New Executive Director - Summer 2021

MEET ThE COASTAL LANd TruST’S NEw ExECuTIvE dIrECTOr

Aveteran wildlife photographer and a seasoned professional with the National Audubon Society has been named the new executive director of the Coastal Land Trust. Walker Golder succeeds founding executive director Camilla Herlevich. He assumed his duties on March 29, 2021.

A Wilmington native, who grew up at Wrightsville Beach, Walker has a deep affinity for the southeastern coast. “The North Carolina coast is my home. It’s where I learned the lasting value of protecting the places that make our coast so special, and the importance of land trusts,” he said.

“I believe that conserving natural and working landscapes and investing in land stewardship is one of the best ways

to have a lasting impact on natural and cultural resources that are so important to the North Carolina coast.”

Walker attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington for graduate school, where he earned a Master of Science Degree in marine biology. He immediately began a long and successful career at the National Audubon Society. He held many roles at Audubon, notably as the deputy state director of Audubon’s North Carolina state office and most recently as the program director of the Atlantic Flyway Coast Strategy.

“We met good candidates from across the state during our search and are extremely pleased to have found Walker, who brings

CONSErvEd LANdS wE LOvE ANd why

Reflections on Reaves Chapel

Where did I come from? Who were my ancestors? What were they like? What did they look like? Do I have any of their physical features? What was our family name?

Unfortunately, for many descendants of enslaved people the answers to these questions are challenging and sometimes impossible to find. The dehumanizing practices of tearing families apart and listing them by age and gender on a bill of sale are a few factors that make researching our history difficult.

Several times I have passed a cotton field and experienced a range of emotions, from anger to sadness to feeling connected. While I may not know my ancestors, I know they are a part of me. The connection that I feel to certain lands, plantations, cotton fields, churches, etc. are my ancestors speaking to me. It is hard to put into words the emotions that I felt at Reaves Chapel. It felt like my ancestors were standing there with their arms wide open to give me a hug. It felt like home.

DIrEctOr continued on page 3

Walker Golder, Coastal Land Trust Executive Director

Sandy Marshall with her niece Ava at Reaves Chapel.

NEw fACES AT ThE LANd TruST

Alisar Qunibi

Alisar

Qunibi graduated in May from UNCW with a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental conservation and Bachelor of Arts degree in geography. She is originally from Amman, Jordan, but says that she has “been so lucky to call Wilmington home these past four years.”

“I’m very fascinated with land use in general and the way humans have historically and presently use and manage land,” said Alisar.

“I also really enjoy using GIS (Geographic Information System) as a medium to communicate science. That is why I jumped at the opportunity to be a stewardship intern with the Coastal Land Trust this spring to work on the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Occurrences (LEO) Geodatabase project.”

As a part of this project, Alisar had the opportunity to work with Coastal Land Trust partners at The Nature Conservancy, The Longleaf Alliance, and Florida Natural Areas Inventory. With these partners, she visited and conducted rapid forest assessment at sites that are presumed to have longleaf pine forest communities.

“This is a very important project because it allows us to fill in knowledge gaps so that a more comprehensive view of longleaf pine distribution can be shared with local, state and federal partners,” she said. “And this will enable a more efficient use of resources working together toward longleaf restoration, conservation and management.”

Alisar also had the opportunity to work on a project to map conservation lands that are open to the public.

She said that all of these

BOArd Of dIrECTOrS

opportunities helped her gain experience for her future career in land conservation and feels that this work has helped with her professional development.

Nancy J. Bray Grifton, NC

Sam Cook Raleigh, NC

Miles Coxe Edenton, NC

Bob Emory New Bern, NC

Hannah Holt Wilmington, NC

Tommy Hughes Trent Woods, NC Hal kitchin Wilmington, NC

Skip Morgan Manteo, NC

Linda Murchison Wilmington, NC Nick Parker Wilmington, NC Linda Pearsall Raleigh, NC Chad Pearson Wilmington, NC

Cheryl Bradley Smith Pine knoll Shores, NC

Lovay WallaceSingleton New Bern, NC

Robert Wells kitty Hawk, NC

George Wood kill Devil Hills, NC

President Melanie Allen Durham, NC

Vice President Robert Perry Raleigh, NC

Secretary and Vice President Laurie McComas king Wilmington, NC

Treasurer Maggie Ashburn Wilmington, NC

Board members serve three, three-year staggered terms and are elected each year by the membership during the annual meeting.

