- Journal
- Currituck Sound
- Albemarle Sound
- Rivers
- Alligator: ARNWR
- Red Wolves (Canis Rufus)
- Pamlico Sound
- Bogue Sound
- Outer Banks
- Lionfish
- Southern OBX
- Onslow Co.
- Pender Co.
- New Hanover Co.
- Venus Flytrap
- Brunswick Co.
- Intracoastal Waterway
- Down East
- Wildlife Crossings
- Invasive Species
- Burmese Pythons?!?! (no, people, not yet)
- Inland
- Piedmont
- Mountains
- Mining
- Fracking
- Coal Ash
- Offshore Oil
- Shelter
- Dodging Storms
- General Mayhem
- Hurricane Season 2015
- Winter Storms 2015-2016
Journal
29 June 2015
8 February 2017
A new bill is being looked over that might or might not jeopardize the Environmental Protection Agency, and also the Red Wolf Recovery Program. It needs to be looked at closer, before anyone jumps to any conclusions, so we've been warned.
17 October 2016
The USFWS has announced its plans to continue to preserve the red wolf population. They will be focusing mainly on the captive population, but wild wolves will be kept in a smaller area to lessen the likelihood of fatalities and run-ins with coyotes. There are about 45 red wolves in the wild, and 200+ in captivity. The USFWS wants to raise the number in captivity to at least 400.
1 September 2016
No fracking has yet occurred in NC. Attention has shifted to wind power, the possibility of offshore drilling, and the coal ash situation.
There are about 60 red wolves left, and they are still caught in a red tape battle as their numbers decrease.
1 October 2015
The fines imposed on Duke Energy for the coal ash incident in Eden and other problems were significantly reduced to $7 million. This was agreed on by all, because now the focus is on cleaning the mess.
1 September 2015
Three conservation groups have notified USFWS with an intent to sue in answer to the red wolf killed in June.
17 April 2015
The Interior Department plans to begin leasing areas of the Atlantic at least 50 miles off the shores of VA, NC, SC, and GA to interested oil drilling companies beginning in 2021.
17 March 2015
Fracking in NC is legal as of today.
23 April 2019
No one has fracked yet.
waterforeststarlight online gift shop
www.waterforeststarlight.us.com
waterforeststarlight2
Pinterest: North Carolina
National Park Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
North Carolina Conservation Network
Conservation Trust for North Carolina
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
National Trust for Historic Preservation
North Carolina Coastal Land Trust
Bald Head Island Conservancy
Southern Environmental Law Center
ECARA: Eastern North Carolina Artificial Reef Association
Discovery Diving
Carteret Catch
Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation
NC Coastal Federation
Donors Choose
Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
Wildlands Network
NC Hunters for the Hungry, Inc.
Conservation Corridor
Fracking
1 May 2016
No fracking that I know of has begun quite yet.
21 May 2015
Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens has halted fracking lease approval until the legality of the appointment of boards concerning fracking can be affirmed. This will be decided ultimately by the State Supreme Court. so until then, no sticking pipes in your front yards and turning on the water hose.
17 March 2015
It is now legal to apply for a fracking permit in NC. Fracking itself does not begin today. First, applications must be approved, and then approved applicants may face legal action brought forward by those who oppose.
20 December 2014
Governor Cuomo and the State of New York have decided to ban fracking.... so who's next?... going once... going twice...
25 August 2014
Fracking hearing in Sanford, NC. A main concern is boundary issues. There should be at least 200ft between the drill pad and the outer boundary of the fracking site.
21 August 2014
Fracking hearings have begun: First stop, N.C. State. Many expressed concerns for fracking safety. There will be 4 hearings in NC this week.
17 July 2014
The Mining and Energy Commission of North Carolina has listed over 100 proposed rules that may govern fracking, and from July to September, they have opened a public comment period for open comments.
