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5 <br />r<1{ n.'~ "cry r' ~; _:~ ~ ~ <br />-.~ - ~„ <br />-. <br />h" x <br />~-,,` - ~ <br />'~ ~~ ~ <br />,,~ <br />,.~-~ <br />~~ <br />Over the first 10 years of Lands Legacy, Orange <br />County acquired land for seven new parks, <br />preserved all or portions of 12 active farms <br />(1,275 acres), and conserved 540 acres of <br />natural open space in the Eno River, Cane <br />Creek, Little River, and New Hope Creek <br />watersheds upstream of public water supply <br />intakes. In all cases, projects were chosen to <br />address multiple public interests. A list of <br />completed projects is attached. <br />An evolving focus for the program <br />During the first few years of the program, Lands Legacy focused on parkland acquisition to <br />address the County's shortage of public parks, a finding of the 1999 Joint Master Recreation and <br />Parks report. The County (for the first time) applied for State conservation trust funds and was <br />awarded grants for parkland acquisition. The program then shifted its focus to farmland <br />preservation, responding to farmer interests and federal matching funds for purchasing <br />conservation easements. Through Lands Legacy, 9 farms granted easements that guarantee over <br />1,200 acres of prime farmland will remain available for agricultural use. Easements on two other <br />farms (320 acres) will be completed in FY 2010-11. <br />More recently, the program has worked to conserve open space and greenway trail corridors <br />along rivers and streams-thereby helping to protect our public water supplies and securing new <br />areas for low-impact recreation. That shift in emphasis helps to implement the BOCC's 2009 <br />priority goal of protecting significant natural areas and wildlife habitat. The current economic <br />downturn has also enabled staff slow down acquisition to focus on the stewardship of the <br />properties acquired over the past decade, and in doing so, to help "recalibrate" the goals and <br />objectives of the program. <br />Why is it still important <br />to conserve land? <br />Through Lands Legacy, <br />Orange County has made long- <br />term investments in preserving <br />its precious natural and cultural <br />heritage-part of the county's <br />foundation for future economic <br />development and quality of <br />life. With the Triangle Region <br />expecting another 900,000 <br />residents by 20201, and two <br />interstate highways running <br />through the county's <br />midsection, the protection of these assets will reap countless benefits in the future. <br />Those assets <br />1 By 2020 the Triangle Region's population is expected to increase from the current 1.5 million to 2.4 million people <br />(Source: Research Triangle Regional Partnership, 2010) <br />2 <br />