Triangle, Charlotte
Regions Leading The State In Loss Of Forests, Farmlands
As the new home of NCPIRG's environmental work,
Environment North Carolina can be contacted with any questions regarding this
news release.
North Carolina’s forests,
farmlands, and open spaces are disappearing at a rapid pace, even in some rural
areas of the state, according to a new analysis by the North Carolina Public
Interest Research Group (NCPIRG). In the last 20 years, North Carolina lost
1.9 million acres of open space to development, and by 2022, the state is projected
to lose another 2.4 million acres. "Losing
our Natural Heritage: North Carolina’s Disappearing Open Spaces," shows
that more aggressive open space protection is needed to keep pace with the state’s
rapid development.
"North Carolina has more than its share of natural beauty," said Elizabeth Ouzts,
director of NCPIRG and one of the authors of the report. "But out-of-control
development is transforming our landscape, replacing the forests and farmland
we know and love with strip malls and big-box stores."
Between 1982 and 2002, North Carolina lost cropland and forestland at the rate
of 383 acres every day. Overall, developed land increased by nearly 2 million
acres, or 84 percent—twice the rate of population growth in the same period.
"Losing Our Natural Heritage" shows the Triangle and the Charlotte region leading
the state in most categories of development. In addition, the report shows that
in the last twenty years:
• The rural counties of the Mountain region lost 52 percent of their farmlands,
the highest estimate of percentage lost cropland among all regions.
• Increased percentages of developed land were highest in the regions of Greenville-Rocky
Mount, Asheville, Charlotte, the rural Mountains, and the Triangle.
• The Charlotte region lost 20 percent of its forestlands to development, the
highest estimated percentage of any region studied.
• The Triangle region’s developed land increased by 116 percent in the last
20 years, the highest estimated development rate in the state.
"North Carolina’s forests and farmlands are important to Tar Heels’ quality
of life, providing clean drinking water and recreational opportunities," said
Carole Lawler of the NC Travel and Tourism Coalition. "It makes good economic
sense to protect these areas from rapid development: they are critical to the
state’s travel and tourism industry, one of the state’s largest economic engines."
Using census projections and rates of development over the last 20 years, "Losing
Our Natural Heritage" also projects loss of open space between 2002 and 2022.
If current trends continue, developed land area will increase 55 percent, or
2.4 million acres, statewide. Regionally:
• The report estimates that the farmlands of the rural mountain counties and
in the Triangle will be completely developed in the next 20 years.
• The Charlotte region, the Triad, and the Morganton-Hickory area will lead
the state in loss of farmland.
• Charlotte, the Triangle, and the rural counties of the Piedmont will lead
the state in increases of developed land.
"According to this study’s estimates," said Ouzts, "if current development trends
continue in the mountains and in the Triangle, the only farmlands left to pave
will be in paradise."
Three years ago, in response to the state’s vanishing open spaces, the General
Assembly pledged to save 1 million acres of our open spaces by 2010. Lawmakers
designated four open space preservation programs to carry out their promise:
the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund,
the Natural Heritage Trust Fund, and the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. While
these programs have been successful, the state is behind on its progress to
save a million acres, with only 150,000 acres protected in the last three years.
Meanwhile, the recent budget crisis has threatened funding of the programs.
For fiscal year 2004, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund received a 38 percent
cut from its original allocation, while the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund
received no funds at all. With incoming revenue standing a chance to fall short
of projections, the temptation will be to cut these programs even further.
"North Carolina should redouble its efforts to protect forests and farmlands
to keep pace with the rapid pace of development," said D.G. Martin, Interim
Executive Director with the Triangle Land Conservancy. "If current trends continue,
we’ll have little farmland left here in the Triangle. We can and should save
these special places."
Even at full funding levels, existing land conservation programs are not enough
to reach the million acres goal. To do so, the programs need an additional $1.2
billion over the next seven years, or $176 million each year, according to the
Environmental Finance Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. A portion of this funding could
come from developer and realty fees, and would enable direct government purchases;
a small amount can come from tax incentives for private landowners to conserve
their land. Advocates urged the creation of a dedicated source of funding for
open space preservation to keep pace with the state’s rapid development.
"The state needs to increase funding for land protection to reach the million
acre goal and save the places we all love," said Reid Wilson, Executive Director
of the Conservation Trust for NC. "Otherwise, the state will change so dramatically
that before long, we will barely recognize the nature and character of North
Carolina as we drive across the state."
