Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds
Preservation - North Carolina Million Acre Initiative
Category: Uplands
Cost: Information not provided.
Description: With an end goal of preserving one million additional acres
of open space in North Carolina this decade, the Million Acre Initiative coordinates
preservation efforts between a number of organizations-federal, state and local
governments, conservation groups and citizens. While supporting existing programs,
the initiative also encourages cooperation by providing technical assistance
and information to people interested in helping our state meet its goal.
The goal of preserving one million acres was turned into law in June of 2000
by North Carolina's General Assembly when they voted to approve the Million
Acre legislation. This challenge to preserve one million acres is an aggressive
plan to build public-private partnerships with local governments, business leaders,
developers and conservationists to preserve open space in North Carolina. Preserving
additional acreage in the state will protect the quality of streams, rivers,
lakes, estuaries, sounds, coastal waters, water supplies and wetlands, as well
as other significant or sensitive natural areas, rare species, and wildlife
habitat. It will also protect forestland and farmland, especially small family
farms, from conversion to other non-related uses, as well as protect urban greenspaces.
Outcome: Approximately 50,000 acres (statewide) have been preserved through
fee simple acquisition or conservation easement agreements since January 1999.
About 38,000 acres have been purchased by state agencies or have been donated
to state agencies in agreements with the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources and/or private land trusts since January of 1999. About 27,000 acres
have been protected through conservation easements, some of which is on land
already owned by the State of North Carolina. Only lands newly and permanently
protected are included in the Million Acre Initiative
Contact: Marc deBreeMillion Acre Initiative, NC Div. Of Parks and Recreation,
1615 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1615, marc.debree@ncmail.net
Citation: http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/millionacre/index.html
|
