Chapter 2 The Need for Conservation
2.3.2 Protecting Land Despite increased land development and population growth, North Carolina has made tremendous progress in protecting valuable and vulnerable watersheds, wildlife habitats, and working landscapes over the past decade. Thanks to a concerted effort by state and local governments, nonprofit groups, land trusts, agricultural organizations, and dedicated citizens across the state, North Carolina has ensured that hundreds of thousands of acres will endure for future generations. In 2000, then Governor James Hunt, Jr. committed to conserving 1 million additional acres of land by 2010, aiming to have 3.8 million acres conserved. Between 1999 and 2009, more than 680,000 acres of land were permanently protected in North Carolina, increasing North Carolina's stock of protected land in the state by 24%. Between 2009 and 2011, an average of 29,580 additional acres per year were protected. In 2007, there were more than 164,000 acres of farmland in conservation or wetland reserve programs. By the end of 2020, 3.8 million acres of land was conserved in the state, meeting the goal of an additional million acres set by Governor Hunt (Roe 2021) . Beginning in 2021, the state’s Land and Water Fund budget increased by $49.5 million. From July 2020 to July 2024, 150,396 new acres of land were conserved statewide, bringing the total acreage of land and water protected in North Carolina up to 4,349,267, equaling 12.8% of the state (Warnell 2020) . In early 2024, then-Governor Roy Cooper committed to conserving an additional 1 million acres by 2040 (Executive Order 305). As reported by the Governor’s office, EO305 is the most significant executive action to protect the state’s ecosystems since Governor Jim Hunt launched the “Million Acre Initiative” in 1999 and sets the most ambitious environmental conservation and restoration targets in the state’s history (NCOG 2024) . To meet the EO305 goal of protecting 1 million new acres by 2040, the statewide rate of protection will need to increase by 35% per year. EO305 was developed based on years of public engagement and seeks to implement transformative recommendations from the 2020 North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan and other existing efforts (NCOG 2024) . 2.3.3 Protecting Endangered Ecosystems Forest ecosystems that support numerous species and essential ecological processes have high ecological value that might be compromised when the forest is impacted by stressors. The concept of “endangered” forests is based on concerns that continuing losses and impacts from stressors such as land-use changes, invasive species, climate change, and industrial forestry practices will make it increasingly difficult to retain biodiversity in forest ecosystems. These systems may require protection from stressors that threaten their ability to function as complete and natural ecological communities (Forest Ethics et al. 2006) .
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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