Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Bill and Nancy Stanback, Cemala Foundation, Marion Stedman Covington Foundation, Educational Foundation of America, Foundation for the Carolinas and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Foundation, Amy Grissom and David Cohen and Ruth Ann Grissom, Robert Wilson Challenge Fund, and others. View a complete list of supporters.

Make a donation.

The Land & Water Conservation Commission's Second Meeting, continued...

The Commission heard from Dr. Denise Barnes, a Durham Land for Tomorrow County Committee Co-Chair, about the importance of this initiative to citizens of Durham. The Durham group independently created a video that featured Durhamites who feel this initiative is critical now. Contact Land for Tomorrow if you would like a DVD of this short program.

At the request of commission members who wanted to hear more about the Federal farmland preservation funds available with a state match, USDA’s Dick Fowler spoke. He said that the majority of matching funds come from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Because this particular trust fund can only fund protection of land along rivers and streams, many important land areas have not been eligible. Fowler added that we would probably have more federal money, and we would definitely have more success at working land preservation if there were a reliable, coordinated financial commitment from the state dedicated to farmland.

The Commission’s additional questions regarding the relationships between land conservancies and the trust funds were answered by Kate Dixon, Land for Tomorrow’s director. View notes from Dixon’s presentation (pdf, 1.6 MB).

Will Abberger from the Trust for Public Land answered that $6.4 billion was raised nationwide for conservation this year through bond referenda. The two bond referenda in North Carolina in 2006 passed with more than 60% of the vote. Abberger also provided details on how state funds can leverage federal, local, and private dollars. View notes from Abberger’s presentation (pdf, 1.5 MB).

As the presentations wrapped up, co-chair Senator Charlie Albertson asked for each Commission member’s thoughts on the available funding opportunities. Based on the discussion, legislative staff will return to the November 28 meeting with more information on the issuance of revenue or general obligation bonds, and revenue sources.

All of the Land & Water Conservation Commission meetings are open to the public. The next meeting is at the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh on Tuesday, November 28 at 9:00 am.

Come out and show support for Land for Tomorrow's efforts to increase funding for the conservation trust funds and economic development related to natural and cultural resource protection. Plan on attending the regional meetings that will be held on evenings in January.

• Thursday, January 4 in Asheville
• Monday, January 8 in Greenville
• Wednesday, January 10 in Greensboro

The location for these meetings is to be determined. For more information, visit Land for Tomorrow’s Commission webpage.

• Raleigh News & Observer, Letter to the Editor, "Land for Water" by Sig Hutchinson -- November 15, 2006.
  
• Highlander (Macon County), Article, "General Assembly Candidates Address Voters" by Melanie Lebert -- October 20, 2006.
  
• Pamlico News, Article, "Cut Water Line Brings Change" -- October 18, 2006
  
• Times-Leader (Pitt County), Letter to the Editor, by Kathy McLawhorn -- October 18, 2006.