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Historical Highlights
- Early in the year, NCCF and other environmental groups opposed moving Mason Inlet in New Hanover County, stating that the inlet is shoaling up on its own and that the project sets a detrimental precedent in the state. Despite opposition, the inlet is relocated away from the high priced real estate on Wrightsville Beach. The project cost $6.9 million. NCCF monitored the project and Ted Wilgis, the Federation's Cape Fear Keeper in Wilmington brought public attention to the lack of enforcement of permit conditions for the Mason Inlet project.
- On the last day of the 2001 state legislative session, the General Assembly introduced and passed a bill to create a House Select Committee on Various Environmental Rules. The select committee would have the power to review and potentially overturn any current or proposed environmental rule. Jim Stephenson, NCCF's program analyst, convened a strategy meeting of state and local environmental groups and coordinated a legislative letter writing campaign and newspaper editorials opposing the formation of the select committee. Todd Miller, NCCF's executive director, and Philip Blumenthal of The Blumenthal Foundation jointly submitted an opinion editorial that was published in The Charlotte Observer. The House Speaker did appoint members to the committee, however the committee never met.
- Frank Tursi came on board as the Cape Lookout Coastkeeper in January 2002 to work with citizens along the central coast. Frank was previously the state's lead environmental reporter, with almost 30 years of investigative experience. He established an office at the NCCF headquarters and procedures for reporting environmental emergencies along the coast either by telephone or through our website.
- In February, Frank blew the whistle on Tribek, the developer of a Carteret County Wal-Mart Superstore and Staples. There were numerous problems with Tribek's compliance of its wetland permit, resulting in three notices of violation. The development is still under surveillance, and was recently cited again after Frank alerted state regulators and the media to stormwater flooding at the shopping center.
- Funded by the EPA, NCCF coordinated a two-day workshop "Best Management Practices for Protecting Water Quality in Coastal Communities" February 26-27. The capacity audience heard from many water quality experts including renowned conservation planner, Randall Arendt.
- The ShoreKeeper Learning Center opened to the public in March. The building and one acre property adjacent to NCCF headquarters were purchased in 2001. Renovations transformed the former electrical contractor building into offices and classrooms for NCCF's growing environmental education program.
- More than 150 members attended the May 4 Coastal Celebration at Hammocks Beach State Park, despite torrential wind and rain. Guests enjoy presentations from geologist Orrin Pilkey, artist Mary Edna Fraser and singer, songwriter Bland Simpson.
- Through the NOAA/ Restore America's Estuaries partnership, the NCCF conducted several major restoration projects. A project at the Duke University Marine Lab on Pivers Island restored 700 feet of marsh when a degraded bulkhead was removed along the Bogue Sound site, marsh vegetation planted and a new oyster reef created. Another restoration project was completed at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores that restored wetland marsh along the Aquarium's education access area on Bogue Sound.
- FishAmerica helped to fund an oyster restoration project at the Ice Plant Island in Manteo. The constructed oyster beds were part of a 1,500 shoreline restoration project, which NCCF helped to coordinate.
- Coastkeepers released a report on the detrimental effects of beach nourishment projects on nesting sea turtles. On the same day, a juvenile Kemp's Ridley was sucked up by the dredge pumping sand on the beach at Bogue Banks. Happily, the turtle survived, but the taking exceeded the Army Corps of Engineers' quota on turtle takes and four beach nourishment projects in the Southeast came to a halt.
- Frank initiated a new NCCF program – "Beach Walks" which engaged 260 people in walks with the keeper to learn about beach dynamics and ecology. The summer program was so popular that it will be expanded next year.
- NCCF developed a five-point state legislative agenda in 2002 that included (1) maximum funding for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, (2) passage of a Clean Smokestacks Act, (3) defeat of the Beach Preservation and Restoration Act, (4) prevent the legislature from tampering with new Coastal Land Use Planning Rules, and (5) keep a watchful eye on the House Select Committee on Various Environmental Rules. NCCF held two coastal forums on the Clean Smokestacks Act on May 15-16 to educate the public about the benefits. Jim and several NCCF board members participated in three lobby days and successfully achieved the entire five-point agenda.
- Coastkeepers conducted training programs for volunteers throughout the year. Fifty-nine volunteers were trained to conduct monitoring and to report findings within assigned coastal areas. They also helped almost 300 people who called or emailed them seeking advice on solving a variety of environmental problems.
- NCCF continually monitored the beach renourishment project on Bogue Banks and alerted the media when thick shelly sediment that was not compatible with the native beach sand was pumped onto Pine Knoll Shores beaches. NCCF kept the public informed about the need for tougher permits for nourishment. To support better projects, the Federation published and promoted position statements on beach renourishment and inlet relocation projects.
- The State of the Coast Report was released on October 2 in Wilmington and Morehead City during press events. The annual 20-page report featured the plight of oysters and how it functions as an indicator of environmental degradation. Supportive editorials were published in The Charlotte Observer, (Raleigh) News and Observer, and Wilmington Morning Star.
- Deb Hall, NCCF education staff member was honored as the Environmental Educator of the Year and NCCF named 2002 Outstanding Partnership of the Year by the NC Environmental Educators.
- On October 17, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources held a formal dedication of Bird Island as the state's 10th Coastal Reserve. The NCCF was one of several environmental groups that worked over the past ten years to purchase and protect the island from development.
- On November 16, the NCCF released its book – The State of our Coast – a compilation of State of the Coast Reports from 1997-2001 along with a history of the 20-year old NCCF.
- After several years of work and nearly a year of negotiations, the Environmental Management Commission voted to enact temporary Phase II stormwater rules. The new rules prohibit any direct discharge of stormwater to shellfish waters and should serve as a major deterrent to pollution of coastal waters.
- The NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund approved a $3.1 million grant to NCCF to purchase the remainder of North River Farms. More than 2,100 additional acres will combine with current holdings of 1,991 acres. NCCF also negotiated with three private conservation buyers to acquire 1,435 acres of the Farm for $2 million. The buyers have signed a commitment to provide NCCF with a conservation easement on the land after it is restored to wetlands by enrolling the land in the Wetland Reserve Program through USDA. NCCF is working with the NC Wetland Restoration Program to restore the first 250 acres.
- NCCF's education team conducted canoe and land based trips for 2,060 students, held four successful summer camps for 40 students, and constructed wetland gardens at five schools in NC. This year 160 students participated in restoration programs with the education team, adding 1,825 marsh grass plants to habitat restoration areas and releasing 4,287 young oysters into the research sanctuary at Hoop Pole Creek.
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09-03-02: Wildlife refuge recovering after fire
