Conservation wins big in 2023 budget

Archived Opinion

Conservation wins big in 2023 budget

To the Editor:

The new 2023 state budget will pump more than $100 million annually into land and water conservation.

We all owe the General Assembly, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, and Gov. Cooper a big thank you.

North Carolina is growing fast, and this funding is absolutely essential to protect land and water for future generations. Increasing access to parks, trails, and greenways will help keep North Carolina a great place to live, work and play. Our natural resources are vital to many of the state’s most important industries, including agriculture, tourism, forestry and the military. In particular, this budget will help save many acres of working land in production by offering additional funding for our state’s farmers, ranchers, foresters and others who are stewarding their lands for the good of all.

The state’s three conservation trust funds, the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF), the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) and the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (ADFPTF), are essential tools that allow state agencies and nonprofit partners to protect North Carolina’s valuable natural resources. Our legislators made it clear that protecting our land and water is an essential part of being a North Carolinian.

As a statewide organization, the North Carolina Land for Tomorrow Coalition brings together community leaders, conservation and wildlife organizations, and parks and recreation advocates to increase land and water conservation in North Carolina. Each year, we work with legislators to protect and grow the conservation trust funds to ensure we all have the funds to keep our state beautiful and productive. I encourage you to learn more at land4tomorrow.org .