Historical Highlights

1991

• Working with the NC Wetlands Coalition, NCCF successfully opposed a proposed federal redefinition of wetlands which would have dramatically decreased the amount of protected wetlands in North Carolina.
• Citizens were mobilized to oppose a proposal to allow hardened structures along the beaches. After a letter writing campaign and public hearing the CRC said that strong public support for the ban had swayed the commission to reject the proposal.
• NCCF prepared Seeking a Coastal Water Quality Commitment: An Agenda for Action which made recommendations for the newly elected Governor Hunt and his administration.

1992

• More than 1,000 people were mobilized to participate in a public hearing on Atlantic Beach's proposal to build a centralized sewer and dispose of the waste on Open Grounds Farm. The State delayed on issuing a permit after the hearing.
• A Citizen's Guide to Coastal Water Resource Management was revised, published and distributed.
• Lauren Kolodij joined the NCCF staff. She holds a BS in Environmental Conservation from NC State University.
• Efforts to preserve Bird Island in Brunswick County were begun when the owner announced plans to build a mile long bridge to the island and develop the island for residential homes. NCCF helped to organize the Bird Island Society and continues today as mentor to the group.

1993

• The first "Is Golfing Greener?" symposium was held and led to Todd's participation on a national golf and the environment committee.
• NCCF expanded its environmental education program with improvements to the Hadnot Creek public nature trail and education center, and the creation of the Pelican's Page, a children's newsletter.
• Jo Ann Marsh became NCCF's business manager, bringing more than 20 years of business and management experience.

1994

• With the State, NCCF coordinated and promoted the statewide Year of the Coast event and work of the Governor's Coastal Futures Committee that grew out of NCCF's Seeking a Coastal Water Quality Commitment: An Agenda for Action campaign. The yearlong event focused on the value of our coastal environment and the fundamental causes of a deteriorating coast.
• In partnership with the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources NCCF developed Save our Coast campaign to implement the committee's recommendations. These recommendations were enthusiastically endorsed by Gov. Jim Hunt and were called the Hunt Coastal Agenda.
• NCCF initiated a new education program – Coastal Adventures – popular on the water explorations of local coastal ecosystems for individuals and families.

1995

• NCCF worked to convince the legislature to provide funds to implement the Hunt Coastal Agenda.
• The first annual State of the Coast Report was published and distributed to 100,000 households. The Report provides current information on coastal issues, challenges and solutions and evaluates our elected officials work on issues throughout the year.
• NCCF partnered with seven other organizations from across the country to form Restore America's Estuaries, a national coalition with the goal of restoring estuaries nationwide.
• NCCF worked to have permits denied for a bridge and causeway to Bird Island that would have supported development there, and publicly opposed the proposal that would have permanently altered one of the state's last remaining undeveloped barrier islands.
• Todd Miller was recognized with the 1995 Governor's Conservation Achievement Award, Water Conservationist of the Year.

1996

• Sound Advice, a homeowner's guide for living in harmony with our coast, was co-published with corporate sponsors (WRAL, Weyerhaeuser and Union Camp).
• In partnership with the Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association, NCCF succeeded in getting the State to authorize a comprehensive environmental analysis of the secondary impacts of central sewage systems in the coastal zone.
• As one of 11 regional estuary environmental groups, assisted in the drafting of a federal bill by the national coalition, Restore America's Estuaries, to restore one million acres of estuarine habitat by 2010.
• Sally Steele became NCCF's development director after 23 years with the North Carolina Zoological Society.
• Worked with the state Moratorium Steering Committee to reform fisheries' management in North Carolina and to devise new methods to protect and restore fisheries habitat.
• Following a nationwide search, NCCF was selected from among 190 conservation groups by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and TOYOTA to launch a new national environmental education project named CLEAN (Children Linking the Environment Across the Nation). CLEAN-NC provides canoe field trips, teacher training, curriculum and restoration/action projects for middle school children statewide.
• The second annual State of the Coast Report was published and distributed to 100,000 households.
• The Clean Water Management Trust Fund passed the NC General Assembly with the support of the NCCF and other members of the Coastal Working Group.
• Land-use guidelines were revised through efforts to incorporate the recommendations in Hunt's Coastal Agenda.

1997

• NCCF became the first organization to buy land with a grant from the new North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund. With a $2.5 million grant, a 31-acre water quality buffer was purchased at Hoop Pole Creek in Atlantic Beach to protect shellfish water from urban development.
• A variety of workshops were conducted including: A Land Use Plan Workshop in January; The National Fisheries Summit in Raleigh February 12-14; The Estuarine Shoreline Workshop in Washington, NC in July; and a November Wetlands Workshop in Wilmington.
• The third annual State of the Coast Report was distributed to 120,000 households.
• NCCF opened a field office in Wilmington, NC, staffed by Senior Scientist, Tracy Skrabal who came on staff after holding positions with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
• The ShoreKeeper Program was initiated by NCCF to encourage coastal residents to become more responsible and involved stewards of the environment.
• The NCCF Bob Daland Nature Library, located in the NCCF headquarters in Ocean, was opened to the public.
• Ted Wilgis came onboard from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as NCCF's Education Director.
• The Habitat Restoration Partnership Act was introduced and sponsored by 26 senators.