and well-used trails that support both education and recreation.
“Walking through this large, beautiful, mature, and historical forest, we immediately recognized the importance of preserving it for nature lovers, for families, and for our community,” the Sloans said in a joint statement.
Since that visit, the Sloans have played an instrumental role in advancing the campaign and energizing community support. Their involvement underscores the urgency of protecting a rare natural refuge in one of Greensboro’s fastest-growing corridors.
For Guilford College, the preservation effort aligns directly with its longstanding Quaker values of stewardship, simplicity, and responsibility to future generations. Faculty regularly use the woods as an outdoor classroom, and students rely on the forest as a place for study, research, and renewal.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between Guilford College and Piedmont Land Conservancy formalized the shared commitment to safeguard Guilford Woods through a permanent conservation easement. That agreement created the framework for the current fundraising campaign.