Red Wolves (Canis rufus)
26 August 2017
If we can find a way to more strongly enforce anti-poaching laws, and any other hunting laws concerning red wolves and coyotes, then they could stay in the wild, and flourish there with a little help from USFWS, and us. It might mean changing the mindset of people who fear or misunderstand the wolves, and the mindset of some politicians. That could take some time, so the USFWS should keep as close an eye on the wolves as they can until that happens. As long as the USFWS is genuine in their efforts to protect the wolves and not trying to close down the program unnecessarily and declare the wolves extinct, then a combination of close regulation of the wolves and convincing people that red wolves living among us is a good thing could in a few decades make for a succesful recovery program. There is no good reason why the RWRP should be shut down, but the wolves do need to be more closely managed for their own protection, until a later date.
10 June 2017
I believe the meta-population idea is the best for right now, in helping to strengthen the red wolf population health and numbers, while keeping their natural instincts and behavior intact. As the population strengthens, I believe they'll be less likely to hybridize with coyotes and more likely to defend themselves and survive life on the "outside." Coywolves came to exist mainly because the wolf population decreased dramatically due to overhunting, and as a result, wolves were more likely to mate with coyotes. Based on this, I think that if you adopt the meta-population idea, then maybe in the next 5 to 20 years, you'll help create a nice, healthy, self-sufficient population of red wolves less likely to be hybridized or killed out of existence. Meanwhile, we can always continue to keep an eye on them in future decades, and if necessary, help them re-strengthen.
There's a main animal corridor that stretches up the East Coast, and a lesser one that extends up the main to the RWRP area from the south. There should be one that reconnects from RWRP to the north, back to the main, but there's a huge wild area there that can serve as a corridor. My hope is that if you re-strengthen the red wolves, then they'll naturally begin to migrate along this corridor as climate change affects the RWRP area over the next 50-100 years, and create healthier populations in other places, on their own terms.
Please toss in your two cents for the red wolves!! regulations.gov is welcoming public comments until 24 July 2017 at 11:59pm EST.
Long live the RWRP!!
17 October 2016
According to the USFWS, "Recovery of the red wolf in the wild is feasible with significant changes that must be implemented to secure the captive and wild populations."
On 12 September 2016, the USFWS announced that changes were going to be made to preserve and strengthen the red wolf population.
www.fws.gov/redwolf/evaluation.html
The FWS conducted a two-year review of the Red Wolf Recovery Program and how improvements could be made to help the red wolf population.
"Going to the chapel..." ♥
In the captive population, there are only 29 breeding pairs, which is not very sustainable. The population must be increased from the 200+ wolves in captivity now to 400, with a minimum number of 52 breeding pairs.
Hint to USFWS: I hear wolves dig Barry White.
Here are some goals the FWS is pursuing:
- "Since the captive population is not secure, the Service (USFWS) will shift the Red Wolf Recovery Population's focus and resources toward securing the species by fully supporting the captive population."
- "Red wolf recovery efforts will be refocused onto feral lands in Dare County, North Carolina."
- "The Service will manage the Species as a single entity, encompassing both the captive population managed under the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and the non-essential, experimental wild population in northeastern North Carolina."
- The FWS will look for other potential sites for wild red wolves between now and October 2017, and will include the public in this search and decisions made.
- Wild populations will only be restricted to the Dare County Bombing Range and the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. I know the names of these places sound ominous, but this is actually a very large and beautiful stretch of land. When I'm on the road in the off-season, and sometimes in-season, I barely see any cars. This seems like a very good place for these shy animals to get their bearings and regain their strength. This area will be their home for at least the next year, while the FWS decides what to do next.
- By October 2017, the FWS and others involved "will complete a comprehensive Species Status Assessment and five-year status review for the red wolf..." This will help everyone decide how to take care of the red wolf population in the future.
- "Red wolves removed from private lands outside of Dare County wold be relocated to SSP partner institutions."
- "The Service will manage all red wolves as one single metapopulation." There will be movement between captive and wild populations to keep them genetically strong.
- Wolves who wander off federal lands in Dare County are still protected animals, and can either roam where they're welcome, or be removed into captivity or federal land, or taken as long as a landowner has a permit. The FWS will also take a wolf with a health or behavioral problem, under management protocols.
"Wild born red wolves are biologically beneficial."
In the wild there are around 45 wolves. 28 wear radio collars and 1 wears a satellite collar. There are 5 packs, and 3 known breeding pairs.
