In response to rising land values, many forest industry companies are looking at their bottom line and selling off thousands of acres of forest lands to developers.  This property, located along the lower Neuse River and along Swift Creek, was platted for a residential golf course development by the previous owner in the 1990's.  It was acquired by forest industry company who developed an environmental education center which opened in 1996.  This center highlights local natural resources and forest management.  This timber company is consolidating and the pressure to sell off valuable real estate escalates. 

The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust staff assisted the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources by identifying environmentally important forest tracts with landowners who are willing to sell development rights.  They work with private landowners and forest industry landowners to draft working forest conservation easements that protect riparian forest buffers. 

The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund purchased  a conservation easement on 729 acres to match a federally funded Forest Legacy working forest conservation easement on 927 acres.  Addtional funding came from the North Carolina State Attorney General's Environmental Fund.

The project was supported by the Onsolw Bight Partnership, a multi-agency organization which includes The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Camp LeJeune Military Installation, North Carolina Coastal Federation, USDA Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, and the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust.

Rather than sell off this valuable forested area located along the river, this company chose to sell a conservation easement to the State of North Carolina.  The company retains the right to continue forest and wildlife management, salvage any diseased or blown over timber, restore and manage a longleaf pine ecosystem, and to construct, maintain and repair trails and boardwalks.  The company cannot subdivide the property, allow building of residential, commercial or industrial structures, dump trash, or alter the natural wetlands.

Public benefits from protecting riparian forest wetlands (forested areas near streams) include lower water temperatures from the shade of the trees, filtration of sediment, filtration of toxins and excess nutrients, storage and retention of flood waters, river bank stabilization, and habitat for numerous fish and wildlife species.