# Presentation: 374974

## Mission:  Serve as a model for regional sustainability planning, improving the quality of life for current and future generations through consensus, shared vision and collaborative action. Vision:  A vibrant and prosperous region with a balanced and sustainable mix of natural, economic and cultural resources. Purpose:  Promote sustainable development and practices.

**Notes:**
“I’ve Endured” introduction.
What’s a mission, vision, purpose?
SS is a community-based NONPROFIT BUSINESS.  Governments are some of our most important partners, but we are NOT a local, state or federal government entity.  Our model may not fit your situation, but our lessons learned are general enough to apply. 
We depend on a mix of project and operational grant income from government and private foundations, a small amount of earned income from our partners at Fort Bragg, and a growing income from individual memberships and private donations.
It’s a challenging business model – while we have “greened” our own business (operations and products/programs) - imagine building a business on persuading people and organizations to change behavior....
Persuasion depends not just on the facts and figures backing up the benefits, but on every face in our organization being able to tell their own sustainability story.
To understand our challenge, here’s some background on our region.

**Notes:**
Currently Sustainable Sandhills encompasses an 8-county region.
Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall in red.

## Sandhills Ecosystem 	 Richmond  (67%) 		 Hoke  (59%) 

_**Sandhills Ecosystem**_** ****	**** *****Richmond  (67%)*** **	*****	****** Hoke  (59%)***
***    ******Moore  (58%)***
***    ******Scotland  (41%)***
-     ***Harnett  (36%)******  ***  ***Lee  (33%)******	****** Cumberland  (11%)***             	 ***Montgomery  (10%)******	******       *****2,507,600 Total Acres****    977,600 Acres (39%)****  of Sandhills Ecosystem**

**Carthage**

**Troy**

_**Sandhills Ecosystem**_
_**Boundary**_

**Notes:**
Address the regional identity challenge and the diversity of perspectives in different municipalities – say Hamlet, Pinehurst, Fayetteville for diversity of views.

## Keys to success
Focus publicly on a few issues, but work them all
Listen – then stress resonant local benefits (new jobs, increased tax base, efficient government)
Develop a collaborative network 
Operate under other organizational umbrellas
Productive and informative meetings
Match work scope to capacity
Be advocates for sustainability

What to avoid? 

**Case Study **

**Keys to success**
_**Focus publicly on a few**_** issues, but work them all**
**Listen – then stress **_**resonant**_** local benefits (new jobs, increased tax base, efficient government)**
**Develop a **_**collaborative network**_** **
**Operate **_**under**_** other organizational umbrellas**
**Productive and informative meetings**
**Match work scope to capacity**
**Be **_**advocates for**_** sustainability**
**What to avoid? **

**Notes:**
Since this is a case study – I’m going to touch on our key LESSONS LEARNED right up front.

## 2000 – Fort Bragg sustainability initiative launched
2002 – Tad Davis & Bill Ross partner and host Executive Conference on Sustainability
2003 – Sustainable Sandhills 4 day training results in formation of 5 Community Resource Teams 
11/2004 – SS incorporates as an NC nonprofit
7/2005 – USEPA awards 3 year STAR grant 
8/2005 – SS hires first employee (me!)
9/2005 – 501(c)(3) status granted by IRS
1/2008 – 2 fte staff, 2 fte contractor support

**SS Chronology **

**2000 ****– Fort Bragg sustainability initiative launched**
**2002**** – Tad Davis & Bill Ross partner and host Executive Conference on Sustainability**
**2003**** – Sustainable Sandhills 4 day training results in formation of 5 Community Resource Teams **
**11/2004**** – SS incorporates as an NC nonprofit**
**7/2005**** – USEPA awards 3 year STAR grant **
**8/2005**** – SS hires first employee (me!)**
**9/2005**** – 501(c)(3) status granted by IRS**
**1/2008**** – 2 fte staff, 2 fte contractor support**

**Notes:**
Don’t dwell here – but acknowledge Tad Davis and Bill Ross’s vision and partnership.  Also worth noting that the organization struggled without paid professional management.  And current staff just doubled thanks to a pulse of support from Tad Davis.

