Save Sledge Forest
OUR RESPONSE TO THE ANNOUNCED AGReeMENT BETWEEN cOASTAL lAND tRUST & COPPER BUILDERS
While we appreciate the Coastal Land Trust efforts, we believe their efforts do not go far enough to protect Sledge Forest and our community. This agreement could, in fact, have unintended consequences if Coastal Land Trust is misconstrued as being in support of development of 1800 homes, which Copper Builders still intends to pursue.
We believe that in this rural, agricultural community, promotion of good land stewardship requires opposition to the development proposed by Copper Builders.
We remain steadfast in our belief that no development at all on this land is what is best for our community and Sledge Forest and would support any effort by Coastal Land Trust (or other suitable conservation trust) to purchase the entire 4,000 acres.
This agreement does not in any way change Copper Builders’ proposed Hilton Bluffs development of 1800 homes as it was submitted in their application last year. That development, as conditionally approved, would have tremendous adverse impacts on our small, rural neighborhoods and the surrounding community.
Our concerns remain the same:
The addition of hundreds, possibly thousands, of vehicles daily on our roads - narrow, rural neighborhood streets that are not designed for that volume of traffic.
The clearcutting of hundreds of acres and the loss of over 120,000 trees
The threat of increased flooding
The disruption to the surrounding ecosystem caused by years of construction and human presence from such a large development
The threat of compromising the containment measures of the toxic plume from GE’s Hazardous Waste Site.
We remain focused on the legal appeal of the county's erroneous conditional approval of the proposed Hilton Bluffs project of 1800 units.
We will continue to move forward in the appeal process with confidence and determination, while also supporting all appeals and lawsuits that have been filed against Copper Builders.
We are prepared to challenge this development and will continue pursuing all available legal channels for as long as it takes.
Protecting our last, largest expanse of
Old Growth Forest in New Hanover County.
Sledge Forest is a local natural treasure Spread across over 4000 acres in Castle Hayne.
Recognized as harboring some of the last, best examples of this ecoregion’s globally significant habitats and biodiversity, Sledge Forest is now threatened to be destroyed forever with the plan to build 4000+ homes for developer profit at public risk.
Remaining mostly untouched through 6000 years of habitat evolution, it is a biodiverse community of plants & animals, including 350-year-old pine trees more than 60’ tall and cypress dated more than 500 years, with a vast array of rare and imperiled plants and wildlife that need Sledge Forest as their home.
It is considered by the NC Heritage Program to be of National Significance.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CAUSE
Get information on Sledge Forest and the proposed development and how that will affect the local community.
Take Action
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More About Sledge Forest and Why It Needs Protection
Sledge Forest is a 4,000-acre piece of the Northeast Cape Fear River Significant Natural Heritage Area, located in northern New Hanover County and recognized as harboring some of the last best examples of this ecoregion’s globally significant habitats and biodiversity, and now threatened to be destroyed for developer profit at public risk.
We want policymakers to ask themselves a question: “What could possibly go wrong with packing 4,000 houses into this flood-hazard area, potentially threatened with contamination from toxic chemicals at the nearby Hazardous Waste site, and adding an estimated 30,000+ daily car trips to an already congested two-lane emergency evacuation road?
Though originally zoned for Conservation, Wetland Protection, and Aquifer Recharge, Sledge Forest’s natural importance was put aside in 2016 when policymakers arbitrarily rezoned the property to allow high-density development in flooded swamp forest that supports 500-year-old baldcypress. Developing Sledge Forest could also potentially destroy one of the world’s last intact stands of old-growth, 300-year-old Longleaf Pine, the State Tree of North Carolina.
Our petition is in keeping with the First Amendment: “…the right of the people…to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
To date, no policymaker questions have been asked or answered about risk, public safety, and environmental protections. Legal loopholes in county planning excludes county taxpayers from the opportunity to have their concerns heard by policymakers.
Again, Save Sledge Forest is calling on policymakers to pause and think about consequences of adding thousands of houses in a flood prone area that’s only served by an already traffic-congested two-lane road. We also want questions answered about nearby toxic plumes of chemical compounds
Make your voice heard while you can. Sign our petition, donate to the cause, and help Save Sledge Forest—our future generation’s by-right natural heritage.
