BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD

CHAIR, James Rose

• Chief Administrative Officer, Fayetteville PWC, Cumberland County

  VICE CHAIR, Ethel T. Clark

• Mayor, Town of Spring Lake, Cumberland County
  

SECRETARY, Vacant

TREASURER, Rodney M. Tart

• Director of Public Utilities, Harnett County

BOARD MEMBERS

Jean Cashion

• Consultant & Lee County Citizen At Large

Marla Coulthard

• Consultant & Montgomery County Citizen At Large

Monty R. Crump

• Rockingham City Manager, Richmond County

Bob Doberstein

• Harnett County Citizen At Large

Maureen Douglas-Sutton

• Educator & Moore County Citizen At Large

Shannon R. Newton

• Director, Scotland County Parks and Recreation

Ray Ogden

• Executive Director, Moore County Partners in Progress

Richard Perritt

• Executive Director, NC Farm Center for Innovation & Sustainability

Donald L. Porter

• Director, Raeford-Hoke Economic Development, Hoke County

John Portman

• Business Owner,
• Moore County

Joey Raczkowski

• Director of Planning & Community Development, Moore County

Theresa Thompson

• Planning & Zoning Director,  Town of Lillington, Harnett County

Walter White

• Vice President, Customer Service & Community Relations, Lumbee River EMC, Cumberland County

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Colonel (Ret.) Greg Bean

• Fort Bragg Department of Public Works

Roberto Canales, P.E.

• NC Department of Transportation

David Dycus

• Regional Agronomist, NC Department of Agriculture

Colonel David Fox

• Garrison Commander, Fort Bragg

David A. Heins

• Fort Bragg Environmental Sustainment Division

Secretary Bill Ross

• NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Chris Russo

• NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Cleveland Simpson

• NC Department of Commerce

OUR STAFF

Jon Parsons, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

• jonparsons@sustainablesandhills.org
• (910) 484-9098

Heather Brown , BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

• brownh@ctc.com
• (910) 639-7024

Our HISTORY

It has never been done in the state of North Carolina, maybe even the nation.  Eight North Carolina counties, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR), and Fort Bragg – one of the nation’s largest military installations--are working together to build a healthy, thriving region.

In 2000, Fort Bragg leadership took a proactive stand to ensure the long-term viability of the installation.  Resource restraints, including restrictions on land use for realistic training due to encroachment and protection of endangered flora and fauna, raised questions as to Fort Bragg’s ability to continue to meet their mission.  By mid-2002, the installation’s newly formed Sustainable Fort Bragg (SFB) program had succeeded in identifying its “environmental footprint," and, based on that information, developed goals and goal teams centered on air, water, energy, education and construction to reduce that footprint.

Air, however, does not recognize borders, waterways flow without regard to boundaries, and encroachment on installation borders poses a serious threat to the mission, and ultimately the installation.  A sustainable region was the next logical step.  It was crucial for the survival of Fort Bragg to partner with the six counties - Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Moore, Richmond and Scotland (Lee and Montgomery were added in 2005 to bring the total to eight) - abutting the installation and to promote sustainability on a regional level.  Embracing the vision of a sustainable region within the Sandhills of North Carolina, an unlikely partnership was formed when Fort Bragg’s Garrison Commander met with the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR).  The result was an innovative initiative:  Sustainable Sandhills.

In February 2003, Fort Bragg and NC DENR convened stakeholders from the surrounding communities to propose the idea of a new partnership in the form of the Sustainable Sandhills initiative.  More than 150 community leaders, state and local elected officials, and government representatives were introduced to the concept and prospect of cultural change through sustainability.  Representatives from Save Our State, the NC Department of Transportation, NC Department of Commerce, and the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs addressed the audience, not only on their participation in sustainability efforts but also on the importance of finding a common vision for the region that could transcend political and municipality boundaries.  At the conclusion of the February conference, 40 attendees volunteered their time and talents to establish the Steering Committee in order to keep the momentum going and take the necessary steps to turn the idea into a plan.

This Steering Committee subsequently held a four-day training session and workshop on sustainability at Campbell University in Harnett County.  The training and workshop began with “The Natural Step” framework (a philosophy based on scientific principles for a sustainable society) and the four system conditions that must be met in order to have a sustainable society.  In layman’s terms, these conditions are:

 

• Don’t rely on nonrenewable resources;
• Don’t systematically increase synthetic products that don’t biodegrade;
• Don’t degrade nature’s services (trees that create oxygen, wetlands that provide habitat and filter water); and
• Make sure everyone’s basic needs are met.
  

The 130 people who attended the workshop determined where the above criteria were being violated and where they were doing a good job.  The initial focus was on six activity areas:  1) Agriculture, 2) Commerce and Economy, 3) Growth and Development, 4) Transportation, 5) Tourism, and 6) Military issues.  After evaluating the impacts of those activities for a day, the following common impacts were identified:  1) Materials Use, 2) Water, 3) Energy, 4) Land Use, and 5) Air Quality.  Teams were then formed to come up with desired end states, objectives, and strategies.  Since this workshop, these teams (named Community Resource Teams) have met regularly to discuss implementation plans and additional strategies, and to develop projects for achieving their long-term goals.

Since 2003, the initiative has evolved into an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.  In 2005, it expanded by adding Lee and Montgomery counties to the original six counties.