A MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR SAVE SLEDGE FOREST

On March 10th, the New Hanover County Technical Review Committee conditionally approved the Hilton Bluffs project.  While there are still many requirements and permits needed before construction can begin, we believe this approval was incorrectly issued. 

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We have important—and truly exciting—news to share.

We are proud to announce that individuals within the Save Sledge Forest organization have officially been taken on as clients by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) to pursue a legal challenge to the conditional approval of the Hilton Bluffs development.

This means we will have an entire team of highly experienced environmental attorneys working on our case. Just as importantly, SELC will also be bringing on our local attorney—who has been working tirelessly alongside us over the past year—so we continue with the strength of both local knowledge and regional legal expertise.

What this means—in plain terms:

We have filed an appeal with the Board of Adjustment.
In simple terms, this is asking an independent local board to take a second, hard look at the county’s decision to approve this development and determine whether the rules were applied correctly.

It’s a formal way of saying:
“We believe things were done incorrectly—and it deserves to be reviewed.”

Why this happened

We share this with deep gratitude and a sense of perspective:

This level of support is never the result of any one effort. 

It reflects the steady, strategic work happening behind the scenes by our Save Sledge Forest leadership over the past year—and just as importantly, the strong and visible support from this community. 

Because of you—your voices, your presence, your advocacy—this is no longer just a local concern. It is a serious issue that has drawn the attention of one of the most respected environmental law organizations in the country.

SELC -the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan environmental legal advocacy organization rooted in and focused on the South - is made up of lawyers, policy and issue experts, and community advocates and partners that take on the toughest challenges to protect our air, water, land, wildlife, and the people who live here. The cases they take on - and win - are determined and decided through a critical review process.

And they have recognized that Sledge Forest represents one of the most important environmental threats in our country. At the same time, the potential threats to our community’s safety, well-being, and quality of life will be thoroughly addressed with the added expertise and insight of our local attorney.

A shared achievement

This is not just a legal milestone—it’s a community milestone.

It belongs to:

Every person who signed the petition

Every neighbor who showed up

Every voice that spoke up when it mattered

You helped make this possible.

What comes next

This legal support is specifically for the upcoming appeal only.

If the appeal is successful, we take a major step forward.

If it is not, the fight does not end—but it would mean we need to prepare for the next phase, one that will require additional resources through fundraising.

For now, we are focused, prepared and confident.

The appeal will go before the NHC Board of Adjustment at a yet to be determined date.

We will send out a Call to Action with all the details as soon as it is on their agenda – We are asking every one of our supporters to be at that meeting! 

This has always been about more than trees.

It’s about protecting a rare and irreplaceable forest.
It’s about safeguarding our community from a development that threatens our health, safety, and peaceful environment.  .

And it’s about ensuring that growth is planned responsibly—without treating the people, infrastructure, and natural resources already here as collateral damage. 

‍ YOU’RE INVITED!

Come see the premiere showing of “The Last Forest”‍

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 19TH / 6:30PM SATELLITE BAR & LOUNGE

A short, but powerful, 6 minute story about our community’s fight to protect the last large forest in New Hanover County

Connect with Fellow Supporters Celebrate our Accomplishments Learn What’s New & What’s Next ‍

The new Hilton Bluffs application will be reviewed by the NHC Technical Review Committee at their Wed., Nov. 19th 2PM meeting.

This is a virtual meeting but the public can listen in -no comments allowed during the meeting, but feel free to send them in before Nov. 19th.

The call in number and agenda will be listed here as soon as it is available. Or you can join the TRC Email Sign Up‍ ‍and you will receive that info via email.

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Sledge Forest has recently been added to the list of threatened Old Growth Forests by the Old Growth Forest Network. a national organization

The Old-Growth Forest Network is the only national network in the U.S. of protected, old-growth, native forests where people of all generations can experience biodiversity and the beauty of nature.