Building Conservation Partnerships
Judy Francis, Western Regional Field Officer
Resource-Based Economic Development

During her first few months on the job, our Western Regional Field Officer, Judy Francis, has been very busy. She has represented the One NC Naturally program at many conferences and events. Judy has also been meeting with all the regional councils of government, land trusts and non-profit environmental organizations in the western region to learn about their conservation goals and find opportunities for collaboration and mutual assistance.

In addition, Judy is busy re-establishing relationships with our federal conservation partners by reconvening the National Parks, Parkway, and Forest Development Council. NPPFDC is composed of citizens appointed by the Governor’s office, who are charged with working with staff from the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the U.S. Forest Service, to better understand current management issues and constraints. Their goal is to find ways to provide support for projects that benefit these agencies and the citizens of North Carolina.

Judy also represents the One NC Naturally program by working with Tennessee and our federal partners in the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Initiative. At their annual conference in Gatlinburg, Tenn., from Nov. 28-30, Judy led a panel discussion entitled “Public-Private Partnerships for Conserving Natural and Cultural Values in the New Rural Economy.”

Place-based economic development is a topic being explored through a series of meetings co-sponsored by the N.C. Department of Commerce and N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Discussion revolves around PBED projects being undertaken around the state and the role of the state will play in supporting these initiatives. We’ll provide more information regarding this important project in our upcoming newsletters.

Progress in First Year
Jimmy Johnson, Eastern Regional Field Officer
CHPP Coordination and Implementation

The Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2006 Annual Report is now in circulation. After having been approved by the three primary commissions - Coastal Resources, Environmental Management and Marine Fisheries - the Annual Report was presented to the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture and the Environmental Review Commission. While this report shows a significant level of interest on the part of the General Assembly in protecting our coastal habitats, there is still much work to be done.

To date, 18 positions and their operations have been funded by the General Assembly to support the four primary goals identified in the CHPP. The first goal mentioned in the CHPP is “to improve the effectiveness of existing rules and programs protecting fish habitat.” The second and third goals are, “to identify, designate and protect strategic habitat areas” and “to enhance habitat and protect it from physical danger,” respectively. The fourth goal identified in the plan is “to protect and enhance water quality.”

Three of the new positions deal directly with water quality. Eight positions deal with habitat issues and the remaining seven work with compliance issues. The General Assembly also transferred $15 million from the N.C. Department of Transportation to DENR to reduce stormwater runoff that is piped into the ocean.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and its divisions have also been extremely active in implementing the goals found in the CHPP. To date, some of what has been accomplished includes:

• Closing more than 36,000 acres to mechanical shellfish harvesting by the Marine Fisheries Commission.
• Approval of beach nourishment sediment criteria rules by the Coastal Resources Commission.
• The consideration by the Environmental Management Commission to adopt new stormwater rules to better protect coastal water quality in all 20 coastal counties.
• The Division of Water Quality obtained EPA funds to support threecompliance monitoring positions.
• The Division of Coastal Management funded a Sea Grant project to evaluate the effects of docking structures that have between three and 10 slips.

These efforts demonstrate a good beginning in CHPP implementation, yet much work remains to protect, enhance and restore the coastal habitats of eastern North Carolina. Please continue in all of your efforts to help make the habitats of coastal North Carolina all that they can be.

Growing Working Lands Programs
Jerry Dorsett, Central Regional Field Officer
Working Lands Coordination and Implementation

In August, the state’s 48th Voluntary Agriculture District program was authorized by the Moore County Commissioners, rewarding two years of community consensus building. The Moore County VAD has led to creation of a board that gives a voice to the agricultural and forestry community. Landowners now have a more effective means of earning recognition for their value and are afforded limited protection against adverse land use. The VAD is one of several basic working lands programs authorized by state law and enacted by county government.

Several conservation districts in the state are now holding and inspecting conservation easements. We are working to expand the number of districts that take on these roles by answering legal and fiscal questions and helping to develop a strategy to work with county governments.

Jerry is working through conservation districts to establish components of a working lands toolbox in each county of the state. The toolbox will help jump start future working lands activity at the county level. Tools and programs that counties can use include the VAD, enhanced VAD, transfer and purchase of development rights, donation of conservation tax credits, present use value taxation and a county-wide agriculture protection plan.

Soil and Water Conservation districts across the state provide support putting tools such as these in place and using a strategy built around public education and public support. To locate other working lands partners who can help get a VAD established in your county, call (336)771-5000 or email jerry.dorsett@ncmail.net.