Jennifer Heaslip /Herald News Editor

todd wetherington | daily herald Brent Lubbock of Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center, left, and Head Ranger Phil King take a break beside a stream at Medoc Mountain State Park during a short hike following Wednesday's Land For Tomorrow event. Advertisement

HOLLISTER - North Carolina is losing farms and forests to development at a fast rate.

In Halifax County, some people want to protect that land to make sure it's there for future generations, and to boost the area's economy through ecotourism.

Chuck Peoples, executive director of the Tar River Land Conservancy, spoke about growing up in the county and playing along the land and in the water during a “Picnic in the Park” meeting Wednesday.

“I want my kids to enjoy the wonderment that I did along the Roanoke River,” he said.

Money is needed to protect land and water from development, he said, and currently, demand for state funds greatly exceeds supply.

State Rep. Lucy Allen is one of four prime sponsors of a bond measure that would give $200 million a year for five years to state conservancy trust funds. The trust funds would then give money to selected organizations - such as local governments, historic sites and parks - seeking funding for projects.

The goal of the Picnic in the Park meeting, held at Medoc Mountain State Park in Hollister, was to raise support and awareness for the bond program and the conservation coalition Land for Tomorrow. It was hosted by TRLC and the Halifax County Tourism Development Authority.

Land for Tomorrow is described as “a growing partnership of citizens and organizations working to build awareness of why streams, farms, forests, parks, game lands and historic places are critical to the future of North Carolina.”

The state is now losing 100,000 acres of working farms and forests every year to development and ranks third in the nation for having the highest rate of land conversion, Peoples said. Every day, 280 acres go from forests and farms to concrete.

In Halifax County, 60 dairy farms have dwindled to only three.

Not that economic development is a bad thing, several people who spoke at the meeting said. Local economic development officials believe preserving parks, forests, streams and farms goes hand-in-hand with building new business facilities such as Carolina Crossroads.

“My husband and I have a real passion for land conservation,” Allen said. “As development happens, we can't let it mow down everything in its path.”

Visitors and residents want both, said Eco-Heritage Manager Christina Gordon, who also manages the Roanoke Valley Canal Museum and Trail. They want parks, heritage and recreation along with a show. People need “open spaces and natural places” to rejuvenate themselves and restore their souls.

“We are rich beyond belief here, really, with ecotourism,” she said, citing Medoc Mountain, the seven and a half-mile Canal Trail and the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center in Scotland Neck as some prime examples.

State Rep. Lucy Allen spoke about the finances. The money would be spent in increments of $200 million a year for five years to protect nine areas of land: Stream banks and floodplains, working farms, working forests, urban forests, local parks and recreation areas, state parks, game lands, historic places and land visible from scenic highways.

Several of these areas are located in Halifax County, Allen pointed out, from working farms and Medoc Mountain to historic sites in Halifax, and local organizations would be able to apply for funding to help preserve these parts of the county if the bond passes.

The bond would also potentially help Halifax County by bringing clean water, more money for parks and the development of the Roanoke River, research and to increase game lands.

The money would be given to the conservation trust funds. Already, Halifax County has received $13,511,259 from three funds, the Clean Water Management Fund, Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and Natural Heritage Trust Fund.

The General Assembly has done a good job funding conservation efforts, but demand for funds is outstripping supply, Peoples said, making the bond necessary.

As a Halifax town commissioner, Peoples said he realizes the importance of having funds available. The town of Halifax received a little more than $2 million from the Clean Water Conservation Fund to replace a sewer and water system that had been out of compliance with the state for about 10 years.

As for ecotourism and heritage, Peoples said, “We have a unique opportunity to both promote economic development and preserve our unique natural, cultural and historical (assets),” Peoples said. “I'm just excited about what we have. That will be our competitive advantage.”

The bond will have to be reintroduced during the Legislature's short session this year in order to be on the election ballot in November, Allen said. She ran out of time last session last year to have the bond approved.

“We need a lot of support coming from y'all,” she told the attendees, encouraging them to contact their legislators to show support.

Visit www.landfortomorrow.com for more information about Land for Tomorrow.