Chapter 6 Conservation Goals and Priorities
resources and opportunities. This greatly increases the capacity for environmental education in North Carolina and allows sharing of grants, resources, and job opportunities with the people of the state. 6.5.4 NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) mission is to provide services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness and forests; protect consumers and businesses; and conserve farmland and natural resources for the prosperity of all North Carolinians. Recognizing that farmland is valuable working land, the NCDA&CS provides numerous programs such as conservation easements, agricultural growth zones and voluntary agricultural districts, to preserve farmland that might otherwise be used for urban and residential development. The divisions and programs that the NCWRC works collaboratively with are described in the following sections. 6.5.4.1 NC Forest Service (NCFS) The North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) mission is to protect, manage, and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina. The NCFS accomplishes its mission through the management of existing resources, development and creation of new and better forests, and protection of these valuable resources. The NCFS is directly involved with forest management assistance to private landowners, reforestation services, forest fire prevention and suppression, and insect- and disease-control programs. The NCFS Forest Action Plan is a strategic plan that defines the goals and objectives that guide the agency’s efforts in meeting its mission. It is a complementary plan to the SWAP. The NCFS is also involved in the operation of tree seedling nurseries, long-range forestry planning and technical development, water quality controls, urban forestry assistance, training and support to volunteer fire departments, and forestry education. The primary emphasis in conducting the programs under these objectives is directed at the 664,000 forest landowners who collectively own nearly 70% of more than 16 million acres of the state’s privately owned forest land. 6.5.4.2 Plant Conservation Program (PCP) The mission of the Plant Conservation Program (PCP) is to conserve the native plant species of North Carolina in their natural habitats, now and for future generations. To accomplish its mission, the PCP develops regulations, voluntary programs, and cooperative partnerships to help protect imperiled species and their habitats. The PCP’s responsibilities include maintaining the list of imperiled species and the development of conservation programs to protect these species permanently. The PCP’s conservation goal is to ensure protection of the two best populations of each of the more than 400 imperiled species where they naturally occur. To meet this goal, the program has determined that there are 134 of the best imperiled-plant locations (about 51,000 acres) in need of protection. An additional 120 locations (about 245,000 acres) are partially protected
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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