CAMILLA

rECEIvES hIghEST AwArd fOr STATE SErvICE

“This award is designed to recognize long and outstanding service to the state of North Carolina and no one could better exemplify such service than Camilla.”

Ann Simpson, former President of the Board

Over the course of its 28-year history, the Coastal Land Trust has protected over 80,000 acres of natural land in Eastern North Carolina: tens of thousands of acres of barrier islands, wildlife habitat, nature preserves, coastal rivers and streams, and longleaf pine and hardwood forests.

The scope and breadth of its preservation successes are impressive, including virtually the entire western bank of the Cape Fear River from Wilmington to Southport, large swaths of land in the Neuse River Basin and, most recently, a tract on Albemarle Sound which is believed to contain archeological remains from the Lost Colony.

Through its work, the Coastal Land Trust has worked in close partnership with the State of North Carolina and the federal

Order

government and has been able to effectively leverage funds from State and federal conservation agencies.

“under her [Camilla’s] capable vision, the Coastal Land Trust is

deep coastal conservation experience and expertise and has had a long professional relationship with the Coastal Land Trust,” said Ann C. Simpson, chair of the executive director search committee and past president of the board of directors of the Coastal Land Trust.

“I had the pleasure of working with the Coastal Land Trust on several land protection projects where the missions of Audubon and the Coastal Land Trust aligned, and I am excited for the opportunity to get back to coastal land protection,” Walker said.

Walker is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, most notably the National Audubon Society’s 2013 Charles H. Callison Professional Award. Each year, this award honors one volunteer and one staff member from Audubon who have made remarkable contributions to conservation through coalition-building, creative thinking and perseverance.

recognized as being one of the most successful land trusts in North Carolina and, indeed, the entire South.”

Walker’s lifelong work has contributed to the protection of coastal birds and their habitats, and has established sanctuaries for 35 percent of North Carolina’s breeding shorebirds. A talented nature photographer, Walker’s photographs have appeared in dozens of publications, including eight book and magazine covers.

“Walker’s decades of experience in conservation and deep commitment to the Carolina coast make him a perfect fit for Coastal Land Trust,” said Melanie Allen, president of the board of directors of the Coastal Land Trust. “He has the skill and enthusiasm to lead the Coastal Land Trust’s talented staff into this next chapter.”

“I am very excited and honored to join the Coastal Land Trust as executive director,” Walker said of his new position. “The work of this organization will shape the legacy that we leave to future generations.”

Camilla M. Herlevich, founder and longstanding executive director of the Coastal Land Trust has received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from the Governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper.

DIrEctOr, continued from page 1 Which

of the Long Leaf Pine: Husband Jim Brier and Camilla with their children LB and John Brier.

Michael Murchison, one of the co-founders of the Coastal Land Trust

CONSErvEd LANdS wE LOvE ANd why

Reflections on Brunswick Nature Park

All of the lands we have saved are important. However, to people who look like me, Reaves Chapel is a connection to our ancestors. A connection to individuals

Discovering

the Brunswick Nature Park felt like divine intervention. As someone who finds renewal in natural spaces and also lives in this rapidly developing region, I consider the park sacred. It is as a place of spirituality and provides quiet respite from our loud world. I married my sweet husband there, overlooking Town Creek. My love of the park runs deep.

But while Brunswick Nature Park has long served as a personal haven, it took the chaos of 2020 for me to fully appreciate the park’s role in fostering connection with other people. After a year of isolation, I now more deeply appreciate the (socially distanced) sense of community I feel with every visit. After a year of deep political divide, our park reveals a shared value among those who enjoy its trails or paddle its creek.

Disparate individuals – with various

backgrounds, beliefs and life stressors –find collective renewal in this hallowed space. And when I ask others why they come to the park, the answers feel both personal and universal:

“to just be in nature.”

“to enjoy mountain biking”

“to spend time with my family”

“to get away from the busy-ness of life”

“to be in a place that creates a feeling of peace that is maintained long after I leave.”