For more information:
Wildlands Network
Canid Specialist Group
canids.org/reintroduction-and-recovery-of-endangered-red-wolves-1
Wolf Haven International
1 May 2016
The RWRP has kind of been tied up in red tape lately. There were some accusations that the RWRP released more wolves into the wild than they agreed to, and they released them on private land. The wolves were released on private land with permission from the landowners. And yes, there were some more wolves released than agreed to. Although I say, release more! release more!, there is such a thing as protocol. Another accusation was that the RWRP was not following protocol on recording deaths when they actually were.
So any red wolves out there who happen to read my site, I howl a greeting to you. You must take it upon yourselves to step up as wolves where we are in danger of failing you. You know what I mean. It's springtime on the marsh, and love is in the air. ♥♥♥
1 September 2015
Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Animal Welfare Institute are letting the USFWS know what they think about the killing of the female wolf, with an intent to sue.
23 June 2015
A critically endangered female red wolf was shot to death, an action authorized by the USFWS. Conservation groups are protesting the action.
29 June 2015
The USFWS is suspending the release of more red wolves into the wild as the debate over whether or not to end the RWRP continues. The wolves that already live in the wild will remain there, and USFWS will work with landowners to keep those wolves off their land.
There may be ways to keep red wolves in eastern NC, if only in a very large penned area of forest (and there is plenty of land for that, at least), where the wolves could continue to live in a "wild" state while a better place could be found for truly wild red wolves. So this area could become a "propagation site," like St. Vincent NWR in Apalachicola, FL. Point being, wild red wolves do not need to go extinct. A better place could be found for them either now or in the future. The tides could turn at any time.
12 March 2015
The NC Wildlife Resources Commission has requested that the USFWS end the RWRP in NC, mainly because landowners have complained about too many wolves on their property, and hunters have complained that the wolves kill too many deer. Eastern NC is not nearly as remote as some might think it is, and if the wolves can't cohabitate here, then maybe they can be successfully relocated. The RWRP should continue somewhere else if not here. Striking the program completely and listing red wolves as extinct is not the answer.
Red Wolf Species Survival Plan: Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Tacoma, WA.
www.fws.gov/redwolf/captivemanagement.html
Endangered Wolf Center, Eureka, Missouri
Red Wolf NC Locations:
Lake Mattamuskeet NWR
Pocosin Lakes NWR
Swanquarter NWR
Alligator River, NWR
Blog: Return of the Red Wolf: Tails from the Swamp: trackthepack.blogspot.com
11 September 2014
A decision will be made in early 2015 as to whether the Red Wolf Recovery Program will continue in NC.
13 May 2014
After a few too many red wolves were mistaken for coyotes and killed in eastern NC, US District Judge Terrence Boyle has ruled a stop on hunting for coyotes in the five counties where the wolves live - Tyrell, Washington, Hyde, Dare, and Beaufort. Wolves and coyotes can only be shot now if they pose an immediate threat to a person or to livestock. For more information: www.newsandobserver.com.
For more information, please visit the Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, Chattanooga, Tennessee (www.chattanooganaturecenter.org).
21 October 2012
A red wolf was shot in NC, the second in two months. Red wolf activists are afraid that hunters may be killing the wolves because they mistake the wolves for coyotes. The activists are hoping that hunters will no longer be allowed to shoot coyotes at night in the five counties inhabited by the wolves. Night hunting had been allowed in order to curb the coyote population.
2014: In 1967, red wolves were considered an endangered species, living mainly near the Gulf Coast. In 1980, they were declared extinct in the wild. In 1987, four pairs of red wolves were released into the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR) near the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In 2015, there are more than 100 red wolves in eastern North Carolina. Their roaming ground includes 1.7 million acres of public and private land. they live on small animals, they'll eat raccoons, and they'll bring down a deer. It's rare to see a red wolf. They associate in packs of five to eight members, but they don't hunt in packs, since they don't kill large animals. Maybe you can catch sight of one in the early morning or the evening. Long ago, red wolves were the top dogs of the east coast. Guess who's back in the neighborhood.
