OPINION
Barring a dramatic turnaround, North Carolina isn't likely to meet its
ambitious goal of preserving by 2009 1 million acres of land from
residential and commercial development.
Since
its inception in 1999, the N.C. One Million Acre Initiative has
protected less than half that amount. That doesn't come even close to
matching the state's annual development rate of 100,000 acres.
While
the statewide totals are disappointing, there's been notable progress
locally. The $10 million that Guilford County voters approved two years
ago is being spent wisely to protect dwindling open space.
But
to get more bang for the buck, state and local initiatives need to be
better coordinated. Piggybacking money from state trusts, local funding
and conservation groups will make the task easier amid rising land
costs.
Mindful of the overall poor showing, the General Assembly
this session pumped some new life into the lagging conservation effort.
The
freshly approved state budget includes $8 million for the relatively
new Farmland Preservation Trust. In our area, funds from the trust
already have been used to buy land for parks and walking trails.
Yet,
while not insignificant, that amount only scratches the surface. An
all-encompassing statewide conservation program could cost upwards of
$1 billion and require referendum approval to issue bonds.
Voters,
for the most part, look kindly on conservation initiatives, but the
staggering cost may raise doubts. Other possibilities, such as higher
water-use fees or a hotel-motel occupancy tax that single out property
owners and tourists, rightly have elicited little support.
So,
until the funding dilemma is resolved, conservationists must make do
with fewer-than-optimum dollars. Making those funds go further depends
on wise expenditures and better teamwork among worthy existing programs.
Developing
land and protecting it aren't mutually exclusive. With sufficient
long-range planning, acreage can be preserved so that it is compatible
with acceptable growth.
One alternative worth pursuing is
conservation easements. Farmland, for example, can continue in use with
the understanding it eventually will be set aside. Elaborate rules
protect against misusing easements to obstruct worthwhile projects that
create jobs and enhance communities.
Development is inevitable,
but safeguards must be in place to protect the environment. Because
land is a finite resource, we must use it wisely. It's going to be
expensive, but the state must act now to ensure that future generations
have room to live and grow.
