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MILLION ACRE INITIATIVE FORUM - Open Invitation (fwd)



Hi Carolinabirders (and Duke NSOE students),

This message was passed to me by a fellow graduate student. I've never 
really heard good things about Gov. Hunt's environmental record, but it 
seems that he is trying to leave office on a high note. The opportunity 
for public comments is apparently next Friday morning and early 
afternoon; I'm negotiating with some other grad students to possibly 
attend, and any birders - particularly those with knowledge of local 
at-risk habitats which might be included in the "million acres" - who can 
make it to Raleigh for this meeting should definitely do so. It might 
even slow down some of the conversion of forest to tree plantations on 
which Derb Carter commented here a week or two ago. Read on...

Josh

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Hey everyone, 

this is so exciting.  Governor Hunt has proposed setting aside a million 
acres of NC land for conservation!  See the background section below.

Kara
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Subject: MILLION  ACRE  INITIATIVE  FORUM - Open Invitation

THE  MILLION  ACRE  INITIATIVE  FORUM  IS  HERE

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS ENCOURAGED, AND
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD AND RECEIVED

FRIDAY, MARCH 10TH, 9:30-12:30

Invitation to the presentation of principles and plans for the Million 
Acre Initiative

Place: Utilities Commission Hearing Room,  #2115, Dobbs Building,
Raleigh, N.C. The Dobbs Building is immediately adjacent to the Archdale
Building (directly across the mall from the Revenue bldg). The street
address is: 430 N. Salisbury Street. Parking is available (for a fee) in the
visitors lot, #75, which is located on Salisbury street also. (The Dobbs
bldg is on the left and the parking lot is just past the bldg and on the
right)

Background:
As you may be aware, Governor James B. Hunt of North Carolina has asked 
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to come up 
with a plan for acquiring or otherwise protecting one million additional 
acres of land in North Carolina for conservation purposes. The Governor 
has requested that this Million Acre Plan be submitted to him by March 
31, 2000. 

DENR has requested help from the Environmental Finance Center at UNC and  
the Institute of Government in quickly convening some of the key 
stakeholders to give input on the drafting and process for refining the 
plan. The forum on March 10 will be DENR's first formal presentation of 
their principles and approach to the Million Acre initiative.  This will 
provide a chance for interested persons to ask questions directly of 
Secretary Holman and his staff, before they finalize and present their 
plan to the Governor.

At a workshop on Feb. 29, a group of stakeholders attended a meeting at 
the Institute of Government to give more formal guidance to DENR on the 
drafting of the plan.  If you'd like to see a summary of that Feb. 29 
meeting contact mary.kiesau@sierraclub-nc.org.  

It is not necessary to RSVP for the meeting on March 10th.  The meeting 
is open to any interested person.   Please feel free to forward this 
message on to persons who have a serious interest in the Million Acres 
Initiative.

If you can not attend, but would still like to send your SUPPORT and/or 
comments, please email Michael Shore, policy advisor at DENR, at 
michael.shore@ncmail.net

Thanks to Richard Whisnant of the Institute of Government for drafting 
this note.

Mary Kiesau
Sierra Club
Challenge to Sprawl Campaign
112 S. Blount St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Ph:  919-833-8467
Fax: 919-833-8460

---------------------End of forwarded message-----------------

Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology

jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/