Investing in Foothills Communities
North Carolina’s conservation trust funds are an investment in local business and tourism in the Foothills region.
Protecting the Foothills' Most Important Economic Assets
Land and water are North Carolina’s most important economic assets. The Foothills’ major economic engines – agriculture, tourism, hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation and a booming local artisan food and drink industry – all depend on land and water conservation.
Investing in our economy and quality of life
At every level, sportsmen, conservation organizations, the military, communities, private landowners, local governments, and the state work together to ensure our natural resources support a vibrant economy by conserving:
Partnerships between government agencies, conservation groups, and private landowners work to protect our natural resources, support major economic sectors, and strengthen our local communities. The value of these partnerships demonstrates the cooperative spirit of all North Carolinians working together to preserve the past while making our future brighter.
Demand for trust fund grants far exceeds available resources. More than 70 percent of registered voters support restoring state funding for the conservation trust funds to $100 million to protect water quality, conserve working farms, and preserve parkland and historic sites.
North Carolina’s conservation trust funds have invested more than $246 million in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, McDowell, and Rutherford County projects that support rural economic development and the creation of parks, gamelands and natural areas. These investments preserve the foothills’ unique natural features so our state continues to be a wonderful place to work, play, and raise a family.
About the Trust Funds
N.C. Land and Water Fund
Established by the General Assembly in 1996, the N.C. Land and Water Fund protects the natural, cultural, and historic places that make North Carolina special.
Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Since its creation by the General Assembly in 1994, PARTF has served as the primary source of funding for land acquisition and capital improvements across our state and local park systems — including trails, greenways, playgrounds, and public beach access.
Agriculture Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund
Created in 2005, the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (ADFPTF) helps protect the working family farms that power our state’s #1 industry — agriculture, which contributes over $91 billion to the state’s economy each year.