Triangle Land Conservancy is one of 20 land trusts to join the North Carolina Land…
Today, TLC is launching the final phase of its comprehensive $60 million campaign, Force for Nature: A Campaign to Protect the Triangle’s Land and Water for All, an ambitious initiative to protect critical natural resources across North Carolina’s Triangle region. Since its launch in 2023, campaign donations have accelerated the pace of conservation, restored habitats, protected clean water, and expanded access to nature across our region.
Through a combination of financial contributions and land donations, the campaign will allow TLC to:
- Acquire at least 6,000 acres across 55 strategic projects
- Protect 3,000 acres of farmland through conservation easements
- Conserve Natural Heritage Areas and strengthen wildlife corridors
- Open an 8th public nature preserve in the Triangle
- Expand existing preserves and provide funds to manage them
- Protect over 30 miles of streams to ensure clean water
- Leverage more than $50 million in public funding
To date, donors have contributed more than $58 million in land and financial support toward the campaign. Unlike campaigns that raise funds for future needs, TLC is putting campaign donations to use by protecting and caring for thousands of acres across the region, including locally-owned farms that are rapidly disappearing.
“Even if you never step foot on a TLC preserve, our work benefits you –by protecting the water you drink, supporting local farms that provide fresh food, sequestering carbon in protected forests, and restoring habitats for important species like pollinators that support our food systems.” said Sandy Sweitzer, TLC Executive Director.
As one of the fastest-growing regions in North Carolina, the Triangle’s natural beauty and green space have long defined its high quality of life. However, rapid population growth increasingly threatens the farms, forests, waterways, and wildlife habitats that make the region so desirable.
“This campaign presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save the quickly disappearing farms and green spaces in the Triangle,” said Cindy Pacchiana, campaign co-chair, “We have the momentum, the partnerships, and the community support to ensure these special places are protected forever. Private donations that we use to leverage public funds have a huge impact on conservation across the Triangle.”
“Access to nature and the great outdoors is vital to physical, emotional and community health,” said Sally Edwards, campaign co-chair. “Today we invite you to help us protect another 4,000 acres of wild and working lands, build new trails, open a new nature preserve, restore fragile ecosystems and educate and inspire people of all ages across the region.”
Since its founding in 1983, Triangle Land Conservancy has protected more than 27,000 acres of wild and working lands through partnerships with private landowners and support from local, state, and federal governments. TLC owns and manages seven public nature preserves that are free and open year-round, from dawn to dusk, and actively works to restore and safeguard sensitive wildlife habitats.
Campaign priorities include strategic land acquisition and conservation easements, capital improvements at public preserves, stewardship endowments to ensure long-term care of protected lands, and operational investments to strengthen one of the nation’s leading accredited land trusts. To learn more about the campaign and how to support it, visit www.forcefornaturenc.org.
