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The Nature Conservancy Transfers 30,309 Acres to State
Former timber lands in Eastern NC to be added to Game Lands, State Parks

DURHAM, NC —July 2, 2007—The Nature Conservancy today announced the sale of 30,309 acres to the state of North Carolina. The properties went to two state agencies: the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and the Division of Parks and Recreation. 

The majority of the land, 28,802 acres, is in Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, Bertie, Warren, Franklin and Nash counties and will be added to the state’s Game Lands program. The remaining 1,507 acres will be an addition to Medoc Mountain State Park.

“The lands are in priority conservation areas where The Nature Conservancy and the state have worked for many years. Many connect to previously protected lands, so this purchase creates protected corridors for wildlife and provides exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities for the people of North Carolina,” said Fred Annand, the Conservancy’s Associate Director.

Located along the Roanoke River, the Chowan River and within the Tar River watershed, the properties include biologically significant forest, wetland and riverside habitats.

• The Roanoke River is a large alluvial river that provides habitat for federally- and state-listed animals and plants, including the American alligator and short-nosed sturgeon, as well as numerous bird species.
• The Chowan River provides refuge for sizeable populations of black bear and bobcat, and features some of the most extensive cypress-tupelo forests remaining in the state. 
• The Tar River watershed includes one of the most important rivers on the East Coast, and its waters are home to many endangered mussels as well as to fish, salamanders and other species.

This transaction represents one phase in one of the largest land protection transactions in North Carolina’s history: In March 2006, The Nature Conservancy purchased approximately 76,500 acres in 11 counties from International Paper. Now the Conservancy has begun the process of selling those properties to the state of North Carolina, which will open the lands to the public while permanently protecting them.

Funding for this transaction came from the state’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund and Natural Heritage Trust Fund and from the Wildlife Resources Commission.

This project is also significant because it highlights a growing trend across North America: the divestiture of large timberland holdings by commercial forest products companies and the conversion of forest lands to other uses.

“North Carolina’s forests provide cleaner air, reduce damages from flooding and provide habitat for wildlife. Forests are also a critical part of our economy. Nearly 1.9 million people hunt or fish here each year, spending more than $2 billion annually,” said Katherine Skinner, the Conservancy’s Executive Director. “State agencies and private conservation organizations have a small window of opportunity to protect those lands for nature and for people.”

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The North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and its 26,000 members have protected nearly 700,000 acres in the Tar Heel state. Its mission is to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. For more information, contact the NC Chapter office at 919/403-8558 or visit us on the web at nature.org/northcarolina.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

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