Coastal land trust reaches agreement to protect more than 3,200 acres of Sledge Forest

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More than 3,200 acres of Sledge Forest in northern New Hanover County could be permanently protected under a new agreement announced Thursday between the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and Copper Builders, the developer behind the proposed Hilton Bluffs subdivision.

The agreement, which is contingent on the subdivision moving forward as currently approved, would establish one of the largest permanently protected conservation areas in New Hanover County history. The protected land would encompass thousands of acres of wetlands, riverfront habitat and upland forests along the Northeast Cape Fear River.

According to the Coastal Land Trust, the conservation arrangement would preserve the vast majority of the approximately 4,000-acre property while allowing development to occur on about 600 acres in the southeastern portion of the site.

“This is one of the most significant conservation opportunities in New Hanover County in a generation,” said Harrison Marks, executive director of the Coastal Land Trust. “More than 3,200 acres, a landscape larger than Carolina Beach State Park, will be permanently protected in the heart of one of the fastest-growing counties on the North Carolina coast.”

The land trust emphasized that it is not taking a position on whether the Hilton Bluffs subdivision should be approved. Instead, the organization said its role is to ensure long-term conservation of the property if the project proceeds under its current approvals.

The Sledge Forest tract includes extensive freshwater and tidal wetlands, approximately 8.5 miles of frontage along the Northeast Cape Fear River, mature bottomland hardwood forests and areas of longleaf pine habitat. Conservation advocates describe the property as an important part of the lower Cape Fear River watershed, providing wildlife habitat, stormwater storage and water-quality benefits.

Under the agreement, Copper Builders would donate approximately 1,200 acres to the Coastal Land Trust through a fee-simple transfer. The land trust would then purchase an additional 2,000 acres through a bargain-sale arrangement, with the developer contributing a significant portion of the property’s value. The developer has also agreed to fund a multimillion-dollar stewardship endowment intended to support management and maintenance of the preserve.

Kenneth Lingerfelt, the Coastal Land Trust’s director of land protection, said the conservation effort would safeguard ecologically important wetlands and upland habitats for future generations.

“Sledge Forest is one of the most ecologically significant properties in the county,” Lingerfelt said. “What we are committing to protect here is irreplaceable: thousands of acres of wetlands, riparian buffers along the Northeast Cape Fear River, and upland habitat, including longleaf pine.”

The proposed Hilton Bluffs subdivision remains the subject of ongoing legal proceedings before the New Hanover County Board of Adjustment. Hearings related to the project are expected in July.

The Coastal Land Trust said it will not participate in those land-use decisions and has not taken a position on the merits of the development proposal.

If completed, the conservation project could eventually include public access features such as trails, parking areas and river-access facilities. Both the land trust and the developer have expressed support for making the preserved land available for public recreation and education.

Founded in 1992, the Coastal Land Trust has protected more than 91,000 acres across 31 North Carolina counties through conservation easements, land acquisitions and stewardship programs.