Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
01 233 <br />Chapter 6: Natural and Cultural Systems Element <br />impact recreation purposes. The County encourages private <br />preservation of open space areas through education and outreach. <br />LANDS LEGACY PROGRAM <br />In 2000 Orange County accelerated the pace of conservation by <br />establishing the Lands Legacy program -- the first comprehensive <br />county land conservation program in North Carolina. Lands Legacy was <br />the first focus of the new Environment and Resource Conservation <br />Department, a department established in 1998 to make environmental <br />protection a separate function of county government. Through Lands <br />Legacy the County collaborates with local land trusts, OWASA, area <br />universities, and other partners to protect some of the County's most <br />important natural and cultural resources before they are lost or <br />irreparably damaged. The types of land protected include natural areas <br />and wildlife habitat, parkland, prime farmland, historic and cultural <br />sites, and stream buffers. The County also works with its advisory <br />boards to help guide its acquisition priorities and sets those priorities <br />every two years through the adoption of the Lands Legacy Action Plan. <br />To date, Lands Legacy has protected nearly 2,300 acres, as described <br />in Table 6 -3. <br />TABLE 6 -3: LAND PROTECTED THROUGH LANDS LEGACY PROGRAM <br />(2007) <br />Fee Simple <br />Acquisitions <br />Acres <br />- Parkland <br />670 <br />- Natural lands /Other <br />307 <br />977 acres <br />Conservation <br />Easements <br />(privately -owned <br />lands) <br />-Prime farmland <br />1,088 <br />- Natural areas <br />210 <br />1,298 acres <br />Total Protected Land <br />2,275 acres <br />CURRENT ESTIMATES OF PROTECTED LAND <br />The County's Environment and Resource Conservation Department <br />(ERCD) maintains a comprehensive database of protected lands <br />throughout the County, including public parkland, nature preserves, <br />and other public and private open space dedicated for conservation. <br />The data includes conservation easements held by local land trusts, <br />OWASA, Orange County and several other entities. <br />Ora tge,County Cc mprehns,wve la V Page 6 -64 <br />