The goal for the Red Wolf Recovery Program is to return 220 red wolves to the wild and have 330 in captivity, for a total of 550 red wolves, a far howl from the population number in 1980. The ARNWR works with Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, where red wolf pups are born in captivity, then taken to Alligator River and placed with a new mom. Wild mother wolves will take the young pups that are not theirs if they are cuddled in with their siblings a week or two old, with their eyes still closed. It also helps if a little urine from a wild pup is sprinkled onto the adopted brothers and sisters.
Some of the wolves released in eastern North Carolina were from "island propagation sites" like St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge in Apalachicola, Florida. These places are small but safe areas for raising red wolves that can be sent to replenish endangered populations elsewhere, like at Alligator River.
Since coyotes have become more prevalent in North Carolina, some people have had difficulty telling them apart from red wolves. Some coyotes will mate with wolves, even though they're not natural friends, and their offspring will have reddish coats. Coyotes are a little reddish grey, like red wolves, only smaller. Red wolves are smaller than their grey wolf friends from the west. Eastern coyotes have wolf genes because wolves mated with eastern coyotes at a time when the wolves were driven to near extinction. And now coyotes are mating with red wolves, blurring lines of recognition. Coyotes can weigh between 20 and 35 pounds and have a yippy sort of howl. Red wolves can weigh between 50 and 80 pounds and they have a long and low howl. But these are not dyed-in-the-fur differences. The best way to tell them apart? Test their DNA.
Landowners can be paid for participating in red wolf recovery, which can be useful if they have farms and might consider wolves as "pest control."
Coal Ash
1 May 2016
Here's something else tied up in red tape. Nobody wants the coal ash, and who can blame anybody, right? Now some people are wondering if maybe they can keep the ash where it is and reclassify it. Sometimes 2+2=4 no matter how hard you try to recalculate it, or run from it. No dice, baby. It is what it is. Recycle it, and take the time to create the correct facilities for the ash that can't be recycled.
There's this episode of Saved by the Bell where Hayley Mills' students mess around with the stock market and lose, and they end up with all these sacks of potatoes. She tells them to do everything they can to get rid of those potatoes.
North Carolina, this coal ash is our many sacks of potatoes. Moving it around doesn't make it go away, neither do shortcuts (which will cost everyone more in the long run), neither does pretending that it's something else so we don't have to mess with it at all.
1 October 2015
The fine imposed on Duke Energy has been reduced to $7 million, a steep decrease, so that more focus would be put on the actual clean-up of the problem areas. In one way it's okay, otherwise litigation might have dragged on forever. In another way, here's hoping that $34 million earmarked for environmental and conservation projects comes from somewhere, sometime soon.
14 May 2015
Duke Energy has been fined $102 million dollars due to 9 violations of the Clean Water Act. $34 million of theat gold mine will be used for environmental and conservation projects in NC and VA. The costs of the settlement will not be covered by Duke Energy's customers, but its shareholders. Duke Energy has also started paying for fresh water for residents living near coal ash ponds.
9 May 2015
The NC DENR is telling anyone living near a coal ash facility to not drink the water, but Duke Energy is claiming that the water's safe.
17 April 2015
"How will you handle that new coal ash slime?"
Chatham and Lee County residents are not particularly happy about over 20 million tons of coal ash being stored in their backyards. The plans for storage are still up for debate for the next few months. Has all of that coal ash been recycled as far as it can possibly go?
18 March 2015
Duke Energy plans to move 10 million tons of coal ash from at least 14 sites to 2 abandoned clay mines in Lee County. Dry, lined areas will be prepared for this move (whatever can't be further recycled, right?). This should be completed within 5 years. Some residents in Lee County are not at all thrilled. They are calling the choice to relocate the coal ash to their backyard "socioeconomic discrimination."
www.npr.org/2015/03/18/393672334/after-toxic-ash-spill-energy-company-and-locals-struggle-over-solution (Dave Dewitt)
20 December 2014
The EPA is making efforts to regulate coal ash waste, and some North Carolinians believe that NC's regulations are stricter. They are not strict enough, however, to speed the process of beginning to either remove the coal ash from outdated and leaky pits or reline and cover the pits. Coal ash waste does in fact contain a significant amount of toxic chemicals and needs to be considered hazardous. Nearly half of coal ash produced by power plants can be recycled. What is left over needs to be kept in facilities that are both heavily lined and covered. It's going to take some time and money to take care of the 14 Duke Energy pits in NC, 9 of which are problem pits, so covering them is the quickest and least expensive way to keep moisture from the coal ash, but that is by no means more than a quick fix until the ash can be moved to a better site.
