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➢ The Little River Corridors : While the County ' s proposed acquisition of the 135 - acre <br /> Newton/TCF property makes a beginning to protection of this clean water body, we would <br /> like to encourage the County to take steps to offer greater watershed protection in the Little <br /> River Basin, and to work in conjunction with Durham County as they develop a plan for the <br /> Little River . <br /> ➢ Highly ranked sites on private lands : Because County government has little direct control of <br /> these lands , there needs to be strong incentives for developers to respect and to contribute to <br /> the protection of our critical , inventoried, and important biological sites . If incentives are <br /> inadequate , the County needs to consider imposing restrictions on development, land <br /> clearing, or ecosystem disturbance on or near these sites . <br /> In addition, methods and means to acquire such sites when they become available need to be <br /> fully available to the ERCD , to permit the ability to respond to conservation opportunities in <br /> a timely fashion . <br /> C . More Effective Conservation Policv <br /> While the state of biological resources in Orange County is better than in many counties <br /> throughout the state and the nation, some adjustments in the policy arena will help these <br /> resources to maintain their integrity through the human population increase foreseen for the <br /> future . <br /> ➢ Orange County does have existing policy aimed at protecting the environment; however, <br /> enforcement is limited and, in some cases , ineffective . A list of current policy with a side- <br /> by - side listing of available remedies would inform both county employees and citizens of <br /> what recourse we have when an area is in danger and what policies need better means of <br /> enforcement . <br /> ➢ The existing Environmental Impact Ordinance lacks the instruments to offer full protection to <br /> inventoried natural area sites . We strongly encourage amendment of this ordinance to provide <br /> for effective protection of significant biological resources . <br /> ➢ Clear-cutting and the damage it inflicts on wildlife habitats , biological diversity, water <br /> quality and quality of life is a significant problem faced throughout the county . The county ' s <br /> current ability to regulate clear- cutting is limited, and the role of timber harvest in the local <br /> rural economy cannot be overlooked . However, a balance needs to be established between <br /> the rights of private property owners and the needs of the community as a whole . Finding <br /> such a balance needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, as this method of harvest both <br /> exacerbates the biological impact of forest loss from clearing for residential development and <br /> contributes to conflict between rural and suburban populations . This problem has been <br /> 7 <br />