Latest news with #NorthAmericanWetlandsConservationAct
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Land deal returns nearly 1,400 acres ‘rich with cultural significance' to Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina
PEMBROKE, N.C. (WBTW) — Nearly 1,400 acres of sacred ancestral lands are being handed over to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina in a land deal announced Monday by a national conservation group. 'We are excited to reconnect with this land, which we've not been able to access for a very long time. Our people are outdoors people, and the ability to steward this land for Lumbee and visitors alike is truly special,' Tribal Chairman John Lowery said in a statement. New York-based Open Space Institute acquired the 1,382-acre Camp Island property with funding support from a private family foundation and a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant facilitated by Ducks Unlimited. OSI then donated the property 'rich with cultural significance and natural resources' to the tribe. The nonprofit said Camp Island represents the first opportunity to establish a large, protected natural area under Lumbee stewardship. According to 2020 Census figures, roughly 116,000 Robeson County residents self-identify as American Indian — the highest concentration of that demographic in any county east of the Mississippi River. The Camp Island grounds are special among the Lumbees as a cultural site where significant indigenous artifacts have been found. In addition to its tribal significance, officials said keeping the land away from private development will have environmental benefits as well, since several blackwater samps on site drain directly into the Lumber River. 'We're excited to join forces with OSI and the Lumbee Tribe to funda project that holds tremendous value for wetlands, wildlife and the community,' said Emily Purcell, who runs Ducks Unlimited's southeastern conservation programs. Camp Island's history traces back to pre-colonial times and once housed a pro-British loyalist encampment. In the 1850s, escaped slaves set up a small community on the grounds. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Property on the Ahnapee River is newly protected by the Door County Land Trust
TOWN OF FORESTVILLE – An ecologically significant property of more than 47 acres along the Ahnapee River was acquired and is now permanently protected by the Door County Land Trust. The trust completed its purchase of the property Feb. 5, saying in a press release the previous owner "expressed appreciation that the land will remain in its natural state, ensuring its ecological integrity for future generations." According to the release, the property is important because it supports a wide variety of bird and fish species, supports watershed health and provides a migration corridor for wildlife. Another important part of the acquisition by the land trust is that access to the property is enhanced from the Ahnapee State Trail, a portion of which is part of the statewide Ice Age Trail. The newly protected property is comprised mostly of emergent marsh and includes part of the river and streambank, wetlands and a small former hayfield. Birds such as yellow warblers, soras and green herons can be found there, along with fish like pike and rainbow and brown trout. As part of the Ahnapee River Wildlife Corridor, a vital habitat of wetlands and riverbank that follows the river from its headwaters near the hill in Brussels to its mouth on Lake Michigan, the area supports migrating and nesting birds, fish habitats and diverse plant life. The press release from the land trust says conservation efforts along the river help ensure its critical wildlife passageways remain intact. The land trust also will monitor water quality and restore wetland habitats within the property in its efforts to sustain and enhance the health of its watershed. With the Ahnapee State Trail running alongside, the property can be accessed from the trail and a nearby road, but a parking lot is not available. The acquisition allows outdoor enthusiasts, including hikers and hunters, to continue to check out the scenic views of the wetland habitat. Funds for the purchase of the land were awarded by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program with anticipated support from the federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act, along with private donations. Donations from land trust members and a grant through the Door County Community Foundation will go toward long-term protection and stewardship of the property. The Door County Land Trust protects more than 9,100 acres of land, with 15 featured nature preserves open for hiking and other low-impact, nonmotorized recreational activities, all at no charge. For more information, including trail maps, donations or memberships, visit Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@ MORE: Unique sunrise image at Door County state park wins statewide nature photo contest MORE: Learn all about owls when The Ridges Sanctuary holds its annual Owl-O-Rama MORE: Door County Polish restaurant to open second, much larger location FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Door County Land Trust adds property next to the Ahnapee River
