North Carolina's conservation trust funds are the most important tool the state has to protect clean air, water, and habitat for birds and people alike. The NC General Assembly has the opportunity to continue increasing and investing in these funds in the current budget. Not only will these funds protect the habitat birds need to nest, winter, and migrate through North Carolina—they will also preserve our state's natural and cultural heritage. Together we can protect family farmland, fishing ponds, gamelands, and county parks and greenspaces.
Act now and urge your North Carolina lawmakers to grow these important funds.
Dear Representative / Senator [Names will automatically be added]:
As a constituent and supporter of wildlife conservation I am writing to urge your support for increases to the conservation trust funds in the state budget. North Carolina is developing at a rapid rate. In fact, we're projected to lose over 1 million acres of farmland to development by 2040. We are second in the country, behind only Texas, when it comes to converting working lands to other uses.
Our greatest tool to prevent this loss is continuing to invest in conservation funding. These include the Land and Water Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. These funds allow us to protect vital water resources and natural areas, to expand public access to parks and recreational spaces, and to save our working farms and rural heritage.
Trust funds are also critical for wildlife. The Land and Water Fund alone has helped protect over 300,000 acres of important bird habitat across the state. This represents two-thirds of the land protected by the trust funds. Plus, places protected by trust funds are huge economic drivers, especially for local communities. Birdwatching and wildlife viewing alone are a $1 billion industry in North Carolina. Places like Grandfather Mountain and Jockey's Ridge State Park wouldn't exist without the funds.
I appreciate the General Assembly's past support for the trust funds and urge you to support increasing the funds in the current budget.
[Your comment here]
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