After 2020, we all deserve peace and connection. As we collectively emerge from last year’s global crises and the relentless pace of life fully resumes, the park will be there to renew us. And after a year of separation, the Brunswick Nature Park will bring us back together.

Trish Farnham Leland

Reflections on Springer’s Point

All of Coastal Land Trust’s properties are special, but Springer’s Point Preserve, the jewel of Ocracoke Island, is my favorite. It isn’t just its enchanting maritime forest, ancient and gnarled live oaks, Pamlico Sound beach, and intriguing local lore. It is the sense of timelessness I feel walking through its winding trails. It is the centuriesold live oak standing sentinel at the entrance to the sandy beach. Generations of children have played on its draping limbs, mine included.

It is the sanctuary-like silence, chorus of cicadas, or sounds of children’s laughter emanating from its beach. It is its tales and mysteries as told by local authors Philip Howard and Alton Balance. It is the important, declining habitat it hosts, the myriad storms it has weathered, and the treasured memories it holds.

Springer’s Point Preserve is a shining example of Coastal Land Trust’s work to save and share our coast’s most special places.

Lee L. Leidy

who persevered. And like those individuals, Reaves Chapel has managed to remain standing through time. It is my sincerest hope and prayer we ensure that future generations are able to experience the

love and warmth that greets you at Reaves Chapel.

Sandy Marshall

Land Trust Business Director Raleigh

Coastal

Trish Farnham and her husband Charlie Hines on their wedding day at Brunswick Nature Park.

Coastal Land Trust Northeast Region Director, Elizabeth City

CONSErvEd LANdS wE LOvE ANd why

Reflections on the Rehder Garden: Not So Hidden Treasures

There are no billboards or blinking lights to point the way to one of Wilmington’s most unusual places; but for lovers of native plants, the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden is a must-see destination, especially in the spring and summer. The garden is located behind Alderman Elementary School.

Fifty years ago, the site was destined for development but after wetlands were discovered, building plans were abandoned. During this time my father, Stanley Rehder, visited the property and noticed carnivorous plants growing in the area. He had been a horticulturist and outdoorsman most of his life, and as a young boy had learned that naturalist Charles Darwin considered the Venus flytrap “one of the most wonderful plants in the world”. He also discovered that this remarkable plant only grew naturally within a small area of the coastal Carolinas.

On his first visit to the piney woods behind Alderman Elementary my father carried a movie camera on his shoulder, and could be heard saying, “I wonder if MacRae would let me make this place into a park?”.

That wishful request was granted and my father spent the following decades sowing carnivorous plant seeds, clearing weeds, and creating a pathway through the center of the growing garden.

He loved showing visitors the tender plants emerging from the warming wet bog. They would stare in amazement at the multiple

varieties of Sarracenia (pitcher) plants, sundews and bladderworts; but it is the Venus flytrap that is the star attraction of this garden. Across the globe people can describe a Venus flytrap plant but it finds its perfect home only in our sand and soil.

Until his death in 2012 my father contacted policy makers and the media to draw attention to the dwindling habitat and poaching of carnivorous plants. The Coastal Land Trust now leads the education and preservation efforts; and we count on the annual Flytrap Frolic to raise awareness and resources. A visit to the

world’s only public carnivorous plant garden will bring you back again and again.

The parking area is located on Canterbury Road, off Independence Blvd. between Alderman Elementary School and First Baptist Church Activities Center. A conservation easement brokered by the Coastal Land Trust between the City of Wilmington and the MacRae family keeps the garden protected and open to the public.

Julie Rehder, Certified Music Practitioner Wilmington

Reflections on Abbey Nature Preserve

The

Abbey Nature Preserve has been a part of my family’s life since we moved here 14 years ago. We pushed our twin babies in a stroller, banging over roots; toddled along with little ones; “force marched” our tweens; and now we just try to keep up with teenagers. We love the beauty of the trails, the pond, the trees, and the fields.

We’ve made wonderful memories: watching our girls explore the woods, swing from vines and build nature forts. We’d take our toddlers on homemade scavenger hunts with check lists of “brown dog,” “yellow flower,” “turtles.” A particularly sweet memory was recreating a perfect vacation picnic by the pond. A Thanksgiving tradition is leaf collecting to decorate our table. And, we love watching the animals grow at the Stables at Poplar Grove.

