The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announced today that the North Carolina Land and Water Fund Board of Trustees has awarded more than $28 million in grants for projects that will protect North Carolina’s land and water from the mountains to the coast.
“Every year, millions of residents and visitors enjoy North Carolina’s abundance of beautiful natural resources,” said Governor Stein. “This funding will help us conserve those resources and protect clean drinking water for communities across the state.”
The funds from these grants will protect more than 10,000 acres, most of which will eventually be open to the public for hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, birding, and other recreational uses. More than $22 million in grants will go to rural and economically distressed counties.
This announcement funds nine projects to restore or enhance more than five miles of streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries, restore more than 900 acres of drained or otherwise impaired wetlands, and remove barriers to reconnect more than 200 miles of spawning habitat in the Cape Fear River and its tributaries. Also awarded are grants for five projects designed to evaluate innovative techniques for managing stormwater. In addition, 18 planning projects are being funded to identify key water quality and conservation opportunities in watersheds across the state.
“The Land and Water Fund plays a vital role in protecting North Carolina’s water quality, open spaces, and treasured cultural heritage,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “These grants have been used in all 100 N.C. counties to preserve our unique natural and cultural resources for future generations.”
Grants awarded will help protect 68 types of rare plants, rare animals, and natural communities. Conservation projects will benefit five endangered or threatened plant species. High-elevation species endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains include Roan Mountain bluet, spreading avens, and northern pygmy salamander. Piedmont species that will benefit from this year’s grant awards include bluebells, sweet pinesap, and Carolina foothills crayfish. Coastal projects will protect large areas of pond pine woodland, freshwater and brackish marshes, and nonriverine swamp forest.
This year’s grants will support North Carolina’s $17 billion outdoor recreation economy by:
• Protecting 1,885 acres that will be added to N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission game lands in Ashe, Cherokee, Graham, and Rowan counties.
• Protecting 4,620 acres that will be added to State Park land in McDowell County.
• Protecting seven sites with historic and cultural resources, including portions of the Bentonville Battlefield and the Guilford College Woods.
The North Carolina Land and Water Fund grants will also provide buffers for U.S. military installations, training areas, and flight paths, awarding $5,233,630 and protecting more than 2,315 acres near Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. The military sector contributes $66 billion in economic activity in the state each year.
“We had some really tough choices to make this year,” said Ann Browning, chair of the North Carolina Land and Water Fund Board of Trustees. “There were over $90 million in requests for funding, but we had under $30 million to award. There were so many great projects we just weren’t able to fund.”
The North Carolina Land and Water Fund receives direct appropriations from the N.C. General Assembly to award grants to local governments, state agencies, and nonprofits to help finance projects that restore and protect the state’s natural and cultural resources.
A complete list of grant awards is available on the North Carolina Land and Water Fund website at https://nclwf.nc.gov/docs/2026-nclwf-awards/open.
About the North Carolina Land and Water Fund
The North Carolina Land and Water Fund, previously known as the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, was established in 1996 to protect the state’s drinking water sources. The N.C. General Assembly expanded the fund’s mission to include conserving and protecting the state’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and military installations. The North Carolina Land and Water Fund has conserved more than 500,000 acres and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of streams and rivers. To learn more, visit www.nclwf.nc.gov.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.