 |
CONSERVATION TRUST FOR NORTH CAROLINA |
Conservation Trust for North Carolina Electronic Newsletter Drinking Water Protection Advances Falls Lake Initiative Receives $1 Million Commitment from Raleigh to Protect Land in Watershed On June 20 the Raleigh City Council committed $500,000 in 2005-06, and another $500,000 in 2006-07 to support the work of the Falls Lake Initiative. The Falls Lake Initiative is a collaborative effort to target and expand land protection in the Falls Lake watershed to preserve the lake’s water quality. The lake provides drinking water for 350,000 residents of Raleigh and surrounding towns, and is a recreational destination for almost a million people per year. Growth and development pressures have begun to create water quality and aquatic habitat degradation in the lake. Land conservation in the watershed is a cost-effective way of preventing run-off pollution and sedimentation in Falls Lake, and is less expensive than costly cleanup technologies once water supplies are contaminated. Raleigh’s financial commitment will support the Initiative’s three phases: creation of a comprehensive conservation plan; outreach to landowners, local government officials, and the general public; and accelerated direct land protection through the donation or purchase of land or lasting conservation agreements on properties. The Conservation Trust for North Carolina is one of the partners in the Initiative and is administering the project. Other partners include four local land trusts: the Eno River Association, Tar River Land Conservancy, Triangle Greenways Council, and Triangle Land Conservancy; two national conservation organizations, the Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy; two local government associations, the Triangle J Council of Governments and the Upper Neuse River Basin Association; and the Neuse River Foundation. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said, “Land conservation in the Falls Lake watershed will prevent pollution and allow us to protect our drinking water supply and opportunities for recreation at less taxpayer expense than cleaning up polluted water." Donate Now to support our efforts to keep Falls Lake drinking water clean. *************** Conservation Trust for North Carolina
To stop receiving our electronic newsletter, click unsubscribe and type unsubscribe in subject line. |