## Sustainable FORT BRAGG
Water Use
Water Quality
Waste Reduction
Green Purchasing
Green Building
Energy Conservation
Air Quality
Transportation
Land - Compatible Use
Land – Training
Cultural Resources

**Water Use**
**Water Quality**
**Waste Reduction**
**Green Purchasing**
**Green Building**
**Energy Conservation**
**Air Quality**
**Transportation**
**Land - Compatible Use**
**Land – Training**
**Cultural Resources**

**Team Structure**
**Leverage Bragg & NCDENR Resources**

_**Sustainable SANDHILLS**_
**  ****Water Team**
**  ****Materials Use Team**
**  ****Energy Team**
**  ****Air Team**
**  ****Land Use Team**
**  ****Cultural Team**

**Notes:**
One of the smartest things we did was to mirror the SFB structure so we could leverage their expertise and manpower.
Same to be said for NCDENR’s resources – Div Air Quality (Air & Energy Teams), Div Water Quality and Div Water Resources (Water Team), Div Waste Mgt (Materials Team), multiple DENR divisions (Land Team), and Div of Pollution Prevention (DPPEA) applies to any of the teams with conservation objectives and with local government interactions.

## USEPA Grant Project
“Vision to Action” with USACE & EPA
Regional Tourism & Green Infrastructure
Regional Agricultural Sustain’y Program 
City of Fayetteville Recycling Task Force
High Performance Schools Symposium
Habitat for Humanity Green Building
Green Business Program

**Program Examples**

**USEPA Grant Project**
**“****Vision to Action” with USACE & EPA**
**Regional Tourism & Green Infrastructure**
**Regional Agricultural Sustain’y Program **
**City of Fayetteville Recycling Task Force**
**High Performance Schools Symposium**
**Habitat for Humanity Green Building**
**Green Business Program**

**Notes:**
These are the list of projects to highlight.  Due to time restrictions, Parsons may gauge audience interest during previous presentations and target 3-4 of the 8 listed.

## Project: decision support tool for integrated planning.  Began as 6 counties – now 11! Models suitability potential for 6 land uses.
Partners: planners, developers, conservation...
Challenges: long & complex project.
Surprises: developer interest, LOTS of land with multiple suitability.
Outcomes: 4 local gov’ts engaged, lead to Vision To Action workshops and other grants.

(www.sustainablesandhills.org/LandUseTeam/EPAProjectSummaryPage.htm)

**USEPA Land Use Project**

**Project:** decision support tool for integrated planning.  Began as 6 counties – now 11! Models suitability potential for 6 land uses.
**Partners:** planners, developers, conservation...
**Challenges:** long & complex project.
**Surprises:** developer interest, LOTS of land with multiple suitability.
**Outcomes:** 4 local gov’ts engaged, lead to Vision To Action workshops and other grants.
**(**_**www.sustainablesandhills.org/LandUseTeam/EPAProjectSummaryPage.htm**_**)**

## Slide 9

## Slide 10

## Slide 11

## Slide 12

## Slide 13

## “Vision To Action”

**“****Vision To Action”**

**Project:** art-based community visioning workshops in 4 small Sandhills towns.
**Partners:** USACE, EPA Brownfields, grassroots community activists, 2 professional artists.
**Challenges:** raised expectations of funding.
**Surprises:** similar visions in all 4 towns.
**Outcomes:** SS knows community priorities in 4 small towns; workshop process and artwork used in 3 community grant applications.
**(**_**www.sustainablesandhills.org/pages/docs/ShortVtoApresentationfromACoE.pdf**_**)**

**LAURINBURG**
**Downtown, looking south**

**WAGRAM**
**Downtown, Hwy 401 north**

**ROCKINGHAM**
**Approach to downtown Hwy 1 north**

**DUNN**
**Downtown Main Street**

**LAURINBURG**
**Leith Creek, ID’d for trail and park**

**DUNN**
**I-95, Exit 73**

## WAGRAM

**WAGRAM**
**Lumber River is a key asset**

**ROCKINGHAM**
**Downtown square & fountain**

**DUNN**
**Dunn-Erwin Rail Trail **

**DUNN**
**Wetlands for greenway**

## Slide 25

**Notes:**
SOME SAMPLES OF ARTWORK BY THE PARTICIPANTS (non-professionals).
Note the map from Dunn shows the wetlands and Rail Trail.

