Tuesday evening the Orange County NC Board of Commissioners approved a resolution for an agricultural easement from the Breeze family in northern Orange County. Colonel Breeze, who has owned the property since 1947, worked with Rich Shaw of the Orange County Land Legacy program to get 141 acres in a conservation easement. The Breeze family had already made a generous donation of land to NC State who uses it to study, among other things, bees. Thank you to the Breeze family and the other families who have put some or all of their property in conservation easements.
The Land Legacy program, begun in 2000, has put more than 2200 acres in protected easements to protect watersheds, prime farmland, natural Areas and Wildlife Habitat (NC Natural Heritage sites) and pime forest areas.
The program not only helps assure us of viable watersheds and scenic views, but also assures future generations farmland to continue supplying food locally. An additional benefit, rarely mentioned, is the protection of the quality of life that so many people have moved here or stayed here for.
Let's face it, well educated and skilled people can live/work anywhere. They are going to choose an area that is beautiful, has cultural amenities and fine food. We can deliver that today, and because of the farsightedness of local agencies and citizens, we will be able to offer that in the future, as well.
