2.3 Natural Resources Changes
2.3.1 Land Cover and Land Use Changes Te forests, wetlands, farms and other natural communities that cover the land contrib- ute to the health of our ecosystems, the state’s economic prosperity, and the quality of life of North Carolina’s citizens. However, rapid residential and commercial development in many areas of the state over the last several decades has resulted in the change of millions of acres of important land cover and land uses (Dutzik, Schneider 2012) . According to the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (2014), the state has led the nation in the loss of farmland, posing a threat to the estimated $78 billion (including $6 billion from forestry) per year contribution that agriculture provides to the state’s economy. From 2010 to 2011, North Carolina lost 1,000 to 100,000 acres of farmland to development and continues to lose about 55 acres of farmland per day. At present, there are more than 9 mil- lion acres of farmland in North Carolina (CTNC 2014) . Te recreation side of wildlife and habitat conservation also has a huge positive impact on the state’s economy. More than $3.3 billion dollars were added to state and local cofers in 2011 alone, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation in North Carolina (USFWS and USCB 2011) . In spite of increased land development and population, North Carolina has made tremen- dous progress in protecting our most valuable and vulnerable watersheds, wildlife habitat, and working landscapes over the past decade. Tanks to a concerted efort by state and local governments, nonproft groups, land trusts, agricultural organizations, and dedi- cated citizens across the state, North Carolina has ensured that hundreds of thousands of acres will endure for future generations. Between 1999 and 2009, more than 680,000 acres of land were permanently protected in North Carolina, increasing protected land in North Carolina by 24%. Between 2009 and 2011, an average of 29,580 additional acres per year was protected. In 2007, there were more than 164,000 acres of farmland in conservation or wetland reserve programs. But by 2012, that number had dropped to 106,000 acres. Te economic downturn beginning in 2011 brought a dramatic drop in land conservation in the state. Te depressed housing market lowered land prices, making land conservation more afordable, but brought with it rising unemployment, pressure on government budgets, and cutbacks to conservation funding. Te same economic pressures afecting the state government also afected many individuals and organizations engaged in land conservation. Landowners, local govern- ments, and nonproft organizations decreased conservation investments. Figure 2.2 uses NRI data to compare land ownership changes from 1997 to 2010. A similar comparison was presented in the 2005 WAP (NCWAP 2005) . Of note is the 3% increase in acres of nonfederal developed land over this 13-year period in North Carolina.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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