Sixteen people visited the North River Wetlands Preserve on the cool, sunny morning of Saturday, Sept. 9, to celebrate the dedication of 8 new miles to the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea trail. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a state trail that runs from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, all the way to Jockey’s…
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The North Carolina General Assembly officially “adjourned” its 2017 session in June. But since that adjournment, lawmakers have been back at work in Raleigh twice — and have made plans to return yet again early next month. So what’s going on? The short answer is that the legislature has been wrestling with court orders to…
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Researches with the Lake Level Monitoring Project are asking for help from Hyde County residents and Lake Mattamuskeet visitors to collect and report data from water level monitoring stations. The Lake Level Monitoring Project, which is a NASA-funded collaboration between The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Tennessee Technological University, aims to understand…
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The Beaufort Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt a watershed restoration plan on Aug. 14 in an effort to reduce polluted stormwater runoff in the town. The plan highlights water quality impairments in the Town Creek, Taylor Creek and Davis Bay watersheds and proposes strategies to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff entering waterways.…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Wrightsville Beach office had some extra help with its weekly Touch Tank Tuesday and other education programs this summer. Chakala Hill, a rising junior at New Hanover High School, spent the summer working at the federation as an education specialist through the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth…
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In early August the North Carolina Coastal Federation hosted a field trip for students, families and volunteer tutors from Mano al Hermano’s Family Literacy Program. Sixty-two students and adults from Mano al Hermano joined 16 federation volunteers and four staff members at the Wanchese office, which is located on Broad Creek near the Roanoke Sound.…
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In late July, the North Carolina Coastal Federation worked with two education-based groups on living shorelines and a shoreline cleanup. The students also learned more about estuaries and the importance of coastal stewardship. “We love working with students to do service projects and teach about coastal stewardship,” said Rachel Bisesi, coastal education coordinator at the…
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Teachers from the Albemarle-Pamlico region learned about estuaries and living shorelines during a presentation on July 20 at the ExPLORE NC professional development workshop at Trinity Center. Rachel Bisesi, coastal education coordinator for the federation’s Ocean office, and high school volunteer Taylor Rutter, presented several lesson plans to the fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in attendance.…
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Gov. Roy Cooper spoke at the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s 2017 Pelican Awards and 35th Anniversary Soundside Soiree Aug. 5, where he called on the state to recommit to protecting the coast’s natural resources — and its economy. “How can we have a strong economy if we don’t have clean water?” Cooper told the sold-out…
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Ana Zivanovic-Nenadovic, senior policy analyst and internship coordinator, with the 2017 Coastal Policy and Restoration interns after graduation at the Pelican Awards. From left: Lakshya Dhar, Summer Rich, Morgan Rudd, Marygrace Rowe, Mackenzie Taggart and Jackie McGarry. This summer’s Coastal Policy and Restoration Interns each worked on their own project while balancing restoration workdays and…
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The 2017 Pelican Award recipients were honored on Saturday, Aug. 5, in Morehead City at the Crystal Coast Civic Center. These award recipients all contributed in unique ways toward protecting the North Carolina coast. The North Carolina Coastal Federation is thankful for the support and work of these 10 individuals and organizations. Nearly 500 people attended…
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On July 17, various groups joined together for a working meeting to discuss the growth of the non-native Phragmites australis, or Common Reed, in North Carolina’s coastal marshes. The workshop, organized by the North Carolina Coastal Federation, was held at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lab in Beaufort, in partnership with the N.C.…
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Bland Simpson, distinguished professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and award-winning musician and writer, delivered a toast to the coast at the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s 2017 Pelican Awards and 35th Anniversary Soundside Soiree on Aug. 5 in Morehead City. Simpson is a member of the federation’s board of directors. North Carolina Coastal Federation 35th Anniversary Toast…
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Today is National Oyster Day, and here at the North Carolina Coastal Federation we know there’s a lot to celebrate about these multitasking bivalves. Not only are they a delicacy and a sustainable protein source, oysters are also filter feeders that naturally clean coastal waters. They support North Carolina’s coastal economy as well. Some of…
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Earlier this week, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality announced it is hosting three public hearings on the potential oil and gas leasing program. Your attendance is needed. Please plan to attend one of the three public hearings. DEQ is looking for comments and will accept them at the hearings or in writing. Send written comments to…
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Children from Belarus stopped by the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Touch Tank Tuesday program on July 25 at the Fred and Alice Stanback Coastal Education Center in Wrightsville Beach. These 13 children came to the United States through the American Belarussian Relief Organization and Port City Community Church. The children, along with their American host…
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Madison Douthitt, AmeriCorps coastal community engagement specialist for the federation’s Wanchese office, has spent a lot of time educating students in Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties about oysters, marine debris, clean water and more. Check out this update of what she’s been up to. Hyde County summer visits Douthitt had the opportunity to visit Hyde County…
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Click the photos above to enlarge. The North Carolina Coastal Federation recently partnered with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and a private contractor, Stevens Towing Company, Inc., to add 15 acres of oyster reef to the Senator Jean Preston Oyster Sanctuary Network this summer. This project was slated to take six months,…
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During the week of July 17, six eighth- through 10th-grade students took on the role of coastal scientists during Service in Science Camp, a weeklong camp hosted in partnership by the North Carolina Coastal Federation and Jennette’s Pier. Sara Hallas, coastal education coordinator for the federation’s Wanchese office, as well as Meredith Fish and Hannah…
DetailsHARKERS ISLAND — The North Carolina Coastal Federation has been awarded a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to clean up marine debris near Harkers Island. This large-scale cleanup is set to begin this fall. The project will remove tons of debris left behind from a clam-growing operation that went out of…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Wrightsville Beach office started hosting monthly Coastal Ambassador training sessions this year, and participants have so far learned about salt marsh habitat, living shorelines and stormwater runoff during evening programs and daytime field trips. The Coastal Ambassadors are a special group of volunteers who serve as representatives of the federation…
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SWAN QUARTER — On Aug. 8, the Hyde County community is invited to attend the first of six public meetings to discuss long-term solutions for Lake Mattamuskeet’s watershed, its declining water quality and changing lake levels. Hyde County, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have come together to support…
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Today Gov. Roy Cooper announced his opposition to offshore oil drilling and seismic blasting. At an event at Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach, he said he was proud to stand with organizations, local governments and individuals that galvanized public opposition to offshore oil drilling. During his statement, the governor spoke about North Carolina’s…
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This is the fourth blog post as part of our Dibblers’ Diaries blog, which offers first-person stories from our interns. Summer Rich is a coastal policy and restoration intern. By Summer Rich In the last couple of weeks, my work at the North Carolina Coastal Federation this summer has started to come full circle. I’ve spent…
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Rising third- through fifth- graders from Carteret and Onslow counties spent time learning about the coast and exploring the places they call home during the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Coastal Discovery Camp from June 19 through 21 and 26 through 28. The first week of camp was held in partnership with Hammocks Beach State Park,…
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