Natural resources are materials found in nature that support life and economic activity. North Carolina, with its varied geography spanning from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, possesses a rich and diverse array of these assets. This geographic diversity contributes to the state’s natural wealth, influencing its economy and ecosystems.
Forests and Agricultural Lands
North Carolina’s landscape is extensively covered by forests, encompassing over 18.7 million acres, or 61% of the state’s total land area. These forests are diverse, with dominant types including oak-hickory hardwoods (38%), loblolly-shortleaf pine softwoods (31%), and mixed oak-pine stands (13%). Over 60 different commercial tree species thrive across the state’s varied terrains. This vast forestland supports a wood products industry, contributing nearly $40.5 billion to the state’s economy and providing about 144,000 jobs. These forests are ecologically valuable, providing wildlife habitat, filtering air and water, and sequestering carbon. Sixty percent of the water used in North Carolina originates in its forests.
North Carolina’s fertile agricultural lands, particularly prominent in the Coastal Plain, support a wide range of products. The state leads nationally in sweet potato production (77.2% of the nation’s total in 2020) and is a top producer of tobacco, hogs, broilers, and turkeys. Other crops grown across the state include corn, soybeans, cotton, peanuts, and various fruits such as apples, blueberries, peaches, and strawberries. Agriculture contributes substantially to the state’s economy, generating over $10 billion in 2020, representing 6.1% of North Carolina’s gross domestic product.
Water and Coastal Resources
North Carolina’s extensive water resources include freshwater systems and coastal environments. Major rivers like the Neuse, Cape Fear, and Catawba provide water supplies across the state. Large reservoirs such as Lake Norman and Falls Lake serve metropolitan areas, while natural lakes like Lake Mattamuskeet, Lake Phelps, and Lake Waccamaw are found in the Coastal Plain. Groundwater is a primary source, with over 50% of North Carolina’s population relying on it for drinking water, particularly in the Coastal Plain. These freshwater bodies support drinking water, irrigation, industrial uses, recreation, and diverse aquatic ecosystems.
The state’s long coastline, estuaries, and sounds represent a vital natural resource. North Carolina is home to the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary, the second-largest estuarine system in the United States, spanning over 3,000 square miles. These estuaries, where freshwater from rivers mixes with ocean saltwater, are productive ecosystems. Approximately 90% of commercially important fish species in North Carolina depend on estuarine habitats for some part of their life cycle, including flounder, speckled trout, red drum, shrimp, blue crabs, and oysters. Commercial fishing from these waters contributed $370 million to the state’s economy. Estuaries and coastal wetlands provide significant ecological benefits, serving as nurseries for marine life, mitigating storm surge, and stabilizing shorelines.
Minerals and Energy Sources
North Carolina possesses various non-fuel mineral deposits that contribute to its industrial sector. The state is a leading national producer of feldspar, lithium minerals, scrap mica, olivine, and pyrophyllite. It also ranks second nationally in phosphate rock production. Other minerals extracted include crushed stone (primarily granite), sand and gravel, common clay, kaolin, peat, and gemstones. These minerals have diverse industrial applications: feldspar in glass fiber insulation and ceramics, lithium in batteries for electric vehicles and electronics, and phosphate in fertilizers. Clay supports brick and tile manufacturing, while crushed stone is a material for construction. These resources are found across the state, with lithium in the Piedmont and phosphate in the Coastal Plain.
North Carolina has limited fossil fuel reserves, with no significant oil, natural gas, or coal production. While a Deep River coal field exists, it is not actively producing, so the state imports most of its energy needs. North Carolina has substantial and growing renewable energy resources. The state ranks among the top nationally for solar generating capacity and total solar power generation, with solar providing 10% of the state’s electricity in 2023. There is significant potential for wind energy, particularly from strong offshore winds, with state goals set for 2,800 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 8,000 megawatts by 2040. Biomass, largely derived from the state’s nearly 19 million acres of woodlands and agricultural waste, also contributes to energy production. Hydroelectric power, primarily from 40 utility-scale dams in the mountainous western region, is the second-largest source of renewable electricity in the state, contributing 3% of its generation in 2023.