The University signed an agreement with Jerry Walker of Walker Ag Group out of Illinois. The agreement is for $150 million to be invested in the stock market. Please see the new blog post for the entire email sent by Dean Watzin.

Additionally, please take this time to consider donating to the Hofmann Forest Legal Fund to stop this sale in its tracks. Please contact Chancellor Woodson, Dean Watzin, and Linda Brickhouse immediately to voice your displeasure with the sale. Contact information can be found here:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cnr-alumni-against-the-sale-of-the-hofmann-forest/blog/11689

We have filed suit in Wake County Superior Court against the Endowment Fund of the Board of Trustees of North Carolina State University to prevent the sale of the Hofmann Forest. Pursuing this case with legal counsel will be expensive, with an estimated cost of up to $25,000 or more at the first level of the trial court process. We are writing to ask for your contributions to this cause, which we all think is worthwhile. Clearly a court challenge is the only thing that is apt to stop this sale and allow for more time for deliberation. As plaintiffs, we are committed to stopping the sale, and have contributed and received more $12,000 so far to retain counsel.

The Hofmann State Forest is the largest and most important non-federal public forest lands property in North Carolina, and we think we can still protect it far better through conservation easements, leases, partial or complete retention, or other alternatives, which have not been examined seriously with any state agency or public input, as required by law for state lands. We do think we can do better than an outright sale if the lawsuit prevails.

All funds will go the Hofmann Forest Legal Fund. If there extra funds after the case, we will contribute the remaining balance to the Sam Hughes and Don and Jean Steensen scholarship funds in the Natural Resource Foundation at NCSU, in order to be sure that they fulfill the spirit of forestry education and professionalism exhibited by two of our former leaders.

Option 1: Write a check payable to: "Wildlands Network", with "100% restricted for Hofmann Forest Legal Fund" in the memo line. Mail or hand-deliver them to Ron Sutherland at: 5801 Mountain Island Dr, Durham, NC 27713; his cell phone is (919) 641-0060. Email both Ron {ron@wildlandsnetwork.org} and Logan Roise {loganroise@gmail.com} the amount that you have donated, so we can keep an independent record of contributions for audit control.

Option 2: Donate Online: You can also donate online via this website, https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1414336. As with mailing in a physical check, please indicate that "100% be restricted for Hofmann Forest Legal Fund" in the dedication line and email both Ron {ron@wildlandsnetwork.org} and Logan Roise {loganroise@gmail.com} the amount that you have donated, so we can keep an independent record of contributions for audit control.

These donations to the Wildlands Network should be tax deductible like other environmental law nongovernment organizations, but we cannot offer final tax advice. We will provide receipts that people can use to claim tax deductions as appropriate. Thanks very much for your support.