Above all, we’re thankful to the Coastal Land Trust for protecting this special place and so many others.

Mary Bradley Development Director, WHQR Public Media Wilmington

Julie Rehder with her father Stanley Rehder (now deceased) at the naming ceremony for the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden in 2012.

The Bradley family at Abbey Nature Preserve. Frank and Mary Bradley with their twins; kate (standing behind) and Maggie.

CONSErvATION BOOST fOr ThE CrOATAN

This past February, Coastal Land Trust transferred the 182-acre Davis Tract to the U.S. Forest Service to become part of the Croatan National Forest. And the Coastal Land Trust’s Bern Preserve, adjacent to the Croatan, grew to 923 acres with the addition of the Craven 86 tract!

While many people view our 160,000-acre national forest in coastal North Carolina as extensive, few understand the increasing management challenges for the U.S. Forest Service as our human population

grows and new residential and commercial developments are constructed around its borders.

Development adjacent to the Croatan increases the potential for impacts from wildland fires and concurrent costs to the U.S. Forest Service to protect neighboring homes and businesses from wild and prescribed fire (and smoke). New roads and more traffic near (and even through) the forest put a squeeze on native wildlife and may lessen recreational experiences.

SAvE ThE dATE

Due

The Coastal Land Trust has been strategically working to acquire and conserve special places like the Davis and Craven 86 Tracts that connect and/or buffer portions of the Croatan using Havelock Bypass settlement funds as well as other private and public grant funds.

Croatan District Ranger Ron Hudson notes, “these recent projects are a boost to the Croatan, filling in missing puzzle pieces of a very special ecosystem.”

Photo by d ab Shackelford Photo by d ab Shackelford

LEgACy SOCIETy dONOrS BLESSEd TO rAISE fAMILy IN EASTErN NOrTh CArOLINA

Leaving a bequest to the Coastal Land Trust was an easy decision for us.

We have been blessed to live, work, and raise our family in eastern North Carolina, with our home being on Roanoke Island and our “get away” home on Ocracoke Island.

It is so important that the following generations be fortunate enough to enjoy pristine open spaces and the clean waters of coastal North Carolina, long after we are gone.

Along with many others, who feel the same way, we hope that the contribution will continue to help support and sustain the vision of the Coastal Land Trust.

Deloris and Bobby Harrell Nags Head

To find out how you can include the Coastal Land Trust in your estate planning, contact Vann Pearsall at (910) 790-4524 ext. 2100.

CONSErvATION grOuPS, fAMILy LANdOwNErS rALLy TO CONSErvE huTAff ISLANd

With the continually changing nature of our world, the Coastal Land Trust is excited to announce a cutting-edge option for our donors. Now you can support coastal conservation by making a donation of cryptocurrency!

Over the last few years, hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency have been donated to nonprofits by donors looking to reduce their tax obligations while supporting organizations whose missions they deeply care about.

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are classified as property by the IRS; thus, donors can avoid capital gains taxes on the appreciated assets. In other words, the donor can donate more, as well as deduct more, on their tax return.

Thanks to a partnership with the Giving Block, donating cryptocurrency is an easy and environmentally friendly way to protect the best, most significant conservation lands along our coast.

For more information, call Vann Pearsall, (910) 790-4524 ext. 2100, or visit www. thegivingblock.com/donate/NC-Coastal-LandTrust to make a gift today!

Hutaff Island, one of North Carolina’s last privately owned undeveloped barrier islands, will be conserved forever thanks to a partnership between Audubon North Carolina, the Coastal Land Trust, the Hutaff/McEachern family, and funding from a conservation philanthropist.

An agreement has been signed and the Coastal Land Trust will complete the process this summer. Read the whole story online at CoastalLandTrust.org/ hutaff-island.

from page 3

Answer: d – Both Mallard and Wood Stork rely on their sense of touch to locate food. Mallards are dabbling ducks that use their bills to search for food (vegetation and aquatic invertebrates) in murky water and along the bottom of wetlands. Wood Storks walk through wetlands with their bill in the water feeling for prey (e.g., fish, amphibians). Once they feel something with their bill, they can quickly snap it up and eat it.

