Military Bases Face Encroachment
WASHINGTON — The nation’s military bases face an ever-encroaching threat — suburban development. The need to protect base land for military training has the brass forming an unlikely alliance with conservation groups. Albeit for different reasons, the military and conservation groups share the same goal: to preserve open space. Conservationists say that the 25 million acres owned by Defense is home to almost 330 endangered species, while the DOD needs the land for training exercises. As a result, states are trying to balance the needs of the military, conservation groups, and homeowners. In Fayetteville, the Army and state and local conservation groups formed a partnership to protect 9,100 acres near Fort Bragg for training and woodpecker habitat.