When DuPont State Recreational Forest opened to the public in 1995, it included a system of trails, roads, and facilities that were not designed for the level of visitation it experiences today. Now, more than 1 million people from across the country visit DuPont Forest each year. 

“We believe the best way to protect the Forest is to plan for its future, and that is why we have long advocated for a Master Recreation Plan,” says Sara Landry, Executive Director of Friends of DuPont Forest. “We are incredibly excited to have both counties so invested in our public lands.”

The grants will supplement $750,000 allocated to the North Carolina Forest Service by the General Assembly in late 2021. That legislation included $200,000 to develop a Master Recreation Plan. The General Assembly allocated an additional $550,000 for implementing the plan once it has been developed. 

The Forest Service has hired Mattern & Craig, which will collaborate with IBI Consulting, C2 Recreation Consultants and Terra Incognito Trail Consultants to develop the plan. The company will use research, public involvement and direct observation to inform the recommendations that it puts forth. Master recreation plans typically make recommendations for future trail system management and other measures aimed at protecting forest resources and natural communities and improving the experience of current and future visitors.