21 August 2014
Legislation To Regulate Coal Ash Approved on Wednesday, 20 August. Waiting on Governor McCrory's signature.
17 July 2014
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Dan River is back to the way things were before tons of coal ash spilled into it on 2 February 2014 at the Duke Energy Dan River Steam Plant in Eden, NC. They are basing this finding mainly on over 600 water samples taken after the spill, all of which indicating that the drinking water is safe. Also, Danville, Virginia had been reporting safe drinking water since the spill. Tests willl continue, even though the EPA won't be checking in daily anymore.
Of course this doesn't mean that the coal ash situation is resolved. That could take a few years (or more). Fore more information, please visit the Go Dan River, Danville, VA news site, www.godanriver.com.
Mining
Albemarle Sound
Alligator River National Wildlife Reserve
Shelter
Offshore Oil
17 April 2015
The Interior Department plans to begin leasing areas of the Atlantic at least 50 miles off the shores of VA, NC, SC, and GA to interested oil drilling companies beginning in 2021. The 50-mile buffer was created to protect shoreline areas, many fragile, two areas in particular being the two largest estuaries in the country, the Chesapeake Bay and the Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds. Debates about whether there should be offshore drilling in this area at all have been going on for at least 30 years. Now it seems the green light's been turned on, with that orange-light 50-mile buffer.
According to the Interior Department, the buffer's 50-mile width was set in place in order to "minimize multiple use conflicts, such as those from the Department of Defense, NASA activities, renewable energy activities, commercial and recreational fishing, critical habitat needs for wildlife and other environmental concerns."
But plenty of citizens are saying that no buffer is wide enough and there should be absolutely no offshore drilling in the Atlantic.
Keep working on those "renewable energy activities," everybody. Act fast, save a dolphin. Save a way of life.
1 March 2015
The Department of the Interior has announced plans to open up the Mid- and South Atlantic coasts to mining for oil and gas, maybe starting in 2017. In 2014, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has decided to conduct seismic surveys along the Atlantic coast. People are concerned about the harm air guns used to conduct these surveys can cause to marine mammals and other marine life, and about the potential damage that drilling for offshore oil could cause.
The floor for discussion will be open on 12 March 2015, at the William and Ida Friday Center for Education in Chapel Hill, NC.
For more information, please visit the Southern Environmental Law Center site at www.southernenvironment.org
BOEM has "mitigation measures" for seismic surveys with marine mammals in mind: www.boem.gov/2012-JOINT-G02/ It expired 31 December 2014 and was written for a Gulf Coast survey, but it gives a general idea.
Outer Banks
Sharks
4 July 2015
A rash of shark attacks has spread along the NC coast, causing injuries, some severe, to at least 7 swimmers in the past four weeks. One man, Patrick Thornton of Charlotte, was injured rescuing some children from a shark. All have survived, and shark-baiting has been halted. The shark-baiting, higher than usual salinity, and a large population of shark favorites like herring are attracting the sharks. Also it's a hot summer, and more people might be heading for the beach than usual, upping the likelihood of an attack.
Lionfish
4 March 2015
Grouper v. Lionfish
www.weather.com/science/nature/news/grouper-versus-lionfish-video
Lionfish University
Concerned divers dedicated to research and control of the highly invasive lionfish species on the east and Gulf coasts of the US and in the Caribbean.
Lionfish Culling: The New Olympic Sport?
Lionfish are edible, but spearheading them takes the patience of grouper. Before you grab a tomato stake and a butterfly net, look into the "If You Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em" Lionfish/Lobster Spearfishing Tournament in Carteret County, NC. The next one will be held from May 29 - June 7, 2015. For more information, check out www.discoverydiving.com (Discovery Diving), or www.carolinareefs.org (ECARA: Eastern North Carolina Artificial Reef Association).
Currituck Sound
30 miles long.
