Conservation Yearbook
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2009 GREEN BOOK Barry Williams©CTNC Marge Limbert©TNC Jodie LaPoint©TNC CONSERVATION FUNDING: Good for the Economy, Good for Public Health North Carolina’s Conservation Trust Funds – Grants Awarded by County 1987-2008 LAND for TOMORROW ©Debbie Crane/TNC Roanoke River Kayakers ©Debbie Crane/TNC Alligator River Land for Tomorrow is a statewide coalition of conservation trust funds. This smart legislative Preservation Trust Fund. community leaders, organizations and local leadership has resulted in the conservation of Despite these remarkable accomplishments, there is still governments with a common goal: increasing hundreds of thousands of acres of family farms, forests, much to be done. North Carolina continues to lose land and water conservation. North Carolina stream banks, game lands, parks, greenways and trails. valuable land at an alarming rate. Since the last session is fortunate to have incredible natural This annual “Green Book” report gives you an idea of of the General Assembly adjourned, 50,000 acres of resources. Preserving those resources is what has been accomplished through grants from the farms, forests and natural areas have disappeared – important to our future. state’s four conservation trust funds – the Natural converted into other uses. Our continued commitment We are also fortunate to have a Legislature that has Heritage Trust Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust to conservation will ensure that our water is clean, our strongly supported natural lands preservation by Fund, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, and farms flourish, our forests grow and our people have providing significant state funding to four proven the Agricultural Development and Farmland places to walk, fish, hunt and swim. 2 | 2009 Green Book CONSERVATION FUNDING: Good for the Economy, Good for Public Health “The only thing that we have to offer is scenic beauty,” Proctor explains. “OUR ECONOMY IS TOtallY CENTERED ON SCENic BEAUTY. If that goes away, our economy goes away with it.” and textile manufacturing, but those jobs are gone and unlikely to return. Now, McDowell County’s economy largely hinges on tourism and retirees. “In our area, Hickory Nut Gorge ©Jim Proctor land conservation is critical,” explains Price. “If you come to McDowell County, you are going to be In bad economic times, conservation funding to 37 rare plant species and is an important habitat for enjoying the outdoors.” may be viewed as discretionary – something table mountain pine, which is only found in the Many counties’ land use plans clearly reflect the need that can be put off until the economy improves. Southern Appalachians. Despite its amazing natural to ensure that natural resources are conserved as a part But conservation can’t be delayed. It is vital to history, pristine waters and incredible views, very little of long-term planning. For instance, Gates County’s the economy and public health. of the area was permanently preserved until just a few recent land use implementation status report targets its years ago. That changed in 2005, when the state In many North Carolina communities, conservation is major natural resource, the Chowan River: created Chimney Rock State Park. Since that time, the the only economic driver. Take Lake Lure. Mayor Jim state’s conservation funds have purchased thousands of “Preserve, protect and enhance the Chowan River shoreline and Proctor lives in an old house that once was a stagecoach acres in the gorge – preserving the scenery, protecting attendant wetlands and shores and ensure future generations are stop. As travel modernized and sped up, Lake Lure’s threatened species, ensuring clean water, and creating a able to enjoy its beauty and bounty and can continue to use it for importance as a rest for weary travelers ended. “The only destination for travelers who pour money into the local passive and active recreation and leisure activities.” thing that we have to offer is scenic beauty,” Proctor economy. “Buying and protecting our view is protecting explains. “Our economy is totally centered on scenic The basis for the majority of North Carolina’s our economy,” explains Proctor. beauty. If that goes away, our economy goes away with it.” conservation land purchases is clean water. Protecting Carol Price, who directs McDowell County’s Tourism watersheds makes good economic sense. An American Lake Lure lies in Hickory Nut Gorge, which is filled Development Authority, agrees. McDowell County Water Works Association study says that for every 10 with towering cliffs and waterfalls. The gorge is home once had a thriving economy built around furniture percent increase in forest cover, drinking water land for tomorrow | 3 ©N.C. Department of Agriculture and Community Service ©N.C. Department of Agriculture Chowan River ©Debbie Crane/TNC Chowan River treatment and chemical costs decrease approximately 20 North Carolina’s $70 billion per year agricultural in the state. Even in rapidly urbanizing areas like the