The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (DPR) recommended 12 local community projects to the National Park Service for grant funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is a federal matching grant program to improve and develop outdoor recreation opportunities. To date, 11 projects have received approval.
The National Park Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), reviews and approves the project applications recommended by DPR. In addition to these eleven projects, one additional project received conditional approval pending further environmental review.
LWCF monies are apportioned to the states each fiscal year. These projects will be funded with the LWCF funds allocated to N.C. for 2019. The LWCF received full and dedicated funding in the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020. North Carolina’s LWCF funds for 2020 and 2021 are $5.3 million and $7.1 million respectively, which will be shared by state parks and local governments across the state.
The LWCF is a primary federal funding source of the DOI for outdoor recreation development and land acquisition by local governments and state agencies. In North Carolina, the program is administered by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Since 1965, the LWCF State Assistance Program has provided $4.1 billion in matching grants for over 40,000 projects. Grants have supported the purchase and protection of more than 3 million acres of recreation lands. North Carolina has received more than 900 grants through LWCF since the fund’s creation.
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 250,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19.8 million visitors annually.