Three Rivers Land Trust has been notified that three of the Land Trust’s projects submitted to the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) during its 2018 grant cycle were awarded the full amounts requested.

The total awarded to Three Rivers for these projects is $1.2 million.

“The funding from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund is essential to our conservation efforts, here, North Carolina’s central piedmont,” said Crystal Cockman, Three Rivers Land Trust, director of conservation.

The projects are in Davidson (180 acres), Montgomery (280 acres) and Stanly counties (25 acres).

When closed, 485 acres of land will be permanently conserved. These projects represent lands that are important for water quality, contain significant Natural Heritage resources, boast mature hardwood stands and contain significant riparian buffer areas, with two projects being adjacent to state owned lands, according to Cockman.
North Carolina’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund was established by the General Assembly in 1996 as a non-regulatory organization with a focus on protecting and restoring the state’s land and water resources.

CWMTF awards grants to non-profit and governmental organizations to protect land for natural, historical and cultural benefit, limit encroachment on military installations, restore degraded streams, and develop and improve stormwater treatment technology.
CWMTF had more than $15 million to give out to conservation organizations for acquisition projects statewide this year.

“Three Rivers Land Trust is honored to partner with the CWMTF on these important local conservation projects,” Executive Director Travis Morehead said.

“Three Rivers Land Trust raised over $8 million for local conservation projects in 2018,” Morehead added. “This means for every operational dollar the Land Trust received, we leveraged that dollar over 13 times for on the ground conservation projects, just like these.”

For more information on these projects or to find out how to become a member of Three Rivers Land Trust and help the Land Trust conserve other places, contact Cockman at crystal@landtrustcnc. org or 704-647-0302.