Conservation at the Forefront
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LandmarkSpring 2017 Conservation at the Forefront A publication of The LandTrust for Central North Carolina Conserving the best natural areas, From the Executive Director rural landscapes, family farms, and historic places in North Carolina’s heartland. Why Wait? eneral George Patton once said, “A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” His advice in a nutshell was to get Board of Directors Darrell Hancock busy and do something now and not wait for the PRESIDENT Gperfect conditions. We, at The LandTrust, are taking his advice Edward P. Norvell to heart. We are working harder than ever to be more relevant to VICE PRESIDENT the communities that we serve, to help train our next generation Jane Lee Watson of conservation leaders, to provide meaningful opportunities SECRETARY to connect our members with nature, and most importantly to Dennis Isaacson TREASURER conserve our regions vital natural resources. Mary Burt Allen James Nance Darryl Corriher Terry Sharpe In the pages that follow, you will see just a glimpse of what your Marla Coulthard Lenny Stallings support helps us do on a daily basis. From connecting our Charles Herlocker Dan Griff Smith children to nature, to conserving farms and historic forts, to Walter Holland Dennis Testerman honoring the very best among us, to tackling the biggest land West Hunter William Penn Wood Mike Mabry conservation project in the State of North Carolina. All of this is what your support allows us, your land Board of Advisors trust, to do. Joe Adams Alice Stanback Raymond D. Coltrain Fred Stanback Former Secretary of the Interior J. Myrick Howard William C. Stanback Stewart Udall once said, “Plans to John Lentz Charles E. Roe Roberts E. Timberlake protect air and water, wilderness and Joseph McDonald wildlife, are in fact plans to protect man.” I couldn’t agree more. We will continue to work on your behalf for Staff Travis Morehead our region, nothing gives us greater EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR pleasure. Michael Nye MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH DIRECTOR However, now more than ever, we Sam Parrott need not only your support, but that of your extended family, your MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH ASSOCIATE neighbors, and your friends. Conservation opportunities that Cody Fulk STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR protect 76 miles of shoreline and 4,700 acres on the Yadkin-Pee Crystal Cockman Dee River only come by once in a generation. If we wait for the LAND PROTECTION DIRECTOR perfect plan this incredible opportunity may slip through our Eli Beverly fingers. STEWARDSHIP TECHNICIAN Please consider recommitting to local conservation, help do something now so that this opportunity is not lost. Generations of North Carolinians that follow will certainly take note of our commitment as they enjoy the incredible benefits conservation has The Landmark is published by The to offer. LandTrust for Central North Carolina 204 E. Innes St. Suite 280 Salisbury, NC 28144 Travis Morehead 704.647.0302 2 | Spring 2017 Landmark www.landtrustcnc.org From the President The Need for a Youth Initiative s I began to write this article I stopped and the environment are reduced to cold, hard textbook to read a story in the Wall Street Journal topics. Imagine eliminating cadaver dissection as part of and was left depressed and disheartened. the medical curriculum; learning to sail on-line ; or, closer In a nutshell, the story reported on the to home the replacement of hiking, fishing, exploring, Aincreasing number of smart phone apps which are boating, hunting, and the experience of interaction with nature with video travelogues. The virtual world being replacing personal interactions between members of created and embraced around us purports to be three di- the current generation of youth, Generation “Z”. mensional, yet at its best, is a limited flat screen dimension The comments to the story were telling. This one which attempts to create could have been written by me: the illusion of depth and me too...born in 53...we used to get up on Saturday morning grab field of perception. This a quick bite...jump on our bikes and head out for the day. Mom counterfeit virtual reality would always scream out...be home for dinner! The local drainage can never come close to overflow was "pollywog paradise" and the mountains near home revealing a fraction of the offered endless adventure. We got dirty, skipped lunch sometimes spontaneity of nature – and simply burned the hours of the day interacting with our physical smells, breezes, subtle dis- environment. Caught lizards, chased snakes and sometimes scraped coveries, and the overall a knee or a forehead only to rub a little dirt on it and got back to depth and complexity of searching for fossils, carving up dirt clods or starting a rock fight. the fabric and tapestry