Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership
Our mission is to identify, protect, and restore the significant resources of the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system.
March 21, 2017
Mr. Matt Connelly Refuge Manager Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 430 Windsor, NC 27983
Dear Mr. Connelly,
On behalf of the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP), I am writing to support the proposed expansion of the acquisition boundary for the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge (RRNWR) and establishment of a Land Protection Plan to conserve and restore fish and wildlife habitat while helping to preserve a rural landscape, protect water quality, and support public recreational and educational opportunities. If approved, the Service would increase the boundary of the RRNWR by working solely with willing landowners to conserve land through a combination of fee title purchase and conservation easements.
The Roanoke River is one of the six river basins that flows into the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system. The RRNWR provides important habitat for fish, wildlife, and waterfowl. The refuge also provides numerous recreational and educational opportunities including hiking, boating, birdwatching, and hunting. Protection of the floodplain also assists in protecting water quality in Albemarle Sound.
The proposed expansion of the acquisition boundary and resulting opportunities for landowners to protect lands directly supports Action D1.2 of our Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). APNEP works collaboratively with partners to guide the implementation of the CCMP within the river basins of our congressionally designated “estuary of national significance.” The Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system supports a billion-dollar fishing and ecotourism industry that is dependent on clean water and functional ecosystems.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been an APNEP partner since our designation as a National Estuary Program thirty years ago. RRNWR is one of nine refuges in the APNEP region in North Carolina and Virginia. The USFWS has a successful history of managing lands for the protection of fish and wildlife and partnering with APNEP to implement the CCMP. We look forward to assisting refuge staff and partners with implementation of the Land Protection Plan.
Again, the proposed expansion of the acquisition boundary of the RRNWR is strongly supported by the Albemarle- Pamlico National Estuary Partnership. Please do not hesitate to contact me (919-715-1327) if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
William L. Crowell, Jr., Ph.D., AICP, CEE Director
1601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1601 Phone/Fax: 919-707-8633 | www. apnep.org