Comprehensive Planning Program

The Division of Parks and Recreation’s Comprehensive Planning Program is responsible for developing a variety of plans for the NC State Parks System as well as the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. (Brief descriptions of various plans and links to the plans are found below.)

The program administrates two parks and recreation grant programs: the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Administration of the NC Natural and Scenic Rivers System is also the responsibility of the Comprehensive Planning Program.

Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
The SCORP is an evaluation of the demand for and supply of outdoor recreation areas and facilities in the state. The plan contains an inventory of outdoor recreation areas and facilities by county. Development of the plan is a prerequisite for local and state governments to be eligible for matching assistance under the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965. Questions or comments may be directed to: Bayard.Alcorn@ncmail.net.

Or:

Bayard Alcorn
NC Division of Parks and Recreation
1615 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615

System-wide Plan for the NC State Parks System
The State Parks Act requires the preparation of a system-wide plan every five years, and directs that the plan:

• outlines a method whereby the mission and purpose of the state parks system can be achieved in a reasonable, timely and cost effective manner;
• evaluates existing parks to determine their statewide significance;
• identifies duplications and deficiencies in the current state parks system and makes recommendations for correction;
• describes the resources of the existing state parks system and their current uses, identifies conflicts created by those uses and propose solutions to them; and
• describes anticipated trends, details what impact those trends may have on the state parks system and recommends means and methods to accommodate those trends successfully.

Individual Park Plans
While the system-wide plan guides the overall management and direction of the entire state parks system, the State Parks Act directs that general management plans be developed to guide individual parks. General management plans provide a thorough and logical approach to planning. Once developed, components of these individual park plans are combined and used in the system-wide plan.

NC Natural and Scenic Rivers System
This non-regulatory program is intended to preserve outstanding free-flowing rivers and adjacent lands for the benefit of present and future generations. Designation of state rivers is made by the General Assembly.