Northern Beaches
Currituck Banks National Estuarine Reserve
Currituck
www.visitcurrituck.com/things-to-do/attractions/currituck-banks-national-estuarine-reserve/
OuterBanks.com
www.outerbanks.com/currituck-banks-coastal-estuarine-reserve.html
Currituck National Wildlife Reserve
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
OuterBanks.com
www.outerbanks.com/currituck-national-wildlife-refuge.html
Carova
OuterBanks.com
www.outerbanks.com/carova.html
Carova Beach NC
Corolla
Heritage Park
Currituck
www.visitcurrituck.com/things-to-do/attractions/whalehead-in-historic-corolla/
Historic Albemarle Tour
www.historicalbemarletour.org/north-carolina-corolla.htm
Duck
Town of Duck NC
OuterBanks.com
Albemarle Sound
The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Gateway
Southern Shores
Town of Southern Shores, NC
Kitty Hawk
Town of Kitty Hawk
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve
OuterBanks.com
outerbanks.com/kitty-hawk-woods.html
Kill Devil Hills
Jockey's Ridge State Park
www.ncparks.gov/jockeys-ridge-state-park
Wright Brothers
Nags Head
Town of Nags Head
OuterBanks.com
Elizabeth City
City of Elizabeth City
Discover Elizabeth City
Lake Mattamuskeet NWR
Pocosin Lakes NWR
Croatan Sound
Pamlico Sound
Largest Lagoon on the East Coast, at 80mi long and 15-20 miles wide.
Part of the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary, second largest estuary in the United States.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
https://nps.gov/caha/index.htm
CHNS: Outer Banks
www.outerbanks.com/cape-hatteras-national-seashore.html
Hatteras Island
Bonner Bridge
NCDOT: Bonner Bridge Replacement Project
www.ncdot.gov/projects/bonnerbridgereplace/
Bodie Island Lighthouse
Pea Island National Wildlife Reserve
Rodanthe
Waves
Salvo
Avon
Buxton
Frisco
Hatteras
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Ocracoke Island
Ocracoke
Inland
Palmetto-Peartree Preserve
Alligator River NWR
Neuse River
New Bern
Swanquarter
Swanquarter NWR
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore: National Park Foundation
www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/cape-lookout-national-seashore
Portsmouth
Carrot Island
Cape Lookout Village
Cape Lookout Lighthouse
"The Crystal Coast"
Bogue Sound
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogue_Sound
Rachel Carson Reserve
The Crystal Coast
www.crystalcoastnc.org/location/rachel-carson-reserve
NC DEQ
www.nccoastalreserve.net/web/crp
Beaufort
Town of Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort, NC
Duke University Marine Lab/Nicholas School of the Environment
nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs
Morehead City
Town of Morehead City, NC
Visit Morehead City
Atlantic Beach
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
Atlantic Beach, NC
The Crystal Coast
www.crystalcoastnc.org/region/atlantic-beach
Fort Macon State Park
www.ncparks.gov/fort-macon-state-park
Pine Knoll Shores
North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores
Salter Path
North Carolina
Indian Beach
Indian Beach, North Carolina
Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Emerald Isle, NC
Cape Carteret
Town of Cape Carteret, North Carolina
NC Coastal Federation
Peletier
Town of Peletier, North Carolina
Cedar Point
Cedar Point, North Carolina
Swansboro
Visit Swansboro
Town of Swansboro
White Oak River
Coastal NC
EE (Environmental Education) North Carolina
www.eenorthcarolina.org/images/River%20Basin%20Images/final_web_whiteoak.pdf
Bear Island
Hammocks Beach State Park
3 miles long and underdeveloped, with no roads.
www.ncparks.gov/hammocks-beach-state-park
Croatan National Forest
www.stateparks.com/croatan.html
Visit NC
www.visitnc.com/listing/croatan-national-forest
NC Natural
www.ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Croatan/index.html
Hofmann State Forest
NC State News
Places to go...
