The Conservation Trust for North Carolina, with grant support from the Triangle Community Foundation, developed a regional farmland preservation and agricultural development strategy for the Triangle. The project area includes Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange, and Wake counties.

The project:

  • Prioritizes farmland protection areas in the Triangle.
  • Identifies six strategies to conserve farmland, assist farmers, and support local food production.
  • Proposes six place-based approaches to address local opportunities for farmland preservation and community economic development.
  • Lays out a three-year action plan to guide initial efforts.

Download a copy of the full report designed by Community Food Lab.

Appendices Links

  1. GIS Farmland Prioritization Methods
  2. GIS Mapping Results
  3. List of Contributing Resource Professionals
  4. List of Contributing Stakeholders
  5. Stakeholders Ideas and Input
    1. Values
    2. Strategies
    3. Place-based Activities

Farmland Protection Priority Areas

Blue – Top scoring rural farm parcels.
Red – Top scoring urban farm parcels.

Project Partners

  • Conservation Trust for North Carolina
  • Community Food Lab
  • Center for Environmental Farming Systems
  • Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
  • Triangle Land Conservancy
  • Eno River Association
  • Sustainable Foods North Carolina

Our Collective Vision

Active, productive, and economically viable farms are common sights throughout the Triangle’s rural and urban landscapes, contributing to sustainable communities and a resilient regional food system.

Six Regional Strategies to Protect Farmland and Grow the Local Food Economy

Six Place-Based Strategies

  • Southeastern Johnston County Large Farms
  • Western Chatham County Large Farms and Livestock
  • Northern Orange and Durham Counties: Transition and New Markets
  • Urban Agriculture Focus in Durham and Wake Counties
  • County Line: Wake and Johnston County Small Farm Networks
  • Siler City Farm Ring