The 2017 Annual Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Awards Luncheon is Feb. 24 this year, honoring regional projects that implemented design and construction techniques that help protect natural resources. The luncheon and awards program at The Terraces on Sir Tyler in Wilmington follow an optional educational tour of the Live Oak Bank campus, winner of both a 2014 and 2016 stewardship award.
“We are excited about the projects and developers we will be honoring this year,” said Lauren Kolodij, deputy director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. “We hope to inspire more environmentally friendly projects in future years with the awards program.”
Kolodij has served on the governing board for the Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Coalition for 11 years. Tracy Skrabal, coastal scientist and regional manager at the federation’s Wrightsville Beach office, is a judge for the awards.
Tickets for the event are on sale now for $35, and registration closes Feb. 19. Tickets include the luncheon, awards ceremony and a tour of Live Oak Bank’s campus in Wilmington. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Past award winners include local governments, businesses and environmental organizations. Each year, attendees learn about how developers throughout the community are trying to protect natural resources by incorporating low-impact development techniques and other innovative design and construction practices.
The Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Coalition is a nonprofit that has been recognizing local groups and businesses for their environmental stewardship since 2005. It gives awards to “development projects that demonstrate outstanding environmental stewardship through the protection, conservation, improvement and awareness of our natural resources.”
The federation won an award in 2016 for its preservation of the historic Palmgren-O’Quinn house and for the low-impact development techniques staff implemented at the Wrightsville Beach office.