Planting for Future Restoration
Construction has officially begun on the first-of-its-kind ‘Donor’ Salt Marsh at the Coastal Federation’s North River Wetlands Preserve. The one-acre salt marsh will provide thousands of scarce native salt marsh plants that can be transplanted to sustainably support future coastal restoration projects.
Salt marsh habitat in North Carolina is at risk due to land use changes, accelerated erosion rates, and climate-driven sea level rise. The N.C. Division of Coastal Management determined that an estimated 80,000 acres of coastal wetlands are being lost on average each year in the U.S., up from 60,000 acres lost a year during the previous study. Additionally, restoration efforts in North Carolina are often hindered by a lack of native salt marsh grass plants available to purchase.
The Federation’s Water Quality Program Director Bree Charon explained the benefits of this donor marsh: “The donor marsh will provide a consistent source of salt marsh plants that will reduce lead times and expense for other restoration projects. It also provides the co-benefit of filtering water entering Ward Creek and providing habitat for the many species that call North River Wetlands Preserve home.”
Once the donor marsh matures, the Federation will harvest plants sustainably to safeguard and perpetuate the health of the created marsh. This will help supply plants for additional marsh restoration projects in the future. Marsh plant plugs cost anywhere from $0.75 to $2.00 each, and therefore, the cost savings of having a donor nursery marsh that can supply plants for restoration will be significant to the Federation for future marsh restoration projects. The donor marsh is a first-of-its-kind plant nursery in North Carolina that can hopefully be replicated by commercial nurseries in the future.
Once the area is cleared for planting, a massive multi-day volunteer planting effort will take place later this spring, stay tuned for details if you’d like to join us!
Hundreds of Tires Pulled from the Water
Over the last two weeks marine debris removal crews have pulled hundreds of tires from Downeast Creek in Carteret County. The Federation’s marine debris crews partnered with the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC) to find the tires and begin the removal process. It was estimated that there were anywhere between 100-200 tires.
The tire removal will not only help clean up unsightly debris, but it will help improve water quality and habitat diversity.
The debris contains harmful chemicals that may affect estuarine habitats and animals, including fish and shellfish consumed by humans. Large deposits of debris pose hazards to navigation and marsh vegetation. Working with small skiffs, the marine debris removal crew and CCA NC volunteers removed the tires from the creek areas and properly disposed of them.
Earth Day: Our Power, Our Planet
Earth Month is just around the corner and our team of educators are gearing up for a busy month celebrating our earth!
In our northeast region, on April 22 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the Federation’s team is excited to be a part of the Earth Fair OBX at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Join us for a fun-filled family day that brings together a variety of Outer Banks organizations dedicated to environmental education. You’ll have the chance to learn from the groups working tirelessly to protect the region’s delicate ecosystems. Celebrate your love for the natural world while enjoying our engaging exhibits and interactive activities for kids.
In the central region, our staff will be part of the Carteret County Master Gardener Plant sale on April, 12 in Beaufort. We’ll also have a booth at the Earth Day Learn & Play event at Carteret Community College on April 22 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Bryant Student Center! This event will feature hands-on activities, presentations, and more than a dozen community vendors.
Down in our southeast region, our team will take part in the Holly Ridge Bee Festival on April 26 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. We’ll also be joining in on the celebration at Ocean Fest on May 3 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Also on May 3, our team will be at the Green Wave Celebration at Sunset Beach town park from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, this event will have craft vendors, educational programming, live music, and children’s activities. We hope to see you at one of these great events!
The Federation is also partnering with Recover Brants again during this Earth Month for a special edition t-shirt! Be the first to grab yours when they go on sale on March 31!
Enhancing Oysters, Salt Marsh and Water Quality
There is still time to secure your seat and join us at the 2025 Coastal Summit, The Ripple Effect- Enhancing Oysters, Salt Marsh and Water Quality Together. This two-day event will take place at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh on April 8 and 9.
Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson will deliver the opening remarks at the Summit. His message will emphasize the department’s dedication to maintaining healthy coastal habitats. He will also highlight the importance of learning from coastal resiliency efforts and applying those lessons throughout the state.
In addition, Historian David Cecelski will provide the Keynote Address- Our Coastal Heritage: Past, Present and Future. This two-day summit is packed with intriguing panels.
Can’t make it to the summit but still want to participate? Join us for the Oyster Reception that will take place after the first day of the summit on Tuesday, April 8th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
Save the Date
Join us at our Wrightsville Beach office for an open house on April 30 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm! This reception will unveil our new donor mural.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about the work our team is doing along the southeastern coast and to see our new mural by local artist Susan Nuttall, which illustrates the beauty of our local salt marshes.
Stay tuned for more details about the event, and we hope to see you there.