Onslow Bight Landscape Area

Partnership Group Name: North Carolina Onslow Bight Conservation Partnership, Coastal North Carolina. Note that this is not a legally binding partnership as defined by NC State Law.

Location: Onslow Bight Landscape Area of NC: Bounded on the north by Cape Lookout; on the south by the Cape Fear River.

Partnership: Among U. S Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Corps Base - Camp Lejeune ; Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point; N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission; US Forest Service; Governor's Military Liaison Office; N.C. Dept. of Transportation; Endangered Species Coalition; N.C. Chapter of The Nature Conservancy; and North Carolina Coastal Federation. Most of these partners own lands in this area. The Partnership is expected to enhance coordination and communication, aid in leveraging of funding, result in enhanced dialogue on a regional scale, help to ensure compatible land use in this area with all of the landowners; serve as a forum for collaborative efforts; and, promote overall regional conservation in the area. The Partnership is patterned after the N.C. Sandhills Area Partnership working towards regional conservation of longleaf pine areas in the Fort Bragg area of N.C.

Project Manager: N. C. Chapter of The Nature Conservancy

Purpose of Partnership: To develop and implement a conservation strategy for the Onslow Bight Landscape that is compatible with the land use objectives of the partners and reflects future sustainable use of the area.

Steering Committee established: Working Groups established.

Resource Issues of Concern: Pocosins; longleaf pine savannas; riverine wetlands; endangered and threatened species, including RCW; coastal resources.

Actions to Date:

• Onslow Bight Conservation Forum first initiated by Camp Lejeune in response to encroachment issues. Camp Lejeune encompasses 153,000 acres and 8 Federally-listed threatened and endangered species.
• Charter Developed
• Mission Defined
• Decision-making Method Agreed Upon
• Ground Rules Established
• Regular Meetings being held every Other Month
• TNC , Camp Lejeune and NCWRC closed on 2,500 acres of land slated for residential housing adjacent to training ranges in October, 20, 2002.