percent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency economy is also threatened by land loss. Have you ever Triangle, farms still coexist with spreading suburbs and estimates that it is anywhere from 20 to 400 times more noticed the number of subdivisions in North Carolina business developments. Chatham County grew almost expensive to treat contaminated water than to prevent with the word “farm” in their name? Have you noticed 22 percent from 2000 to 2006, compared to a that contamination through watershed protection. the number of roads that have “farm” in their name with statewide growth rate of 10 percent. The landscape has no farm nearby? That’s because much productive farm changed to accommodate that growth. Wetlands are also protected through conservation. In land has been gobbled up by development. North addition to providing water quality protection, Jeff Masten, Director of Conservation Strategies for Carolina’s family farms are disappearing at an alarming protecting coastal wetlands makes sound economic and the Triangle Land Conservancy, works to preserve rate. According to the N.C. Department of Agriculture public safety sense. Hurricane Katrina’s devastation on Chatham County farmland. “In a county like and Consumer Services, between the years 2003 and the Gulf Coast partially resulted from coastal wetlands Chatham, which is rural but urbanizing, 2006, North Carolina lost 5,500 farms amounting to destruction. Without the wetlands to buffer and slow rural roots have an economic equation 300,000 acres of farmland. That’s farmland equivalent down the storm surge, the hurricane swept directly into that fits in with the local economy,” he to the size of Cleveland County, all lost in just four years. coastal communities. A 2008 study of North Carolina explains. “Retaining these farms hits the coastal wetlands estimates that they provide $620 Preserving working family farms is critical to the bottom line of the community.” million in storm protection services each year. agricultural economy, which accounts for 73,000 jobs Land conservation also plays a crucial role in another 4 | 2009 Green Book major aspect of North Carolina’s economy – the military. Camp Lejeune lies in an area that is rapidly developing. That development threatened the Marines’ ability to conduct training in a time of war. Enter the Onslow Bight Conservation Forum, which was formed in 2002 by the Marine Corps and The Nature Conservancy. The Forum’s purpose is twofold: It addresses the issue of development encroaching on the base, and it works to conserve the natural heritage of the area. The state’s conservation funds have pumped more than $60 million into conservation in the area, leveraging $15 million in federal funding. Bill Rogers, head of Camp Lejeune’s environmental conservation branch, says the dollars have been well spent. “To continue our mission, we need to look outside the fence at land use to ensure that those land uses are compatible with the base’s needs,” he explains. “THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUatiON IS RARE AND Onslow Bight pine savanna ©Mark Daniels/TNC ENdaNGERED SPECIES. We’re very interested in making sure that military Since 2003, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund economic contribution of state parks. They looked at installations don’t become an island – has protected land around other North Carolina out-of-county visitors to 14 of the state’s 33 parks and the last home for rare species.” military installations, including Camp McCall, found that those parks accounted for at least a $195 Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Cherry Point Marine million shot to the economy. A conservative Onslow Bight purchases have provided large swaths of Corps Air Station, and the Air Force’s Dare County extrapolation of that data to the state’s entire park land that allow black bear to roam. They have also Bombing Range. system results in an annual economic contribution of provided home for the federally endangered red more than $400 million. cockaded woodpecker. “We’ve made good progress,” North Carolina has only recently begun to document Rogers said. “This benefits the military, fish, wildlife the economic impact of its natural resources. Last year, One of the study’s authors, Dr. Candace Good, says she and the state.” researchers at N.C. State University studied the thinks the state and others haven’t done enough to land for tomorrow | 5 physical activity. That’s why it is important to build trails and greenways and buy parkland. Mary Beth Powell, who heads UNC-Chapel Hill’s Active Living by Design Program says buying land to create recreational opportunities improves public health. “It has been shown that providing an opportunity for physical activity is a really key factor in reducing obesity rates and preventing obesity,” she explains. “Merely having walking trails and natural areas – their mere presence dramatically affects a person’s health.” Sig Hutchinson, who has led several successful efforts to conserve greenways in Wake County, agrees.