Chatham County Conservation Plan Release Event

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In: 27312, Environment, Pittsboro
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Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:27:36 -0400
From: Amanda Sand
Subject: Chatham County Conservation Plan Release Event

Chatham Conservation Partnership to release conservation plan for Chatham County

Pittsboro, NC – Members of the Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP), local leaders and citizens will gather Thursday, July 21 at 4:30 p.m. at the Chatham County Community Library on the CCCC Pittsboro Campus to release the Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Chatham County. A short presentation celebrating the completion of the plan and those involved in its development will be followed by a reception catered by the Natural Chef Program.  RSVP to Leigh Ann Hammerbacher at or 919-833-3662 ext. 101.

Over the past two years, the CCP has worked to create the Comprehensive Conservation Plan, an innovative tool to help with natural resource protection, planning, management and development decisions in Chatham County. This is the first county-based comprehensive conservation plan in North Carolina.

The Comprehensive Conservation Plan assesses the state of natural resources in the county. It also prioritizes important natural resources based on their conservation value. The primary resources considered in the Plan include biodiversity/wildlife habitat, water resources, recreation and working lands (farmland and forestry).

The partnership consists of county citizens, farmers, business-owners and developers, as well as representatives of conservation groups, educational institutions, county agencies, state agencies and federal agencies.

Numerous conservation agencies have identified Chatham County as a high priority area for conservation efforts. Chatham’s four major water bodies—the Haw, Deep and Rocky rivers and Jordan Lake—rank among the highest priority watersheds for aquatic wildlife conservation throughout the entire state and are important drinking water and recreational resources for local communities.

Working lands—active farms and managed forests—are an equally important natural resource in Chatham County. Working lands make up 41 percent of the county’s land use, and in 2000 accounted for 38.8 percent of the county’s total income and 33 percent of the county’s total employment.

Find out more at http://chathamconservation.wikispaces.com/Comprehensive+Conservation+Plan.

Triangle Land Conservancy is a private, nonprofit group that conserves important open space—stream corridors, forests, wildlife habitat, farmland and natural areas—to help keep the Triangle region a healthy and vibrant place to live and work.

TLC’s protected sites in Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham, Johnston, and Lee counties encompass more than 14,600 acres, including four nature preserves open to visitors year-round and a canoe access area. TLC’s work provides four essential benefits to the people of the Triangle region: Wildlife Habitat, Local Farms & Food, Clean Water, and Places to Connect with Nature.  TLC is primarily funded by individual contributions and memberships, plus grants from foundations, state government and corporations.
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Amanda Egdorf-Sand
Chatham County Soil & Water
Soil Conservation Specialist
919-542-8240