This Land, Your Land

More than $6 million in federal economic recovery funds will help North Carolina stem wildfires and restore longleaf pines to state forests, the N.C. Division of Forest Resources says in a news release.

From the total, $4.6 million will go toward forest fire mitigation. The division will hire five people to scout forests and determine where excessive wildfire fuel, such as downed trees, should be removed, and hire private contractors for "wildfire mitigation and prevention education, and to complete community wildfire protection plans."

Another $1.7 million will go longleaf pine restoration, including hiring temporary employees and private contractors to plant longleaf pine trees, with most of the restoration efforts at Bladen Lakes State Forest.

Bladen Lakes State Forest covers 33,016 acres surrounding White Lake, Jones Lake State Park and Singletary Lake State Park, as well as Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest.

Work may be conducted on other state-managed land, if money is still available, the release says. Part of the $1.7 million will also be used to hire private contractors to construct a new irrigation system to produce more containerized longleaf pine seedlings at the state Division of Forest Resources’ nursery in Goldsboro.