Bogue Sound
Southern Outer Banks
Down East
Piedmont
Mountains
Core Sound
Onslow County
Brunswick Town
NC Historic Sites
www.nchistoricsites.org/brunswic/brunswic.htm
NCPedia
Winnabow
North Carolina
Southport
Southport, NC
Caswell Beach
The Town of Caswell Beach, North Carolina
Bald Head Island
Bald Head Island Conservancy
Lockwoods Folly River
Coastal Review Online
www.coastalreview.org/2012/03/the-lockwoods-folly-river/
Calabash
Town of Calabash, NC
Holden Beach
Town of Holden Beach, NC
Sunset Beach
Masonboro Island
Important Bird Area: Audubon
nc.audubon.org/conservation/masonboro-island-iba
Boiling Spring Lakes Preserve
The Nature Conservancy
Brunswick Forest
The Conservation Fund
www.conservationfund.org/projects/brunswick-forest
Soil and Water Conservation: Brunswick County NC
www.brunswickcountync.gov/soilwater/
North Carolina's Brunswick Islands
Oak Island
The Town of Oak Island
www.oakislandnc.com/visit-oak-island.aspx
Ocean Isle Beach
Shallotte
Town of Shallotte, NC
New Hanover County
Venus Flytrap (New Hanover and Brunswick Counties)
Southern Outer Banks
Venus flytraps can be found growing as native plants at locations like the Boiling Spring Lakes Nature Trail, off Highway 87 in Boiling Spring Lakes, NC (www.ncbrunswick.com). They are also found in nurseries everywhere. Anyone interested in having a venus flytrap plant should purchase it at a nursery. The native plant is legally protected under the North Carolina Plant Protection and Conservation Act. Violators could be fined $100-500 for a first offense, in addition to facing fines from other entities, like the Plant Conservation Board. Any part of the plant, such as seeds, fruits, and cuttings, are also not to be removed from the plant. Stolen plants can be tracked by a chemical painted on them that causes them to glow under ultra-violet light.
Anyone who wishes to remove a plant from a protected area could get written permission from the owner of that property. Honey catches more flies than anything.
N o r t h C a r o l i n a
NC? A matter of when? Joking? Hopefully joking. For now, the pythons mainly hang out in the Everglades. Word is, aside from being a non-native species and a real safety threat, they're hurting the environment in the Everglades as well.
Burmese Pythons
Invasive Species
Down East
Coastal Plain Conservation Group
Brunswick County
Pender County
New Hanover County
Green Swamp Preserve
The Nature Conservancy
Wildlife South
www.wildlifesouth.com/Locations/NorthCarolina/GreenSwamp.html
Leland
Ev-Henwood ("heavenwood") Nature Preserve
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
www.uncw.edu/physicalplant/arboretum/ev-henwood/
Wilmington
New Hanover County Development Services
planningdevelopment.nhc.gov.com/services/environmental-planning/land-conservation/
Carolina Beach
Carolina Beach State Park
www.ncparks.gov/carolina-beach-state-park
Fort Fisher
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher
Wrightsville Beach
Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project
turtles.wrightsville-beach.info/AboutUs.htm
Wrightsville Beach, NC
www.visitwrightsville beachnc.com
Cape Fear River
Cape Fear River Watch
Cape Fear River Basin
www.eenorthcarolina.org/Documents/RiverBasin_pdfs/final_web_capefear.pdf
Roanoke Sound
OuterBanks.com
outerbanks.com/roanoke-sound.html
US Harbors
nc.usharbors.com/harbor-guide/roanoke-sound-channel
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island Guide
Roanoke Island Festival Park
Manteo
The Town of Manteo
OuterBanks.com
Wanchese
OuterBanks.com
CMCP is based in North Carolina
And Welcomes All People
Winter Storms 2017-2018
Roanoke River
USFWS
www.fws.gov/refuge/roanoke_river/
Roanoke River Partners
Neuse River
North Carolina Riverkeepers and Waterkeeper Alliance
Neuse River
www.newbern-nc.info/Neuse-River.shtml
Flat River
Durham, NC
Cliffs of the Neuse
North Carolina State Parks
www.ncparks.gov/cliffs-of-the-neuse-state-park
Tar River
Tar River Land Conservancy
Lake Gaston
Lake Gaston Guide
VisitNC
www.visitnc.com/listing/lake-gaston
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
Vance County Department of Tourism
www.kerrlake-nc.com/kerrlake.php#.WPdoL_nyvIU
Visit NC
www.visitnc.com/listing/kerr-lake-state-recreation-area-1
Crabtree Creek
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crabtree-Creek_(Neuse_River)
Robertson Millpond Preserve
www.wakegov.com/parks/robertsonmillpond/Pages/default.aspx
