Lumber River State Park expands by 3,005 acres near South Carolina border

North Carolina State Parks purchased a 3,005-acre tract in Robeson County near Fair Bluff to expand Lumber River State Park, state officials announced, according to sunny943.com. The newly acquired land lies on the west bank of the Lumber River along the South Carolina state line, increasing the park's size to 16,594 acres.

The Conservation Fund facilitated the acquisition by buying the land from a private seller with a $4.05 million grant from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund and private donations. The state then purchased the tract from The Conservation Fund for just over $3.8 million, with $3.6 million coming from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and $234,375 from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

The property is bordered by the South Carolina state line, North Carolina Highway 904, and about four miles of the Lumber River. The land includes roughly 1,000 acres of upland, with the remainder consisting mainly of cypress and hardwood swamp forest that provides habitat for wildlife such as American alligators.

State officials highlighted the purchase as an investment in protecting water quality, outdoor recreation, and the area's long-term resilience. The Conservation Fund's North Carolina director noted the three-year effort to raise funds and negotiate the sale, calling it a win for the river, wildlife, and local residents.