Open Space Protection Programs
Federal protection programsWhen the count toward one million acres began in January 1999, the federal government held approximately two million acres of open space or 72 percent of the protected land in North Carolina. By January 2008, the federal agencies listed below acquired about 45,115 additional acres of open space. All of these newly protected acres count toward our 1 million acre goal.
State protection programsThe state of North Carolina held approximately 519,000 acres of permanently protected open space in December 1998. By January 2008, the state agencies listed below acquired 328,617 additional acres of open space. All of these newly protected acres count toward our 1 million acre goal. N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services N.C. Department of Cultural Resources N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Local government protection programsNorth Carolina has hundreds of county and municipal governments, many of which are working to protect open spaces important to their communities. Most of the land being protected at the local level is for parks and greenways. Watershed management, floodplain management and cultural preservation are other common reasons for local land protection efforts. By January 2008, local governments protected more than 27,474 acres of open space.
Private protection programsPrivate partners — local land trusts, national land trusts and other private conservation groups — are an essential part of the Million Acre Initiative. These private groups are working to protect a diversity of open space, including gamelands, water-quality buffers, wildlife habitat, farmland, historic sites and urban greenspaces. In addition to assisting state and federal partners with land acquisition, land trusts and other private groups had protected more than 188,478 acres of open space by January 2008. |
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