Investing in Land and Water to Secure North Carolina's Future

A new report from a North Carolina conservation coalition outlines ambitious goals for protecting the state's land, water, and quality of life, calling for the state to invest $812 million by the state over the next five years.

"Securing North Carolina's Future: A Five-Year Plan for Investing in Our Land, Water and Quality of Life," from the Land for Tomorrow coalition, presents a vision for protecting natural lands and working landscapes to support a healthy, prosperous, and vibrant North Carolina.

The comprehensive study tracks North Carolina's progress in preserving 390,000 acres of forests, vistas, parks, farms, and stream buffers since 2005, as well as the recent drastic decline in funding that puts the state's future economic vitality and quality of life at risk.

It highlights the economic benefits of North Carolina's conservation efforts, which support a $22 billion tourism industry, a $2.6 billion hunting and fishing industry, and a $32 billion agriculture industry. A study by The Trust for Public Land estimated that land already protected through the state's four conservation trust funds will deliver $3.67 billion in economic benefits through 2020--a return of four dollars in benefits for every dollar invested.

"When major employers bring their business and jobs to North Carolina, they often cite our clean water, quality of life and abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation," said Reid Wilson, executive director of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and Land for Tomorrow steering committee member.

"Securing North Carolina's Future" calls for protecting 399,000 acres and 1,750 miles of waterways over the next five years. It sets specific acreage and funding goals for waterways and wetlands, farmland, forests, land along scenic highways, and state parks and trails.

State government efforts, particularly the work of the state's four conservation trust funds, serve as the foundation for North Carolina's land conservation strategy. The trust funds provide essential funding for land acquisition and conservation projects, often leveraging one to two times as much funding from private, non-profit or other sources.

"Securing North Carolina's Future" is available at www.landfortomorrow.org.