| Why preserve open space?
For walking or biking, as homes for wildlife and for research purposes. Most importantly, to make sure we have clean water to drink in the future.
The Open Space Program preserves lands such as forests, meadows, floodplains and stream corridors. The top priority is to protect and improve water quality by safeguarding lakes, rivers and streams.
Wake County has used voter-approved bonds of $15 million in 2000 and $26 million in 2004 to finance the Open Space Program. To date, we’ve preserved 3,548 acres, often in partnership with other local governments or agencies.
If the 2007 bond for $50 million is approved, Wake County will continue seeking partnerships to buy and preserve open space around the county.
Planned bond | $50 million (Oct. 2007)
Highlights of purchases using previous bond funds in partnership with others:
- Wake Forest – Joyner Farm, 117 acres, and Clinebelle tract, 68 acres
- Raleigh - Swift Creek corridor, 260 acres (important to water supply and quality), and Angell Property (Falls Lake area), 216 acres
- Holly Springs - 9-acre addition to Bass Lake Park
- Garner - 36-acre addition to White Deer Park
- Morrisville - RTP tract, 18 acres (in Jordan Lake Watershed)
- Cary –White Oak Church Road, 116 acres (in Jordan Lake Watershed)
- Apex – Holleman tract (to be used in connection with American Tobacco Trail)
- State of North Carolina – 252 acres to expand Clemmons Educational State Forest into Wake County
- Several purchases totaling 800 acres in the Marks Creek area. Protection of this watershed area is in partnership with the Trust for Public Lands and the Triangle Land Conservancy.
|
Related links:
|