Sam Feldstein
N.C. State alumnus with degrees in environmental science and political science Andrew Payne delivers a powerful message to a group of peaceful protesters holding signs in the Brickyard against the sale of Hofmann Forest at lunchtime Monday. Payne's message was that we need to stop the sale of Hofmann Forest and go through a more transparent process to determine its fate. He encouraged everyone to e-mail the dean and chancellor in order to express their anger and frustration about the process.
Activism is nothing new to Andrew Payne.
While serving as president of the Association of Student Governments in 2001, he marched to the State Legislature with 5,000 other college students to protest university budget cuts of more than $500 million.
Considering this, it was no surprise he was among the loudest voices at a protest held to oppose the sale of the Hofmann Forest in the Brickyard Monday, where about 100 people gathered to voice their opposition to the university’s decision to sell the 79,000-acre tract of land.
“The way this sale has been handled, through back-door deals and zero transparency to the public — the students, the faculty members, the taxpayers — is absolutely unacceptable,” Payne said.
Payne, who served as a member of the UNC Board of Governors, said he used to be a donor to the university, but said after the sale was announced, he decided to stop giving to the school.
“How can a College of Natural Resources, which is supposed to teach environmental stewardship and responsibility, sell the most pristine and largest piece of land in North Carolina without consulting [its stakeholders]?” Payne said.
Simultaneously, almost 125 miles away, about 75 protesters gathered in Deppe Park, which is part of the Hofmann Forest near Jacksonville, North Carolina, according to The Daily News.
After demonstrating in the Brickyard, protesters walked across campus to Holladay Hall and chanted lines such as, “No will, no way, Hofmann Forest has got to stay,” while Chancellor Randy Woodson was in a meeting.
The sale of the largest university-owned forest in the world caused outrage among students, faculty members and environmentalists alike when a prospectus was leaked that included plans for the buyer, Jerry Walker, to develop the land.
In a statement released by the university in November, University Spokesperson Brad Bohlander wrote, “the buyer confirmed there ‘are no plans to develop the property into a large commercial and residential community. In addition to this commitment, the property in question is zoned for conservation uses and any changes to accommodate such development would require a county public approval process.’”
In an email to the Technician Monday morning, University Spokesperson Fred Hartman reiterated this statement and wrote that despite what opponents of the sale have said, “the land is zoned for certain uses and the majority of the land is protected from development.”
Brian Iezzi, a junior in textile engineering, said he was concerned about the lack of details regarding the sale.
“Students were never really consulted regarding the sale, and there really was never that much information about it,” Iezzi said.
Students and professors who spoke Monday cited concern that the destruction of the forest could have devastating effects on the watershed in the area.
At the protest Monday, Sutherland and other protesters called for the university to cancel the deal with Walker’s company, Hofmann Forest LLC.
Fred Cubbage, a professor of forestry who has been one of the leaders of the opposition, said if the university were still interested in selling Hofmann Forest, it should seek out buyers who would be interested in maintaining the environmental integrity of the forest.
As of press time, Hartman did not respond to the Technician’s requests to speak about today’s protest.