WakeNature Preserve Partnership
Roanoke River
USFWS
www.fws.gov/refuge/roanoke_river/
Roanoke River Partners
Neuse River
North Carolina Riverkeepers and Waterkeeper Alliance
Neuse River
www.newbern-nc.info/Neuse-River.shtml
Tar River
Tar River Land Conservancy
Bladen Lakes State Forest
North Carolina Forest Service
ncforestservice.gov/Contacts/blsf.htm
www.stateparks.com/bladen_lakes.html
White Lake
Welcome to White Lake
Hurricane Season 2017
Mount Airy
Uwharrie Lakes Region
Highrock Lake
Uwharrie National Forest
Visit NC
www.visitnc.com/listing/uwharrie-national-forest
NCNatural.com
ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Uwharrie/index.html
Morrow Mountain State Park
North Carolina State Parks
www.ncparks.gov/morrow-mountain-state-park
Rocky River
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_River_%28North_Carolina%29
Medoc Mountain State Park
North Carolina State Parks
www.ncparks.gov/medoc-mountain-state-park
VisitNC
visitnc.com/listing/medoc-mountain-state-park-1
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Blue Ridge Parkway
www.blueridgeparkway.org
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
https://www.nps.gov/blrn/index.htm
BRNHA: Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
GSMNP: National Park Foundation
www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/great-smoky-mountains-national-park
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
25 September 2017: 5:00am EST: Hurricane Maria is a Category 1 storm with winds of 80mph and the pressure at 957mb, moving straight north at 7mph. After causing devastation in the Caribbean (which had already suffered from Hurricane Irma), Maria is out to sea and still a strong force. The eye is expected to stay out to sea, but the outer bands may bring tropical storm force winds and a surge of 2-4 feet of water to the Outer Banks and coastal North Carolina.
Hurricane Maria Flirts with the OBX
Wasn't it supposed to snow today? - signed, Impatient Raleighite
17 January 2018: 7:26am: Winter Storm Inga is stretched from Texas to Maine, with snowfall where snow doesn't usually fall much, or at all... and no snow where the most snow is predicted... A strong cold front has dipped down into the south and is overlapping moisture moving north off the Gulf of Mexico and pushing all the way into New England. Generally speaking, there isn't a lot of snow compared to winter storms that have already passed through this year, but the widespread coverage is impressive (maybe not so much in Raleigh).
So I gaze out the window, with a bowl in one hand and a bottle of vanilla creamer in the other, as the eastern sky over Raleigh turns pink with the promise of a sunrise. They keep saying it's going to snow. Three to five inches, they say, maybe eight in places. If this thing goes sideways... or farther west than anticipated... I may have to buy factory made ice cream like I live in Miami or something, instead of scraping it off the cleanest car I can find (not mine!)
Coal Ash
It's No April Fool's Joke
1 April 2019: Duke Energy has been ordered to move all the coal ash to lined landfills. Duke Energy plans to close all ash basins in North Carolina. The ash is now stored in unlined basins filled with water, posing a risk of toxic compounds being released into our water. Many people near these ash basins have had to rely on bottled water. This has got to stop. Duke Energy has until 1 August 2019 to come up with a decent plan to move all that coal ash to safer places. Duke Energy is concerned about the cost and the difficulties in doing this thing our government demands of them, but although cost and difficulty is important, not poisoning our drinking water is everyone's number one priority. As for what to do with all that ash, I wonder how much of it can still be recycled. South Carolina recycled some of its coal ash by using it in construction projects. It's too bad this can't be done with all of the ash. Virginia also plans to do something about their coal ash basins.
Please visit:
WRAL: http://www.wral.com/state-orders-duke-energy-to-dig-up-all-remaining-coal-ash-ponds-in-nc/18298135/
Red Wolves
As of now, there are about 40 red wolves in the wild and 230 in captivity. In the summer of 2018, the Wildlife Management Institute, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the rest of us debated over whether or not the Red Wolf Recovery Program should continue in North Carolina.
