The primary purpose of Friends of Lake Johnson is to preserve the natural beauty of Lake Johnson Park. This includes the acquisition of adjacent parcels of land, working to assist the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department in assuring the cleanliness of the lake and its surrounding area, and to help in educating the public to the natural environment available within the Park.

Our ongoing major project is the purchase of additional Lake Johnson Park land. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) established a Lease to Purchase agreement with the Friends of Lake Johnson, the City of Raleigh and Wake County for the purchase of the last 12 acres of land available to expand and protect Lake Johnson Park.

We have the opportunity to protect this precious resource for our long-term quality of life as well as to protect the environment. PUBLIC SUPPORT is needed to assist in this purchase.

As a part of the Lease to Purchase Agreement with TPL, Wake County paid $350,000.00 from the Open Space Bond Fund and the City of Raleigh paid another $600,000.00 from City Park Acquisition Funds. Friends of Lake Johnson committed to raise the remaining portion of the TPL loan as our part of this precedent-setting public/private partnership.

We must raise the funds from the community with donations and gifts from the users of the park and general public, and we are also applying for various federal, state and private grants. 100% of the money we pay back will be used for other open space projects in Raleigh and Wake County.

Successes: So far we have raised enough to pay over $350,000 toward the purchase!

Why this land has been acquired:

Acquisition of this 12-acre property was identified by the Lake Johnson Master Plan Committee as the most strategic for acquisition to protect the Lake.

Water quality is at stake. The entire 12-acre parcel drains directly into either Lake Johnson or Walnut Creek, both have been identified as "impaired". This is critical for the protection of our watershed.

This park is immensely popular and highly used by citizens from all across the City and County. Park use will continue to grow at a rapid pace as urbanization of this part of Raleigh and the County expands. The population in this part of the county is projected to double in the next 20 years.

Necessary for preservation of wildlife habitat. The breakup of large tracts of forested land has disastrous effects on local wildlife, especially bird populations and small mammals. Lake Johnson Park lies at the headwaters of Walnut Creek. Lake Johnson Park is a major node of one of Raleigh's primary urban greenway corridors. The Walnut Creek Greenway runs all the way to the Neuse River Greenway, part of the NC Mountains to Sea Trail. Other major parks in the Walnut Creek drainage include the future Dorothea Dix Park, the Walnut Creek Wetland Park, and the historic Pullen and Chavis Parks.

PLEASE CONSIDER A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION TO HELP TO ACQUIRE THE LAND, REPAY THE LOANS, AND PAVE THE WAY FOR SIMILAR PROJECTS IN OTHER PARTS OF RALEIGH AND WAKE COUNTY!