Deloris and Bobby Harrell at their home on Roanoke Island.

COASTAL L ANd TruST ACCEPTINg CryPTOCurrENCy dONATIONS

Left: Monarch butterflies on Hutaff Island

Photo by Walker Golder

CAMILLA’S “SENd Off” AT hALyBurTON PArk

Staff gathered at Halyburton in May for a “Retirement Picnic Party for Camilla.”

Staff gifts included a silver pitcher plant necklace designed by Mitzi Jonkheer, one of Camilla’s favorite custom jewelry designers.

The staff also commissioned a set of four tall mugs exclusively designed and handpainted by artist Virginia Wright Frierson. The mugs evoked memories of Springer’s Point, carnivorous plants, longleaf pine and birds found along the coast.

Camilla Herlevich’s land preservation legacy was the cover story in the April edition of Intracoastal Living. Publisher George Clark surprised Camilla with a framed photo of her on the cover with binoculars in hand.

Shown from left are front row: Mellissa, Sandy, retired founding Executive Director Camilla, Jesica, Beth, Janice, Laura with baby Wilder, Lee and Stephanie. Back row: Evan, Ivanna, Vann, new Executive Director Walker, and Dave.

The Stewardship staff spent several days on Ocracoke for a general cleanup of Springer’s Point, which included building trails and refreshing signage.

Above: Ivanna knox repaints signs at Springer’s Point.

STEwArdShIP ACTIvITy ON OCrACOkE

Mellissa Dionesotes scrubs the grime off Springer’s Point signs.

SCrAPBOOk

Photos from the Field 2021

SPRING WEEDING

Spring is the time for weeding gardens, including natural gardens like the Croatan National Forest. Mike Schafale, N.C. Natural Heritage Program ecologist, pulls non-native weeds like Oriental false hawksbeard (youngia japonica) from along the Island Creek Forest Walk Trail in the Croatan National Forest. Andy Walker, U.S. Forest Service botanist, was also weeding in the Croatan. Coastal Land Trust staff were pulling non-native weeds on the adjacent Island Creek Preserve.

WORk ON WILMINGTON

The Coastal Land Trust applied to be a volunteer site for the Leadership Wilmington program Work of Wilmington and was accepted. The Coastal Land Trust was replacing the old paving stones and widening the path with new pavers.

Volunteers were helping transplant carnivorous plants out of the way of the new path and placing new paving stones.

Work On Wilmington is organized each year by the current class of Leadership Wilmington. Work on Wilmington brings people together to roll up their sleeves and tackle community problems in just four hours. Volunteers participate in a variety of service projects throughout the community.

Coastal Land Trust Associate Director Jesica Blake is a Leadership Wilmington alum, Class of 2016.

COLUMBINE AT ISLAND CREEk IN JONES COUNT y

POLLINATOR PALOOZA

A little rain, well, a lot really, didn’t stop kids and families from picking up the pollinator plant kits from the Coastal Land Trust.

Pollinator seeds and parsley plants, which attract swallowtail butterflies, were included in the Pollinator Palooza kit. Parsley is a host plant for their caterpillars. The adult lays its eggs on the parsley and when they hatch, the caterpillars feed on the plant until they reach the size to cocoon. They go through several instar stages on the plant, shedding as they grow.

FIRE AT FOSCUE

Controlled fire helps maintain longleaf pine forests by keeping the understory open and allowing more sunlight to reach the forest floor. Controlled fires are necessary to mimic the natural process of a longleaf pine ecosystem, which helps native plants thrive in their natural habitats.

These photos were taken in January during a controlled fire at Foscue, a Coastal Land Trust conservation property in Jones County, NC.

CARNIVOROUS PLANT PRESENTATION

MARkING BOUNDARIES

Photo by Steve Long

Following ResilienceCorps Member Ivanna knox’s presentation, students were allowed to touch and observe the plants to compare the methods of prey captured between sundews, Venus flytraps, and pitcher plants. This Bellamy Elementary student is checking out a Venus flytrap the Coastal Land Trust provided for their virtual field trip.

Mellissa Dionesotes, Stewardship Biologist, is marking boundaries on a conservation easement in Carteret County.

Photo by Tom Earnhardt

Photo by Walker Golder