| Natural and Cultural Heritage $295 million over five years
 The mission of the Natural Heritage Trust Fund is to protect the state’s ecological diversity and cultural heritage and inventory the natural resources of the state. Its focus has been on the protection of natural heritage inventory sites, and on historic buildings and archeological sites. This trust fund also conducts inventories of natural heritage sites. Land for Tomorrow proposes that this trust fund's mission expand to include rehabilitation and repair of historic properties routinely open to the public; restoration of natural heritage sites (e.g., prescribed burning, removal of exotics); and inventories of historic buildings and archeological sites. Land for Tomorrow also recommends that State agencies, local governments and nonprofit organizations be eligible for grants. Land for Tomorrow recommends that the governance of this board remain as is, and that the trust fund work with the State Historic Preservation Office in the NC Department of Cultural Resources to evaluate and monitor historic rehabilitation projects and historic building inventories. The funding level for FY 2005-2006 was $16 million per year, and Land for Tomorrow recommends giving this trust fund an additional $59 million per year. Find out how money from North Carolina's Natural Heritage Trust Fund was spent in your county. |
