Loss of Natural Areas
The loss of natural areas – including forestland and wildlife habitat – and the role of land conservation;                        Â
o Development activities on steep slopes and along mountain ridges have increased substantially in both numbers and size during recent years in the mountains of western North Carolina. A recently published report indicates that developed land in the mountains has increased by 44 percent over the last 20 years and estimates that the mountain region will lose an additional 22 percent of open space during the next 20 years.
o Privately-owned working forests are being converted to development in western North Carolina. This phenomenon is contributing to a reduction of the economic viability of the timber industry and a loss of jobs associated with timber management and harvesting.
o Increasing pressure from suburbanization of remote areas will create a variety of problems for wildlife and their habitat. Human encounters with animals (especially bears) also will become more frequent as the landscape becomes less “wild.â€
o Each county should establish a Land Conservation Fund to create a funding source for state/federal grant match money to protect highly valued natural resources/open space and to provide recreational opportunities for their residents and visitors (LC-3). Buncombe County has a Land Conservation Advisory Committee and has provided approximately $3.8 million in funding for land conservation projects in the last two years.
o The General Assembly should appoint a study committee to conduct research and review of changes to property tax law in order to provide relief to landowners interested in conserving their land (LC-6).
o Encourage adequate on-going state funding for the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund, the Agricultural Development and Farmland Protection Trust Fund and the NC Natural Heritage Trust Fund (LC-7).
o Local governments should adopt land use policies that incorporate environmental protections and conservation design principles while giving incentives to developers whose plans are outstanding examples of environmental sensitivity (LC-8).
o Development activities on steep slopes and along mountain ridges have increased substantially in both numbers and size during recent years in the mountains of western North Carolina. A recently published report indicates that developed land in the mountains has increased by 44 percent over the last 20 years and estimates that the mountain region will lose an additional 22 percent of open space during the next 20 years.
o Privately-owned working forests are being converted to development in western North Carolina. This phenomenon is contributing to a reduction of the economic viability of the timber industry and a loss of jobs associated with timber management and harvesting.
o Increasing pressure from suburbanization of remote areas will create a variety of problems for wildlife and their habitat. Human encounters with animals (especially bears) also will become more frequent as the landscape becomes less “wild.â€o Each county should establish a Land Conservation Fund to create a funding source for state/federal grant match money to protect highly valued natural resources/open space and to provide recreational opportunities for their residents and visitors (LC-3). Buncombe County has a Land Conservation Advisory Committee and has provided approximately $3.8 million in funding for land conservation projects in the last two years.
o The General Assembly should appoint a study committee to conduct research and review of changes to property tax law in order to provide relief to landowners interested in conserving their land (LC-6).
o Encourage adequate on-going state funding for the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund, the Agricultural Development and Farmland Protection Trust Fund and the NC Natural Heritage Trust Fund (LC-7).
o Local governments should adopt land use policies that incorporate environmental protections and conservation design principles while giving incentives to developers whose plans are outstanding examples of environmental sensitivity (LC-8).