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…
Details
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.…
Details
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…
Details
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.…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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,…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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…
Details
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,…
Details
Good news — the just approved state budget makes important new investments in oysters, coastal restoration and marine debris cleanup. When combined with existing state funding, the $23 billion budget provides a total of $1.3 million next year to continue work on the Senator Jean Preston Oyster Sanctuary in Pamlico Sound, with $500,000 of the…
Details
This is the third 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 I’ve recently come to a stark realization: although I have lived in Carteret County my entire life, it wasn’t until this internship that I’ve truly…
Details
Teachers from across the state traveled to the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) on Ocracoke for a three-day seminar, part of which included hands-on activities with the North Carolina Coastal Federation that were focused on a variety of coastal topics. Sara Hallas, coastal education coordinator for the federation’s Wanchese office, led…
Details
The North Carolina Coastal Federation coastal cruises are an exciting way to explore the maze of salt marsh islands in the estuarine waters behind Bear Island, which is part of Hammocks Beach State Park. This year’s cruises, which dive into the local wildlife and natural resources of the estuary, kicked off on June 14. Spots…
Details
This June, the North Carolina Coastal Federation and North Carolina Coastal Land Trust staff, as well as volunteers from Ocracoke, planted Spartina alterniflora marsh grasses to create additional marsh at Springer’s Point Nature Preserve. In total the 14 volunteers planted 1,000 marsh grass plugs in an area of the preserve that has been stabilized with…
Details
Five employees from RBC Wealth Management helped plant 200 native wetland plants at the Glen Meade subdivision in Wilmington last week on RBC Blue Water Day. Along with staff from the North Carolina Coastal Federation and the City of Wilmington, these RBC employees and one other volunteer helped install native plants in a bioretention site…
Details