Summit on Working Lands Conservation

Cathy Akroyd, PIO,
N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation

The Summit on Working Lands Conservation, centerpiece of the 60th annual meeting of the North Carolina Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, brought a statewide spotlight to issues related to conservation on North Carolina's privately owned working lands and began to put mechanisms and plans in place to promote growth of this crucial component of conservation. In organizing and hosting the January 4-6 summit, the association sought to place greater emphasis on voluntary, incentive-based conservation on the working landscape, and to introduce soil and water conservation districts to new partners actively engaged in partnerships with private landowners.

The Summit focused on three primary topics:

1. Why is it important to conserve and protect our privately-owned working lands, and how do private working lands fit into the overall natural resource conservation picture as compared to public land acquisition and regulatory programs?
   
2. What tools are now in use or available to districts and others in working with private landowners to improve stewardship of their land?
   
3. What new tools are needed to build a better conservation tool box to help improve partnerships with private landowners and land managers?
   

The agenda for the Summit on Working Lands Conservation included components designed to approach the issues in layers, with information, inspiration and helpful examples woven throughout the program. The program, held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham, began with two videos - one focused on young farmers and the other on concepts and statistics associated with the One North Carolina Naturally initiative - and proceeded with a three-part presentation on Working Lands Conservation.

"The Value of Protecting Private Working Lands" featured Ralph Grossi, president of the American Farmland Trust, and Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund, and set the stage for the summit with an examination of trends and an emphasis on working lands conservation across the United States. Their long-range visions for national, state and local conservation opportunities were illustrated through historical perspectives, surveys, and direct experience. They captivated the audience with inspirational "big picture" perspectives and calls to action, pointing out the timeliness of North Carolina's working lands initiative.

The "Today's Conservation Tool Box" segment illustrated ways in which conservation professionals can better assist landowners to be the best possible stewards of their land, using tools that are now available (in addition to or in conjunction with traditional Farm Bill programs that are well-known to soil and water conservation districts). A panel exemplifying current partnerships gave individualized, local perspectives on what is happening in working lands conservation in North Carolina. Featured topics included farmland preservation, voluntary agricultural districts, working forest conservation, and wildlife management and conservation. These examples highlighted the critical role played by the private landowner and land manager, and described how landowner needs and objectives were met as part of the conservation process.

Part Three, "Building the Conservation Tool Box of the Future," included a lively panel discussion on possibilities and challenges related to the future of working lands conservation in North Carolina. The panel discussion was preceded by Ross Korves' (Senior Economist, American Farm Bureau) presentation on the factors that influence decisions made by working landowners and how new partnerships must be based on an improved understanding of and appreciation for landowner needs and objectives. Panelists then discussed a series of topics and questions to illustrate the need for new tools and for progress in critical areas. The panel highlighted the need for innovative ideas to better recognize and respond to landowner objectives, and identified areas where future progress can be made.

As a follow-up to the Summit on Working Lands Conservation, the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation and the N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts will seek funding to plan and facilitate local workshops through districts and their respective county commissions to develop local strategies for conservation working lands.

A videotape of summit proceedings and a bulleted list of speaker comment highlights are available from the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation upon request.