In this issue, we chat with North Carolina Coastal Federation member, Joey Hester, a former intern in our central office and current non-point source planning coordinator for the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation. Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m from Rocky Mount and spent most of my childhood hunting and fishing, so…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation hosted a meeting and tour for the Cape Fear Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers on May 24 that focused on stormwater runoff solutions in Oak Island. Engineers, public officials and residents alike showed up to learn more about about stormwater runoff reduction measures the town has implemented. The walking…
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Imagine yourself on a long highway trip without the opportunity to rest before the next leg of your journey. Just as rest stops along our highways offer that chance, our coastal inlets provide critical resting habitats to the thousands of shorebirds traveling north and south to their nesting grounds each spring. Not only are our…
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North Carolina Coastal Federation staff, fellows and interns recently joined middle school students from Davidson in planting plugs of smooth cordgrass, a salt marsh species, at Trinity Center in Pine Knoll Shores as part of an ongoing project to build a living shoreline at Sanders Point in Bogue Sound. Planting cordgrass helps prevent erosion at Sanders Point,…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation celebrated grassroots efforts yesterday, joining community members and other environmental groups in celebrating eight years of hard work against Titan America’s plan to build a cement plant in Castle Hayne. More than 200 people enjoyed free music, food and speakers at the Titan-Free Jamboree at Battleship Park in Wilmington. Titan…
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Boy Scouts help install raised beds they built as demonstration gardens. It has been a busy spring at EarthWise Farm, the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s community garden. A new outdoor shelter provided by the Beaufort Wine & Food group and the Walmart Neighborhood Market was completed in late April. The shelter has been a great addition…
DetailsMay is National Teacher Appreciation Month. The Coastal Federation is lucky to call Sandie Cecelski, an influential and respected teacher, a board member. Sandie has spent the last 30 years teaching marine science in New Hanover County. She helped to launch the Marine Science Academy at E.H. Ashley High School, which offers college credit courses…
DetailsHappy Mother’s Day! To mark the occasion, we spoke with a couple of our most loyal volunteers in the northeast area, Vickie Byers and her daughter, Alexandra. This mother/daughter duo isn’t afraid to step into the mud or haul away debris. To the contrary, their hard work usually leaves them smiling together. Here’s what they…
DetailsMeet our Partners: Chris Connaway Our work touches the lives of everyone who lives, plays, and works at the coast. One of our contractors, Chris Connaway of Connaway Marine Construction, has worked with us on many restoration projects including living shoreline projects, causeway removal at Permuda Island, and oyster reef restoration projects in Stump Sound…
DetailsThe Coastal Federation led a collaborative effort with the Town of Wrightsville Beach, the City of Wilmington, N.C. Department of Transportation, and UNC Wilmington to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff flowing into Bradley and Hewletts Creeks. If the runoff doesn’t enter the creeks, the contaminants it contains won’t enter either. This keeps the water clean and…
DetailsNorth Carolina Coastal Federation April 12, 2016 What’s New Tag with: News, Oil Shore Stories Screened Throughout the Coast Last week, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, Oceana, Surfrider, and local filmmakers celebrated the announcement to table offshore drilling exploration in the Southeast Atlantic with a series of films called “Shore Stories.” Local chapter leaders and…
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The second Realtor Action Day organized by the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors saw huge growth, increasing from 400 volunteers in 2015 to 580 in 2016. “This has grown into our biggest event of the year,” said WRAR President Don Harris. “We teamed up with the Coastal Federation at Carolina Beach State Park to both…
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Every year college groups come from near and far to the Coastal Federation to use their spring break leave for a good cause. Many colleges and universities offer Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trips for students to work and serve a community nonprofit as an alternative to traveling to a traditional spring break destination. The schools…
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Celebrate Earth Day with us! The Coastal Federation is teaming up with local environmental partners to celebrate Earth Day along the North Carolina coast. Look for us at these events in your region. You can learn more about or register for events by clicking on our event calendar: www.nccoast.org/events. Outer Banks Saturday, April 23, 1–…
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In order for these proposed rules to be consistent with the Federal Clean Water Act as well as state laws and regulations enacted pursuant to that federal statute, Section 15A NCAC 02H .1001(6) requires that whenever these proposed rules aren’t sufficient to protect “existing uses,” that additional measures be taken to ensure that a narrative…
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Going for a hike with the little ones along the Patsy Pond Nature Trail? Stop by our headquarters office and check out the new Discovery Backpack for free! Inside the pack are field guides, scavenger hunts, nets and other tools to help young explorers learn about the forest. The backpack is available for checkout on…
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A new lesson plan on living shorelines and coastal erosion is now available for educators. The lesson allows students to explore how various shoreline stabilization methods influence coastal erosion and the surrounding habitat. Students rotate through four stations of the following shoreline models: Bare sand shoreline Hard structure protection method Living shoreline with planted marsh…
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On March 10, Titan America announced plans to suspend building a coal-fired cement plant and strip mine at Castle Hayne in New Hanover County along the NE Cape Fear River. Because thousands of volunteers, residents and advocates took a stance with their voices, letters, petitions and rallies, the people of New Hanover County won an…
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According to a report in the New York Times, the decision to withdraw a plan to permit oil and gas drilling off the southeast Atlantic coast will be withdrawn. Read the article Read the Coastal Review Online brief Learn more about the Coastal Federation’s opposition of offshore oil and gas at: nccoast.org/oil
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EXPERTS GATHER TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF NORTH CAROLINA’S WETLANDS AT STUDENT-LED SYMPOSIUM DURHAM, N.C. – More than 80 scientists, policy experts, students and conservation practitioners from around North Carolina gathered at Duke Gardens on Friday, March 4, to participate in Duke University’s first student-organized wetland symposium. – Read more
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CASTLE HAYNE – Titan America LLC announced today that the company has abandoned its controversial plans to build a cement plant here. The plans, in the works since 2008, had drawn fire from environmental groups and area residents concerned about the proposed operation’s potential effects on air quality and groundwater. The plant was initially expected…
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Several commercial fishermen from the Outer Banks have been paying it forward this winter with donations of fish to a local food pantry. Buddy Coppersmith (F/V Emily Shay), Jimmy Taylor (F/V Windy Gale), and Dewey Hemilright (F/V Tar Baby), have been commercial fishermen for most of their lives. Recently, they’ve been working under a cooperative…
DetailsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 25, 2016 Contact: Mike Giles Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: mikeg@nccoast.org WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – Join the Coastal Federation Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Poplar Grove Historic Plantation, as we facilitate a public discussion on the proposal to build a terminal groin on Figure Eight…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation has been recognized with an Outstanding Stewardship Award, the highest award given by the Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Award Program, for their innovative approach to the preservation and renovation of the Fred and Alice Stanback Coastal Education Center in Wrightsville Beach. In 2014, the historic 1948 Palmgren-O’Quinn beach cottage…
DetailsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 24, 2016 Contact: Mike Giles Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: mikeg@nccoast.org Save Rich Inlet Public Forum, Saturday, March 5, 2016 WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – Join the Coastal Federation Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Poplar Grove Historic Plantation, as we facilitate a public discussion on the proposal…
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