You are reading the Summer 2006 edition of Tidecast, the quarterly updates written especially for the Coastal Land Trust Tidewater Society.

In this edition I'd like to relay hot news from the beach, announce four closings and an opening, and invite you again to a wildflower walk and shopping spree this Saturday, June 3. Please, read on...

Attention: Field Trip and Shopping Spree This Saturday!

We still have a few open spots left for the Wildflower Walk at the B.W. Wells Savannah in Pender County this Saturday, June 3. The walk is a favorite annual jaunt to the "Ghost of the Big Savannah" to search out rare wildflowers and carnivorous plants. We conducted our first prescribed burn at the preserve last year to restore the native plantlife. Come peek at the results with naturalist Richard LeBlond. The guided walk will go from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by a boxed lunch, which we'll provide. Carpools will meet at 9:00 a.m. in Wilmington. Please respond to this email if you're interested in going, or call Jesica Blake at 910-790-4524. The walk and lunch are free to Tidewater Members (that's you!).

And don't forget that this Saturday, June 3rd is Land Trust Day! Our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Company are donating 10% of all store sales on Saturday to the Coastal Land Trust. So if you've been coveting a new kayak, t-shirt, water bottle, or tent, or if just want an excuse to shop, come on out! Great Outdoor Provision Company is located in the Hanover Center on Oleander Drive in Wilmington, across from Westfield Independence Mall.


Hot News from the Beach

This summer we at the Coastal Land Trust are hitting the beach - not to work on our suntans, but to work on conservation.

You may have read about South Topsail Beach, aka "The Point," in the local papers, or even in a front-page news article in The Wall Street Journal. In fact, the quest to "Save The Point" has generated quite some hype, inspiring more than 1,700 Topsail residents and vacationers to sign petitions for its protection. Here's an aerial photo of the land behind the hype:

The land at stake includes 135 acres of soundfront and beachfront land, and it's growing; sand is actually accreting on The Point at the dramatic rate of 90 feet per year! Biologists note the pristine, undisturbed dunes and estuarine intertidal flats, habitat for Piping Plover, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Seabeach Amaranth, Gull-Billed Tern, Least Tern, Black Skimmer, American Oystercatcher, and Wilson's Plover. The waters around The Point are deemed Primary Fish Nursery areas and designated Outstanding Resource Waters.

But most people just love The Point as a secluded spot for walking, swimming, fishing, and sunbathing. And anyone can appreciate the beauty of the place. Here the emerald green waters of the Atlantic Ocean crest and fall towards the wide, sandy beaches, which slope gently upwards into dunes, then fall back again towards the marshes and eddies of Topsail Sound.

Last year the Coastal Land Trust, the Town of Topsail Beach, the NC Division of State Parks, and local advocates joined forces to Save The Point, and over the past year we've been negotiating with the landowners and looking for funding sources.

You'll be hearing more about this project in the months to come! In the meantime, grab your beach chair and your sunscreen, and check out The Point in person. We'll see you on the beach.


Four Closings and An Opening

I'm thrilled to announce that since I sent you the last Tidecast, the Coastal Land Trust has closed on four pieces of land and opened one preserve. Here's the scoop:

Closing 1: In Carteret County we purchased 55 acres of coastal marsh and uplands on Atlantic Beach. The property, which includes Bogue Sound frontage, will become an addition to the popular and historic Fort Macon State Park.

Closing 2: In March we acquired 700 acres on the Northeast Cape Fear River in Pender County. This swamp forest includes bald cypress, red maple, green ash, swamp tupelo, sweet gum, and water oak trees, and it includes two miles of frontage on the Northeast Cape Fear.

Closing 3: We also acquired conservation easements on 85 acres on Shelter Creek in Pender County, another beautiful tract of floodplain forests and fields.

Closing 4: On the Neuse River we purchased 1,300 acres of marshland and live oak hammocks in Carteret County. We'll transfer this property to the State to become a public gameland. The tract serves as marvelous waterfowl habitat.

And the Opening: On Saturday, May 20 we officially opened our Springer's Point Nature Preserve to the public! Sydney Austin, a 10-year old native Ocracoker, cut the ribbon across the preserve entrance as we dedicated the spot to the residents and visitors of Ocracoke. Springer's Point includes walking trails, educational signage, and sandy beaches on the Pamlico Sound.


By the way, all of our success is thanks to you.

I appreciate all you do for the Coastal Land Trust!

Cheers,
Lorelei

P.S. The purpose of Tidecast is to keep you informed of upcoming events and ongoing conservation projects. If you'd prefer that I use a different email address, if you'd like me to add a family member to the list, or if you would rather not receive these emails, just let me know. I would be happy to mail you a paper copy of Tidecast each quarter or take you off the list altogether. And I promise to never share your email address with another party.