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42 <br /> ➢ Finally, there is a significant lack of coordination of protection efforts with surrounding <br /> counties . Forests , watersheds , wildlife corridors and development projects do not abruptly <br /> stop at county borders . Efforts in one location may be impeded by lack of effort in a <br /> neighboring county or vice versa. Effective protection of resources must include coordinated <br /> effort among all the affected jurisdictions . <br /> I-v . Needs and Recommended Actions to Protect Biological Diversity in <br /> Orange County : <br /> A . Highest Priority Areas for Conservation Effort . <br /> Overall , we feel the County should aim to ensure that at least 10 % of its land , or 25 , 600 <br /> acres , is in some form of designated protected status within the next 10 years . This goal is <br /> reasonable and achievable , especially if the proposed . increases in state and federal funds for open <br /> space acquisition become available to supplement local government funds dedicated for this <br /> purpose . If state and federal Rinds are not increased, a 15 -year goal would be recommended . <br /> Based on currently available information (biological . inventory, Natural Heritage data and <br /> both TLC reports) , we present the following areas as a first approximation of those highest <br /> conservation priority areas for the County, in order of importance , and subject to further review <br /> and change by the BRC and the ERCD (Table 3 ) . Primary criteria used in arriving at this list <br /> include size , composition, biological distinctness , degree of threat, and connectivity to other <br /> areas . <br /> Table 3 : Highest priority areas for conservation action in Orange County : A First <br /> Approximation <br /> L Lands surrounding Eno River State Park <br /> 2 . Occoneechee Mountain buffer <br /> 3 . Sevenmile Creek Bottoms <br /> 4 . Lands along Morgan Creek and those surrounding Mason Farm <br /> 5 . Central County Forest , Hills , and Corridor : Blackwood Mountain/Duke <br /> Forest Blackwood Division/ Meadow Flats/Bald Mountain/Pegg Hill , and <br /> connecting lands <br /> 6 . New Hope Creek Corridor, including upper section which connects to the <br /> Central County Forest , Dills , and Corridor (see # 5 , above) <br /> 7 . Chestnut Ridge <br /> 8 . River corridors : Upper Eno River, N and S forks of the Little River <br /> 9 . Forest southwest of Cedar Grove <br /> 10 . Pickard' s Mountain <br /> Justifications : <br /> 1 . Lands surrounding Eno River State Park (ERSP ) : This area is identified in LWW-I and -II as the <br /> 8 <br />