North Carolina Forests Face A 'Quiet Crisis'

(September 14, 2006 - Raleigh, NC) North Carolina is losing its private forests to development at the alarming rate of nearly 100,000 acres a year, putting the state’s woodlands in a “quiet crisis.” That’s the conclusion of a report released today by the North Carolina office of Environmental Defense. “Standing Tall: A New Path for North Carolina’s Private Forests” catalogs 15 recommendations that will help North Carolina stem the loss of its forests.  The report is available at www.environmentaldefense.org/go/ncforests.
 
“North Carolina has a lot of trees, but its forests are disappearing,” said Will McDow, Environmental Defense forestry specialist. “North Carolina forests are in a quiet crisis, and it’s a crisis that’s intensifying. The state should take a thoughtful look at ways to help landowners keep forests as forests for generations to come.”
 
Private forests are critical to the North Carolina’s economy, environment and overall quality of life. As forests give way to strip malls, subdivisions and highways, their vital functions, along with their aesthetic appeal, disappear with them. There are fewer trees to filter pollutants from water, to hold back runoff that muddies streams and rivers, and to serve as habitat for wildlife ranging from white-tailed deer to wild turkey to warblers.
 
The report says the state’s top priority for forests should be to create and implement a plan to protect and restore rare and declining forest types before they perish.  A mosaic of diverse forest types is crucial to clean air and clean water for North Carolina.
 
Other recommendations in “Standing Tall” include:
  • providing tax relief for landowners whose land management includes conservation efforts,
  • creating a framework and implementing policies to reduce sprawl and its negative impacts on rural lands, and
  • impaneling a task force to look at the business opportunities of forestland.
 

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