VOLUME 18 // ISSUE 1 Spring 2017
NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL LAND TRUST
COASTLINES land protection
Celebrating 25 Years! By Camilla Herlevich, Executive Director, Coastal Land Trust
Why? Marty Lanier with, from left, his daughter Amanda, wife Cyndi, son Jonathan and their dog Morgan.
Year-End Donation Conserves Working Forest Land Along Town Creek While others hustled about shopping and preparing for the holidays, Marty Lanier was focused on completing a very important yearend gift to the Coastal Land Trust, the gift of a perpetual landowner agreement (also known as a conservation easement) over his 57+ acre property in Brunswick County. “I grew up camping, playing, and hunting on this property and have a deep appreciation for forest land. I inherited this land from my father who took care of it, now I am taking care of it, and I plan to pass it on to my son and daughter to do the same. The longleaf pine forest is part of our southern heritage,” said Marty Lanier. Mr. Lanier’s property along Slab Branch, a Town Creek tributary, is a conservation gem and fits in perfectly with Coastal Land Trust’s efforts to protect a forested corridor along this alluring and ecologically significant waterway. What makes this property particularly impressive is its stunning longleaf pine forest expertly managed through the years by Mr. Lanier not only for the forest, but also for the many wildlife species that depend on it, including the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. The Lanier family property is a perfect example of the extraordinary conservation values found in the Town Creek/ lower Cape Fear Corridor, a focus area of the Coastal Land Trust from its founding almost 25 years ago. Town Creek’s headwaters rise at the edge of Green Swamp, and flow some 30 miles east to its confluence with the Cape Fear River. Its waters, wetlands and forests all supply rich habitat for wildlife, and the lands along its banks are equally rich in historic, cultural, and recreational values. With this new project, more than 17,000 Town Creek, continued on page 3
www.CoastalLandTrust.org
Why do we do this? Why do some of the most thoughtful, generous and talented people give so much to the Coastal Land Trust?
Why? Because deep down,
we sense that our lives are connected to—even depend on—nature
It’s natural to want to be outside. Our senses are made to enjoy the light of stars, moon and sun; the scent of pine forest and ocean spray; and the feel of the wind on our skin. Our bodies have evolved for walking and running. Our spirits find serenity in the beauty of nature, and renewal as we watch birds and other wildlife as they play, call out to each other, and scamper about.
Why? Because, as children,
we experienced places that were special
Perhaps it’s just the vacant wooded lot in the neighborhood, where you played between school and dinnertime. Maybe it’s the memory of family vacations to far-away
national parks, like the Grand Canyon or the wilds of Alaska. Your dad may have taken you hunting and fishing, teaching you about birds and wildlife all the while. If you were lucky and grew up on the water, you may have become attuned to the rhythms of wind, and surf, and tide. If so, these special places became a part of your life.
Why? Because, as adults,
we’ve witnessed the loss and degradation of our special places
On a local level, we see forests cleared for development; streams diverted into culverts and covered up; and habitat for foxes and all manner of wildlife disappears. Wetlands are drained. 25 years, continued on page 5
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