"Strategic Visioning for Conservation" Conference

The first joint meeting of the boards of Natural Heritage Trust Fund, Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and Clean Water Management Trust Fund was held March 2-3, 2006, in Raleigh. This historic meeting provided the opportunity for board members to hear about the work of the trust funds and to discuss how to effectively address conservation issues in a coordinated manner. The trust fund boards discussed their missions and challenges and sought ways to partner more effectively. They learned about long-term plans such as the Wildlife Resources Commission's Wildlife Action Plan, the Parks for the 21st Century master plan and the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler also provided his vision for sustaining the family farm by keeping farmers on the land.

It was recommended that such conservation planning be integrated with funding to provide efficient and effective conservation, which can preserve the system of natural networks far into the future. Through a proposed focus on common conservation interests, the trust funds can work together to address the funding gap, outreach and education and working lands integration.

Continuing these meetings annually and facilitating cross-communication among the boards was recommended. It was agreed that each of the trust funds would provide an update in the quarterly One NC Naturally newsletter (see below).

Hickory Nut Gorge

Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Nearly 3,000 acres will be placed into conservation at new and existing state parks and state natural areas, purchased with revenues from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

Hickory Nut Gorge State Park in Rutherford County- About $7.8 million of this year’s $19 million allocation will be used acquiring property for the newly authorized Hickory Nut Gorge State Park in Rutherford County. The Natural Heritage Trust Fund and the Clean Water Management Trust Fund have also pledged a combined $7.8 million for this project. The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy had held 588 acres of this property in conservation and an adjoining 980 acres held by The Nature Conservancy will be acquired in coming weeks. The so-called World’s Edge property is one of the top priorities for the New Parks for a New Century initiative of the Division of Parks and Recreation, since the area contains diverse natural resources of national significance. The rugged foothills land at the edge of the Piedmont offers important habitats for rare plants and animals, along with spectacular scenery, and shares a border with the private Chimney Rock Park near U.S. 64.

The Parks and Recreation Authority also earmarked funds for these projects:

Elk Knob State Natural Area in Ashe and Watauga counties- The latest acquisitions will be at The Peak, the highest mountain in Ashe County.

New River State Park in Ashe County- Several properties totaling about 300 acres will expand the Wagoner Road Access. The land will also provide connectivity to other state park lands.

Bullhead Mountain State Natural Area in Alleghany County- The state parks system is working with New River Community Partners to add 90 acres. The land is on a premier hawk migration route and overlooks the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Lake Waccamaw State Park in Columbus County- An acquisition of 23 acres will secure the conservation of the mouth of Big Creek and provide uninterrupted conservation lands from the state park to nearby state gamelands.

Natural Heritage Trust Fund
The North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund Board will meet on April 20 at Umstead State Park to review and make funding decisions on the Spring 2006 grant applications.

Established in 1987, the NHTF provides supplemental funding to select state agencies for the acquisition and protection of important natural areas, to preserve the state’s ecological diversity and cultural heritage, and to inventory the natural heritage resources of the state. The 12-member NHTF Board awards grants semi-annually, once in the fall and once in the spring. In the fall 2005, approximately $19 million in awards were granted to fund 16 projects, primarily expansion of state game lands, expansion of new or existing state parks, historic site preservation and establishment of rare plant conservation preserves.

The trust fund is supported by a portion (25 percent) of the state’s tax on real estate deed transfers and by a portion of the fees for personalized license plates. These sources now generate about $19 million each year. Since its creation, the trust fund has contributed more than $136 million through 343 grants to support the conservation of more than 217,000 acres. For more information, go to www.ncnhtf.org or call Lisa Riegel at (919) 715-8014.

North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund
The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund received $212 million in new applications for the first grant cycle of 2006, which closed on Dec. 1. The 134 applications come from across the state, with 45 percent representing acquisition efforts, 35 percent representing wastewater treatment improvement projects and 20 percent representing stormwater management projects. Local governments or local government agencies make up more than half of the grantees seeking funds in this cycle. CWMTF accepts grant requests twice a year, on June 1 and Dec. 1.

At its February meeting in Columbus County, CWMTF reviewed $31.3 million in grant requests for land acquisition projects to protect water quality. CWMTF trustees heard preliminary recommendations from the board's acquisitions committee on 40 funding requests, including two proposals deferred from previous grant cycles. Final decisions on funding for the projects will be made later this year, depending on the availability of funds as determined by the N.C. General Assembly.

The CWMTF was established in 1996 to help finance projects that enhance or restore degraded waters, protect unpolluted waters and/or contribute toward a network of riparian buffers and greenways for environmental, educational and recreational benefits. CWMTF estimates that more than $10.5 billion is needed to protect and restore water quality in North Carolina.