| Frequently Asked Questions
- What
is Land for Tomorrow?
-
Who created Land for Tomorrow?
-
Who
funds Land for Tomorrow?
-
What
is the goal for Land for Tomorrow?
-
Why a
million acres and why now?
-
How
much money would be needed?
-
How
would that money be spent?
-
How
will the state pay for the conservation projects described in the Land for
Tomorrow plan?
-
Why is
protecting and preserving critical land important?
-
Doesn’t
the state already have programs underway to protect these properties?
-
Will
this help the economy?
-
What
does losing more than 100,000 acres each year mean for
North Carolinians
?
-
Why is
preserving and protecting the goodliest land a good investment for
North Carolina
’s future?
1. What
is Land for Tomorrow?
Land
for Tomorrow is a commitment to preserve and protect
North
Carolina
’s critical land and historic
places. Backed by a diverse partnership
of businesses, preservationists, farmers, environmental groups, health
professionals and community groups, Land for Tomorrow is
North
Carolina
’s best chance to ensure that
future generations continue to enjoy the benefits of the goodliest land.
2. Who
created Land for Tomorrow?
The
founding nonprofit partners of the organization are American Farmland Trust,
The Conservation Fund, Conservation Trust for
North
Carolina
, Land Loss Prevention Project,
North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, NC Community Development
Initiative, NC Public Interest Group, NC Recreation and Park Association,
Preservation NC and The Trust for
Public
Land
. View a complete list of partners, or find out how to become a partner.
3. Who
funds Land for Tomorrow?
Funders
include Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Blumenthal Foundation, Cemala Foundation,
Marion Stedman Covington Foundation, Crosland Inc., Educational Foundation of
America, Hillsdale Fund and individual donors. View a complete list of donors.
4. What
is the goal for Land for Tomorrow?
The
goal is to increase public awareness for the need to protect additional land
and historic places that are critical to the economic well being and quality of
life in
North Carolina
. Through public education, Land for Tomorrow
wants to help the state reach its goal of conserving a million acres, and
ensure that the goodliest land will be there to provide clean air and drinking
water, strengthen our communities, promote job growth and enhance the quality
of life for generations to come.
5. Why a
million acres and why now?
The
North Carolina General Assembly has said it wants to preserve a million acres
of the goodliest land.
North
Carolina
has one of the fastest growing
populations in the country. It is
now the 10th most populated state.
That population growth is putting pressure on
these important natural and economic resources.
Each
year
North Carolina
loses
100,000 acres to population pressures.
Timber companies are selling large tracts of land. The break-up of the tobacco industry is
forcing many farmers to make tough choices about farming or selling their
land. For the first time since the
1930s, forest acreage is down, and according to the latest survey,
North
Carolina
now leads the country in the
loss of farms
.
Once
those acres are lost, they are gone forever.
There are no second chances.
There is some funding in place, but nowhere near the amount we need to
keep up. Every year it becomes harder
and more expensive to protect the state’s special places. We must act now.
6. How
much money would be needed?
Saving
the
Goodliest
Land
recommends that the state spend an additional $1 billion over five
years on conservation projects.
7. How
would that money be spent?
The
money would be spent to protect nine different land types. These include:
- Stream
banks and floodplains
- Working
farms
- Working
forests
- Urban
forests
- Local
parks and recreation
- State
parks
- Game
lands
- Historic
places
- Land
visible from scenic highways
For
farmland and forests, the money would primarily be spent on conservation
agreements. The landowners agree to
continue their existing use of the property rather than develop it and they are
paid for the value of agreeing to those restrictions. For parks and game lands, the money would be
used to purchase property. For stream
banks and natural areas, the money may be used for a combination of agreements
and purchases.
8. How
will the state pay for the conservation projects described in the Land for
Tomorrow plan?
When the legislature adjorned in July 2006, time officially ran out for proposed legislation that would have put a $1 billion statewide land and water conservation bond referendum on the ballot this fall. Until that point, it was believed that the most likely source of funds would be a bond that would
be authorized by the General Assembly and require approval by the public in a
statewide referendum.
Currently
North
Carolina
uses appropriations and fees to pay for land
and water conservation projects. Other states have used a variety of sources to
pay for land and historical conservation.
9. Why is
protecting and preserving critical land important?
Protecting
and preserving critical land provides for the following:
- Protecting
drinking water quality
- Farming
and forests
- Hunting
and fishing
- Exercise
and enjoyment
- Health
and safety
- Historic,
ecological and economic value
- Preserving
our heritage
- Strengthening
our communities
- Jobs
and a healthy environment
10. Doesn’t
the state already have programs underway to protect these properties?
In
the 1980s and ‘90s the state created the Clean Water Management Trust Fund,
Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, Natural Heritage Trust Fund and Parks and
Recreation Trust Fund to conserve these types of properties. There have been significant successes in
every county in
North Carolina
. But the funding has been insufficient.
.
11. Will
this help the economy?
Land
for Tomorrow is not only about land conservation. It is also about job conservation.
North
Carolina
’s economy is dependent upon clean
drinking water. Jobs in rural areas are
increasingly dependent upon tourism generated by scenic beauty, historic places
and quality outdoor recreational opportunities.
Land conservation will help families to continue working in forestry and
farming. Experience shows the types of
properties to be protected are important for attracting and keeping knowledge
workers.
12. What
does losing more than 100,000 acres each year mean for
North Carolinians?
Our
state is losing its goodliest land – the special places that are the
heritage
and foundation of our great state. We
are losing working farms and forests.
Land that could become greenways and parks. Land that protects
our drinking water. Historic places. Land that strengthens
our communities and our
economy. We need land for our growing
population, but critical places must be protected for all of
us.
13. Why is
preserving and protecting the goodliest land a good investment for
North Carolina’s future?
Land
for Tomorrow is about investing in land now, for future generations. It’s about protecting land and drinking water
from damage that will harm our health and our quality of life. It’s about a
North
Carolina
that will continue to create jobs
by being a healthy and attractive place for business. It’s about preserving historic places and the
land that borders our state’s major military bases. It’s about fulfilling the true promise of the
goodliest land. | |
