DEQ Stewardship Program Overview
The DEQ Stewardship Program works to ensure that conservation properties and easements held by the State of North Carolina are managed to protect water quality, wildlife habitat, and provide open space. The program was created with the enactment of the North Carolina Conservation Easements Program (N.C.G.S. 113A-230) and the Conservation Grant Fund (N.C.G.S. 113A-232). The Stewardship Program is responsible for the stewardship of easements and lands that have been acquired as compensatory mitigation by the Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) and individual permit holders. Currently the program stewards approximately 21,700 conservation acres across North Carolina.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) require regular monitoring of conservation easements associated with stream and wetland mitigation as described in the Federal Rule for Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources, April 10 ,2008 (33 CFR Parts 325 and 332 and 40 CFR Part 230,). Regular monitoring of conservation easements is also an expectation of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as described in the Internal Revenue Code 26 U.S. Code § 170 - Charitable, etc., contributions and gifts, Section (f). Our conservation properties are monitored by DEQ staff and program partners including the State Property Office, Land Trust organizations, and local government entities.
Contact us by email at stewardship@deq.nc.gov or by phone at 919-707-8536 for additional program information.
Stewardship Program Reports
Conservation Grant Fund Annual Report
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reports to the Environmental Review Commission each year on the implementation of Article 16, the Conservation Easement Program. This Article, §113A-230 through §113A-235, includes enabling legislation for a program for conservation easement promotion/education, quality assurance of conserved lands, and enabling legislation for a conservation grant fund. These annual reports are prepared pursuant to G.S. 113A-235(c). See the latest Conservation Grant Fund Annual Report.
Practices Supportive of Public Recreation and Hunting on Mitigation Sites
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reports to the Environmental Review Commission annually on actions taken to encourage wetland mitigation practices supportive of public recreation and hunting on mitigation sites. These annual reports are prepared pursuant to Session Law 2015-194. See the latest report on Practices Supportive of Public Recreation and Hunting.