of Fond memories...I hope my children and grand children can experi- the natural world which ence these types of things without a screen... we seek to conserve for future generations to experience. If perception is reality, As you read this current issue of the LandMark, I hope Western Society is diminished as Generation “Z” and the that you will understand the need and the relevance coming Generations “On Beyond Zebra” are deceived of our Youth Initiative at the LandTrust. Sad tales of into acceptance of an ersatz natural world. disconnected youth tied to virtual lives on smart phones proliferate the media but despite As you read about our early successes and look at the the obvious benefits of face to face great photos of kids discovering communication – picking up on born in 53...we used to get the real world up close and personal non-verbal clues, body language, up on Saturday morning through some of our Youth Ini- eye to eye contact, ambient context grab a quick bite...jump tiative activities, it is our hope that you will be inspired and proud of – the addictive allure of on-demand on our bikes and head out the impact that your support of the communication and perceived rela- for the day. Mom would tionships seem to trump the absolute LandTrust for Central North Caro- need for youth and young adults to always scream out...be lina. interact with the environment. home for dinner! The local drainage overflow was As always, we esteem your friend- As relationships increasingly become "pollywog paradise" and ship, support and encouragement. “virtual” in response to technology, the mountains near home the world shrinks into an artificial offered endless adventure. reality where interaction with nature Darrell Hancock LandTrust Raising Funds to Conserve Alcoa Lands The LandTrust has a once-in-a- generation opportunity to conserve 4,700 acres and 76 miles of shoreline on the Yadkin River at High Rock Lake and Tuckertown Lake. In September Alcoa obtained their new license for operating four dams on the Yadkin River, and one component of this new license is the opportunity for a significant amount of land to be conserved. The LandTrust for Central North Carolina was an integral part of the original negotiations for the Alcoa relicensing settlement agreement, and was able to successfully advocate for the opportunity to conserve 4,700 acres of land comprising 76 miles of shoreline. The LandTrust and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are partnering to raise the funds necessary to purchase these lands. The LandTrust is seeking to acquire the lands along the South Yadkin River and High Rock Lake, and the Wildlife Resources Commission is working on acquiring the lands along the Tuckertown Reservoir. The total cost for acquisition of these lands is anticipated to be approximately $12 million. “The conservation of the Alcoa lands represents a significant undertaking in the history of The LandTrust,” states Executive Director Travis Morehead. “We have permanently conserved 25,000 acres of land in our 21 year history, and working with the Wildlife Resources Commission we could help protect nearly 1/5 of that amount with just one project. The significance of conserving these lands cannot be overstated, it is the culmination of what The LandTrust has sought to achieve since its inception – protection at a landscape scale along the Yadkin River.” The LandTrust will be seeking funding from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Acres for America program, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, other smaller grant sources, and private donations. We invite you to contribute to the acquisition of these lands at whatever level you are able, so you too can be a part of this momentous conservation achievement. http://landtrustcnc.org/alcoa-lands-conservation/ Scan here to donate now! Photo courtesy of Stanly Convention and Visitor's Bureau The Flowe Property in Cabarrus County is home to row crops and beef cattle. Jim Flowe donated an easement in December of 2016. Flowe Property Conserved in Cabarrus County Despite his artistic pretentions, Today, Jim’s son farms his great-grandfather’s his sophistication, and many land that he, himself worked nearly a century ago. accomplishments, man owes his Four generations of Flowe’s have called the same existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil beloved land their home and, on December 21, “and the fact that it rains.” - Anonymous 2016, Jim took steps to continue their legacy and placed the 52 acres under easement, protecting it In North Carolina, agriculture and agribusiness account for forever. one-sixth of the state’s economy and employees, and more than 17 percent, or $84 billion, of the $482 billion gross Jim states that his granddaddy always wanted his farm state product. It is no wonder then, that we view farmland to remain a farm and that he would be proud that preservation as important to the future of our state.