HOW WE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY

We are different from land trust organizations that attempt to purchase property or oversee conservation easements in order to save land. Instead, we try to educate citizens and government officials at all levels as to the problems facing the Sandhills, and to offer solutions to those problems.  We do this in a variety of ways, including resolutions (below) and educational presentations, one of which is our PowerPoint presentation "An Ode To Longleaf" (click here).

SAVE OUR SANDHILLS RESOLUTIONS

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Nationwide Monitoring and Protection of Insect Populations, which was approved by SOS members on September 14, 2015 via email.  This is a greatly expanded version of the SOS resolution on Nationwide Monitoring of Insect Biomass that had been approved by SOS members on April 29, 2010. For a closer look at this new resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on No Hydraulic Fracturing in North Carolina was originally created and approved on May 16, 2012.  On May 16, 2014, a revised, updated, and expanded version was approved by Save Our Sandhills members via email.  This resolution was sent to every member of the NC General Assembly, both House and Senate, as well as to the media.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on No U.S. 1 Bypass Through Southern Pines Horse Country was approved by SOS members on October 27, 2011.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on No Western Connector Bypass in Moore County was approved by SOS members on October 27, 2011.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Give Wildlife a Value in Land Use Planning was approved by SOS members on April 28, 2011.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Nationwide Monitoring of the Insect Biomass was approved on April 29, 2010.  Guest speaker Dr. Steven Hall, Invertebrate Zoologist with the NC Natural Heritage Program, gave a talk in January, 2010, on the fact that the health of plants and insects has an effect on the entire wildlife food chain, a subject that has recently been given more attention.  Save Our Sandhills has been contacting officials in order to pursue the establishment of  a nationwide monitoring program.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Purchase of Development Rights was approved on January 28, 2010.  This resolution took shape following guest speaker Craven Hudson’s talk on October, 2009, on “More People, Same Land – What Are We Going to Do?”  Hudson, Moore County’s Extension Director, touched on the fact that the rural agricultural nature of the county has been encouraged through the Moore County Land Use Plan, the Small Area A Plan, Voluntary Agricultural Districts (VAD), state agency programs helping farms transition from tobacco to other products, and efforts to open up markets at Fort Bragg for local farm produce and products.  Save Our Sandhills developed this resolution to provide private landowners with incentives to sell development rights to qualified nonprofit land trusts or governmental entities.   The resolution was sent to Moore County officials as well as Senator Blake and Representative Boles.  The Planning Department is enthusiastic about the possibilities.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

SOS Endorsement of the North Carolina Alliance for Transportation Reform Resolution on Environmental Impact Statements.  This endorsement was approved by SOS members on January 29, 2009 in response to the need to have more effective measures in place to protect open space and habitats for our native plant and wildlife species.  For more information on this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Public Water Supply and Private Wells, which was approved by SOS members on January 29, 2009, was in response to the drought and the undesirable practice of relying on outside county sources for our water needs. The need to institute measures in order to protect the county’s limited supply of groundwater was also addressed.  This resolution was sent to all members of the NC Senate and all members of the NC House of Representatives, as well as the Moore County Board of Commissioners and Planning Department.  For more information on this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Progress Energy’s Transmission Lines concerns both the planned Rockingham/West End route and the Richmond County/Fort Bragg route.  The resolution developed as a result of Progress Energy’s wanton destruction of preserved wetlands under conservation easements and other sensitive areas of old longleaf stands, and the callous attitude of Progress Energy toward landowners' concerns.  SOS contacted the media, and on October 3, 2007 WRAL-TV, the Fayetteville Observer, and The Pilot converged to tour the scene of damage and then to extensively report on the event to their constituencies.  SOS members approved the resolution on June 5, 2008.  It was sent to legislators, the Governor, the Board of Commissioners for counties concerned, the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR), the NC Utilities Commission, the NC Wildlife Resources, and the media.  The Hoke County Board of Commissioners endorsed the resolution in July, 2008, and SOS members attended and spoke in Raeford at the Hoke County Board of Commissioners meeting with members of the NC Utilities Commission.  The Moore County Board of Commissioners requested Progress Energy to voice its opinion on the situation in a work session.   For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Resolution on Critical Water Issues was approved by its membership on September 5, 2007 in response to the drought and water shortage in Moore County that was becoming more critical as a result of burgeoning development.  Our resolution covered issues pertaining to developments, water supply problems, proper flow in creeks and rivers to maintain the needs of flora and fauna, as well as the necessary studies to plan properly for future needs.  It was sent to 100 Moore County government officials.  In order to draw attention on water conservation, we ran a half-page ad in the October 14 issue of The Pilot.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Save Our Sandhills Moore County Land Use Resolution was approved by its membership on June 4, 2007 in response to the tremendous amount of controversial land developments being planned, including two with a combined area of 2,700 acres that would encompass 3 golf courses, a large hotel, and 900 homes.  Copies were sent to the Moore County Board of Commissioners, the Moore County Planning Board, and the Moore County Planning Staff.  Following the dissemination of that resolution, there seemed to be a greater emphasis by the Planning Staff on adhering more closely to the Moore County Land Use Plan as they developed a new subdivision ordinance.  For a closer look at this resolution, click here.

Who We Are How We Work News Room Speakers Activities Membership Comments

President
Joe McDonald

Vice President
Robert Stolting

Secretary
Ruth Stolting

Treasurer
Jay Farfalla

Save Our Sandhills, Inc.
P.O. Box 893
Pinehurst, NC 28370-0893
910-315-1233