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17 <br />important to be consistent with surrounding land uses. Ideas on ways to mitigate <br />the impacts of larger active facilities include co-location of schools and parks, <br />combining active and low-impact recreation in larger park settings to buffer <br />residential areas, and the need for a proactive land acquisition program to <br />purchase lands for long-term use as parks (and/or schools). <br />The potential for coordinating parks planning exists beyond the scope of the local <br />governments involved in this effort. In particular, the report notes the significant <br />potential for coordination with UNC, OWASA and Duke University in meeting <br />long-term needs of mutual interest. While UNC provides many facilities used by <br />students (and local residents), there is also an undefined impact on local <br />recreation facilities from faculty and staff of the University. Programs such as the <br />Carolina Outdoor Recreation Center offer a means for sharing resources, and the <br />potential exists for collaboration on future recreational facilities with UNC. <br />Likewise, OWASA currently provides recreation facilities at both University Lake <br />and Cane Creek Reservoir. OWASA holds over 3,000 acres of land in the County, <br />some of which appears to offer the opportunity for coordinated recreational use. <br />A memo from the OWASA Board (Appendix F) indicates a willingness to discuss <br />certain parcels for future public use. And finally, Duke Forest also provides a <br />recreational resource to County citizens. While concerns about protecting the <br />integrity of the forest resources will be paramount, opportunities exist to work <br />with Duke in the future, particularly in terms of carefully-located trails that fit <br />with the University's plans. <br />3. Adequate Provision of Parkland and Natural Corridors <br />One of the most prominent.-needs identified is to preserve green corridors, <br />whether in an urban or rural setting. This section of the report addresses the <br />,potential for linking some existing and proposed greenway networks in Chapel <br />Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough to future parks-and regional open space such as <br />Eno River State Park and Duke Forest. <br />The importance of existing and future greenways in the Towns is noted, as well <br />as the existence of a schematic plan for greenways extending from the Chapel <br />Hill/Carrboro area into the Rural Buffer, developed in 1986 as part of the Joint <br />Planning Area Land Use Plan. Wildlife corridors in the rural areas were introduced <br />into County planning efforts through the 1988 Inventory of Natural Areas and <br />Wildlife Habitat, and are important to the overall County and regional ecosystem <br />as part of the "green infrastructure." These corridors are undeveloped riparian <br />stream corridors or overland connectors that exist in a natural state. Any trails <br />would exist only as they have evolved over time by use of wildlife or humans. <br />However, as the County and Towns continue to grow, it will become important to <br />link Town parks to regional corridors such as Eno River State Park, nodes of <br />3 <br />