MEMPHIS, Tenn. Nov. 4, 2019 Thanks to a generous donation from Ducks Unlimited and the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) purchased 6,310 additional acres for public use. The land is adjacent to the NCWRCs 20,318-acre North River Game Land.

This is the first of two scheduled purchases of properties along North Carolinas North River. The Hubbard-Pinkerton tract was acquired with generous support of the landowner, Coastal Forest Resources. The organization recognized the important habitat value of the property and committed to seeing it become part of North Carolinas public game lands system.

The purchase was made possible by a combination of funds awarded from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant program and the Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson) fund.

We are very thankful for Enviva Forest Conservation Fund and Ducks Unlimited for this innovative agreement to pursue conservation of our critical forested wetland habitats on the North River, said U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Sr. Vice President Alicia Cramer. These projects ensure viable forests are secure habitats for a wide variety of bird species, Atlantic white cedar and a mixed variety of pine and hardwood trees.

This partnership will preserve forests and wetlands that furnish habitat for numerous waterfowl species, black bear, bald eagles and endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers. It also protects more than 16 miles of stream and river frontage as part of the Game Land system.

The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund has long been committed to environmental stewardship, said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Enviva John Keppler. The Fund plays a key role in everything we do as an organization. We are proud to partner with Ducks Unlimited to help preserve these habitats for wildlife and recreationalists. This partnership will continue to make landscape changes in North Carolina to improve forests, water quality and wildlife habitat.

As a part of their Game Lands Program, the NCWRC will own and manage the land. Under NCWRCs management, the water quality and wildlife habitat will be protected and provide the public with access to hunting, research and recreational opportunities.

DU is proud to be a part of this collaborative effort of organizations working together to complete these projects, which have a direct and positive impact on numerous wildlife species and habitats, said DUs Acting Chief Conservation Officer Craig LeSchack. This partnership will be a catalyst for several important habitat restoration projects that would have otherwise not been possible. This funding is crucial to the success of our conservation efforts in North Carolina.

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About the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund
The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund is a $5 million, 10-year program established by Enviva Holdings, LP in December 2015 to protect environmentally sensitive bottomland and wetland forests. Administered by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Fund awards grants annually to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for conservation projects in North Carolina and Virginia. www.envivaforestfung.org

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) is a not-for-profit public charity working collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nations working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.

About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14.5 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

 

Media Contact:

Carrie Patterson

(901) 758-3980

cpatterson@ducks.org