1. North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (NCEEP) Project Implementation

2. NCEEP Mission To restore, enhance, preserve, and protect the functions associated with wetlands, streams, and riparian areas including but not limited to those necessary for the restoration, maintenance, and protection of water quality and riparian habitats throughout North Carolina

3. What Types of Projects Does NCEEP Implement? Stream restoration, enhancement and preservation Wetland restoration, enhancement and preservation

4. How Does NCEEP Find Projects? NCEEP Local Watershed Plans Private Landowners Local Governments County Soil and Water Conservation Districts

5. Criteria for NCEEP Projects For stream restoration projects, NCEEP must have a conservation easement (in perpetuity) that extends 30 feet from each edge of bank of the proposed restoration, enhancement, and/ or preservation channel. For wetland restoration projects NCEEP must have a conservation easement (in perpetuity) that wraps around the wetland restoration, enhancement and/ or preservation area. No additional buffer is needed.

6. NCEEP Conservation Easements Perpetual easement that allows passive recreation but does not allow development in the easement area. Mowing is not allowed in the conservation easement. Invasive plant removal is allowed. Designed to be low to zero maintenance. Is NOT open to the public.

8. Selling NCEEP a conservation easement –Landowner keeps title to land –About 80% of fair market value per acre Selling the easement area to NCEEP fee-simple No longer have to pay taxes on that land Landowner is paid full fair market value per acre Donating the easement area to NCEEP fee-simple Donate a conservation easement to NCEEP (keep the title) **Equipment crossings, roads, and cattle crossings can be cut out of the easement area for current or future use. Options For Granting a Conservation Easement to NCEEP

9. Criteria for EEP Projects Stream Projects : Minimum stream buffer width: 30 feet* Minimum length of stream reach: 2000 feet Maximum stream order: 3 rd Number of landowners: ideally <5 Stream is perennial Stream is altered or degraded Drainage area < 10 square miles * 50 ft in the Piedmont and Coastal plain

10. Wetland Projects: Mapped hydric or with hydric soil inclusions Altered hydrology (Ditched hillside seep) Natural plant community missing or severely altered Minimum size: »riparian wetlands 5 acres in isolation »non-riparian wetlands 15 acres in isolation Criteria for EEP Projects

11. Best Management Practices (BMPs) If the property is being used as pastureland, NCEEP can pay for a fencing out the conservation easement, watering structures, and potentially other BMPs to help improve water quality.

12. Impacted, degraded streams Ecosystem Enhancement Program

15. Examples of impacted, degraded wetlands

16. NCEEP During Construction

17. Stream Restoration Projects- After Construction

25. NCEEP- Projects Before and After

26. Jumping Run Creek - Before

27. Jumping Run Creek- After

28. Burnt Mill Site-Before

29. Burnt Mill-After

30. Payne site- Before

31. Payne site- After

32. Hominy Swamp Creek- Before

33. Hominy Swamp Creek- After

34. Hammond Site - Before Construction Hammond Site - After Construction (approximately 2 months)

35. Brush Creek - Before Construction Brush Creek - After Construction (approximately 2 months)

36. Questions? NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program 1652 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1652 (919) 715-0476 www.nceep.net Paul Wiesner NCEEP Project Manager (828) 273-1673 paul.wiesner@ncmail.net.wiesner@ncmail.net