Rural/Urban Development

How does this affect me?

Development, such as roads, commercial buildings, and residential areas, cover about 11% of North Carolina. Large scale development, without careful planning, could impact food production, economic prosperity, and wildlife habitats. Let’s look at these issues.

First, development is beginning to affect our ability to grow the local food that we will need as the population grows.

Secondly, these developments often make our vacation areas less attractive. Vacationers then go elsewhere. Just like a domino effect, this, in turn, reduces the number of jobs needed to support tourism at our North Carolina vacation spots.

Thirdly, development around lakes, on mountain sides, and along our coasts damages important wildlife habitats. Many developments on the coast could be damaged in the coming years from rising sea water levels and more violent storms caused by global warming.

Random development causes the loss of a variety of plants and animals. Until recently, for example, planners thought wetlands and other wilderness areas were useless spaces. They thought wetlands should be available to anyone who wanted to develop them for housing, agriculture, or commercial use. 

We now know that wetlands especially are important in helping to regulate water flow.  They act like giant sponges and water reservoirs. Wetlands play an important role in maintaining life support systems for both humans and other living things, particularly in the cleanliness of fresh water and by supporting some of our rarest plants and animals. In fact, North Carolina has lost about 50% of its wetlands in the last century!

Did you know?

North Carolina supports a huge variety of plants and animals. These have evolved due to our special geology (soils) and a climate bordering the warm South and the cooler North. These plants and animals, together with our attractive landscapes in the mountains, Piedmont, and coastal areas, have huge economic potential for scientific discovery, recreation, and tourism. 

Our state’s unique features are vital for our future. We must maintain this diversity of plants and animals as much as we can.

Well-planned communities:

• Support and use local services efficiently,
  
  
• Promote continued quality of life and tourism, and
  
  
• Maintain our precious and unique wildlife and habitats.