## DUNN

**DUNN**
**Group with VTA posters**

**Notes:**
One of the professional artist “composite drawings” (LAURINBURG)

**Notes:**
One of the professional artist “composite drawings” (LAURINBURG)

**Notes:**
One of the professional artist “composite drawings” (ROCKINGHAM)

**Notes:**
One of the professional artist “composite drawings” (DUNN)

## Regional Tourism & Green Infrastructure Project  

**Regional Tourism & Green Infrastructure Project****  **

**Project:** SS coordinates a regional conservation and sustainable tourism planning, development and marketing effort.
**Partners:** conservation & tourism org’s, agri-tourism, eco-tourism & cultural heritage destinations, the region’s planning community.
**Challenges:** the huge scope of the project.
**Surprises:** funder interest (Golden LEAF).
**Outcomes:** none yet; the project leverages prior SS GIS work and attempts to unite the conservation & tourism communities.

## Regional Agricultural Sustainability Program 

**Regional Agricultural Sustainability Program **

**Project:** Tobacco Trust Fund grant creates a new _regional_ extension agent position for 2 years to coordinate and support sustainable agriculture efforts in an 11 county area.
**Partners:** NCSU Cooperative Extension, BRAC Regional Task Force, Sustainable Fort Bragg.
**Challenges:** large scope of coordination task; new ideas; difficult to find qualified candidate.
**Outcomes:** none yet; 1/3 of a 3-part program (farmland preservation and eco/agri/cultural heritage tourism efforts are the other 2 parts).

## Fayetteville Recycling

**Fayetteville Recycling**
**Task Force**

**Project:** SS facilitated a City Council-appointed task force to make recycling program rec’n.
**Partners:** NCDENR, Mayor, SS Materials Team.
**Challenges:** competing needs, fee, no MRF, failed 1990’s project .
**Surprises:** unanimous approval by Council.
**Outcomes:** single stream curbside program for 60,000 HH; built trust with City staff & ELOF’s; SS now drafts grant applications for City staff.
**(**_**www.sustainablesandhills.org/documents/FRTFFinalReport2007July1noAPP.pdf**_**)**

## High Performance 

**High Performance **
**Schools Symposium**

**Project:** 1⁄2 day targeted educational event for 10 county school boards, superintendents, and design & construction professionals.
**Partners:** NC SEO, 4 sponsors, 6 presenters.
**Challenges:** first cost fixation, long lead time on school construction projects, facility shortfalls.
**Surprises:** resistance to capital lease financing.
**Outcomes:** 110 attendees; 14 months after the event 4 counties are contemplating LEED designs and/or capital lease financing.
**     ****(**_**www.sustainablesandhills.org/pages/high_perf_schools1.htm**_**)**

## Habitat for Humanity

**Habitat for Humanity**
**Green Building Initiative**

**Project:** SS facilitates all Sandhills’ Habitat affiliates to build “SystemVision” homes.
**Partners:** Progress Energy, NC Housing Finance Agency, SS Energy Team.
**Challenges:** HfH construction staff resistance.
**Outcomes:** Fayetteville Habitat to build all 2008 homes to SystemVision spec; $4000/home grant to Habitat; $20/home/month average energy savings make the homes even more affordable.
- _(www.advancedenergy.org/buildings/knowledge_library/systems_approach/systemvision/index.html)_

## Green Business Program

**Green Business Program**

**Project:** menu-driven program for business, institutional and local government sectors.
**Partners:** NCDENR, EPA, Sustainable NC, energy utilities, media, local chambers.
**Challenges:** “brand” recognition, staff time.
**Surprises:** strong early response from pilot participants.
**Outcomes:** none yet; pilot Q1-2008, rollout to office/retail, hotel/motel and restaurant sectors Q2-2008.

## A Regional Sustainability InitiativeJon Parsons, P.E. Executive Directorwww.sustainablesandhills.orgjonparsons@sustainablesandhills.org 910-484-9098