I hope you caught some of the news reports last week about a new video that has been developed for the Lumber River. A premier showing of the video was provided for those who provided the funding to make it possible as well as a large number of elected and appointed officials from the four counties that border the Lumber River.

The video is entitled The Lumber: A River Heritage. It is 30 minutes in length and was produced by Environmental Media Corporation which is well known for the many videos it has produced for science and environmental educational for the classroom and the community. You may have seen some of their videos featuring some of our national and state parks and a great variety of environmental topics.

The Lumber River State Park Citizen's Advisory Committee is responsible for the long, ongoing process of raising the funds for the production of the video and for coordinating with resource people to get the scenery and interviews that were used in the video. Dr. Andy Ash, a professor at UNC-Pembroke and a member of this committee, was the primary person responsible for the success of this project.

The intent of this video was to capture on video and DVD the history of the Lumber River and what this river means to this region. The committee was aware that a high-quality educational video would provide the opportunity to share this information with more people. In addition, many people have come to rely on videos as a way to gain the information and viewing enjoyment they want and need.

If you would like a copy of this video, you can purchase one at the Lumber River State Park at Princess Anne or at the Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, which is located in the O. P. Owens Agriculture Center on Highway 72 West of Lumberton. The price of the video is $20.

I was told you could order the video by accessing Environmental Media's website at www.envmedia.com, but when I pulled this site up, I could find many of the other videos they have produced, but I was unable to find the one on the Lumber River. This is a new release for them, so hopefully, it will be listed in their on-line and paper catalog in the very near future.

The Citizen's Advisory Committee is well aware of the need to help educate our young people about the value of this natural resource and how important it is that we all do whatever is necessary to protect it. Because of this the committee has made arrangements for a copy of this video to be placed in every library in the region including those in public schools, private schools, community colleges, and the university. We will also be placing copies in other frequently visited locations such as visitors centers, chambers of commerce, and the Cooperative Extension Centers. This distribution process will be taking place during the coming six months.

Many people do not realize how expensive it is to produce a video of this quality. They don't come cheaply. Funding for this project was provided by several grant agencies including Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the Lumber River Council of Governments, and the Lumber River Development Corporation. Funding was also provided by the governments of Robeson County, Scotland County, and the City of Lumberton. In addition, funding was provided by Progress Energy, known formally as Carolina Power and Light.

Virtually everyone in Robeson County should have a strong interest in the Lumber River and a desire to see that this river is cared for. Some of us just enjoy the river and the recreational pleasures it provides. Some of us receive some of our income either directly or indirectly related to the river. Some of us are in occupations that have an impact on the river. And others of us just want a clean and healthy environment.

No matter what your interest in the Lumber River, you will definitely enjoy and appreciate this video. Again, if you would like a copy for your personal library, just go to the Lumber River State Park office or stop by my office.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 3/11/03