The North Carolina Land and Water Fund awarded grants this week totaling $70.3 million, providing funds for 117 projects that will protect North Carolina’s land and water from the mountains to the coast, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The funds will protect 27,157 acres, including 20,998 acres that will eventually be open to the public for hiking, hunting, boating, birding and other recreational uses. Funds were also granted for 37 projects to restore or enhance over 36 miles of streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries and to restore over 8,000 acres of drained wetlands.
