Thank You for Joining Us at the Coastal Summit

This month, the Federation hosted a dynamic two-day Coastal Summit, and we were truly impressed by the contributions of all who attended. Presenters and participants offered valuable insights into the impactful work of our many partners and highlighted the importance of collaboration as we collectively strive for a healthier North Carolina coast. We are also grateful for the support of our summit sponsors, who made this event possible.

Erin Fleckenstein, the Federation’s Oyster Program Director and Coastal Summit Coordinator, was thrilled by the incredible level of participation at this year’s Coastal Summit. “We could not have hosted this event without the great support and engagement from all of our presenters. Their stories and shared successes in coastal habitat restoration were truly moving. The keynote from historian David Cecelski was especially poignant and a good reminder that much progress has been made in protecting and restoring the coast of North Carolina over the last 100 years. His speech served as inspiration to continue this important work for the next century for future generations.”

Day one wrapped up with our evening reception, which featured oysters from some amazing local oyster growers. However, the highlight of the evening was the oyster shucking showdown, where some of our state legislators put their skills to the test. Check out the video below to relive the action! See more videos from the Coastal Summit and hear from an event participant by visiting our YouTube page.

Check Out Coastal Summit Videos!

A Trip to the Coast

Recently, our staff had the opportunity to spend a day with two groups of students from the Department of Environment, Earth, and Geospatial Sciences at North Carolina Central University. They joined us for a field trip to Cape Lookout National Seashore to learn about local history and cultural heritage from our friend Francesca Quinn. Throughout the day, we also discussed barrier island dynamics and nature-based solutions for habitat and water quality protection.

We always enjoy spending time with NCCU students!

These trips are supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Help Us Plant Marsh Grass

The Spring planting season is upon us, and we need your help! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be hosting several planting events up and down the coast.

The northeast team will assist with marsh grass planting at Jockey’s Ridge State Park on June 8 in celebration of the park’s 50th anniversary. We are also seeking volunteers in our central region for a planting at the Federation’s Sustainable Salt Marsh Nursery at North River Wetlands Preserve on May 21, 22, and 23! In the southeast, staff will host a wetland planting at Carolina Beach State Park on Wednesday, May 7. 

 Subscribe to our event calendar to join in on these and other upcoming volunteer opportunities.

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Group Photo taken during a wetland planting at Carolina Beach State Park in 2024.

New Mural to be Unveiled at Wrightsville Beach Office

Join us for an open house at our Wrightsville Beach office on April 30 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm to unveil our new coastal mural honoring our generous supporters who helped establish this office back in 2012.

This event offers a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Federation’s southeast coast initiatives and see the incredible new mural, recently completed by local artist Susan Nuttall, showcasing the beauty of our local salt marshes.

Click below for more event details and parking information. We look forward to seeing you there!

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