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157 <br /> BACKGROUND INFORMATION <br /> Financing and Sponsoring a County or Regional Natural Areas Inventory <br /> Directed and Supervised by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program <br /> North Carolina Natural Heritage Program <br /> Division of Parks and Recreation <br /> North Carolina Department of Natural Resources <br /> and Community Development <br /> Post Office Box 27687 <br /> Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 <br /> (919) 733-7701 <br /> PURPOSE: Natural areas inventories are needed in all counties of North <br /> Carolina. A natural areas survey will provide advance identification of <br /> potential park lands, "greenspace", and areas of environmental sensitivity. <br /> A natural areas inventory will aid county planners and administrators in <br /> making wise land use decisions and in balancing needs for economic develop- <br /> ment with environmental protection. Such natural areas surveys help counties <br /> plan for growth and economic development, while identifying the natural <br /> resources most important for protecting the quality of life. <br /> The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program has compiled information on <br /> specific natural areas and biological resources in nearly all one hundred <br /> counties of North Carolina. However, few counties have been thoroughly <br /> surveyed for their important natural areas and endangered species habitats. <br /> The costs for conducting an initial survey of special natural areas and <br /> ecological resources in a single county usually range from $5,000 to $11,000, <br /> depending on the size of the county, its amount of natural landscape, and <br /> existing scientific information. <br /> The Natural Heritage Program offers to organize and supervise reconnaissance <br /> surveys of natural areas in all counties and regions of the state. The <br /> surveys will produce reports identifying and describing the most important <br /> natural areas which are most crucial for their ecological, educational, <br /> scientific, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic values. With the ongoing <br /> population growth and land development in all parts of North Carolina, it is <br /> urgent that areas of outstanding natural heritage significance be identified <br /> and protected. <br /> EXPERIENCE: The Natural Heritage Program was established in 1976 to compile <br /> a statewide inventory of important ecological resources and natural areas, <br /> and to work for their protection through landowner education, voluntary <br /> conservation agreements, resource management and planning. More than 650 <br /> important natural areas have thus far been identified by the Natural Heritage <br /> inventory. Only a small number of counties have received thorough surveys of <br /> their priority natural areas. <br /> The quality of natural areas surveys is assured by direction and supervision <br /> by the Natural Heritage Program's staff of highly qualified scientists. The <br /> Natural Heritage Program has conducted general natural areas surveys in over <br />