This Small Place - Fall 2023

CELEBRATING THREE DECADES OF CONSERVATION

Thirty years of conserving the places we all love on the North Carolina coast is something to celebrate. And celebrate we have, with five gatherings over the past year. Friends old and new spent afternoons and evenings toasting the successes of the past and sharing excitement for the future.

We kicked off the celebrations last September at Old Town in Brunswick County. The Coastal Land Trust family had the chance to meet Harrison Marks who had recently been appointed as Interim Executive Director, enjoy music from Masonboro Sound and a reading by Bland Simpson, and hear Jesica Blake give a wonderful overview of the long list of lands protected in the lower Cape Fear Region.

CELEBRATING, continued on page 4

THIS SMALL PLACE

In July, Coastal Land Trust purchased a 17-acre property along the Chowan River near Point Comfort in Bertie County. Saving this small place from likely residential development was a major feat, with challenges every step of the way. Some notable people agreed. “Bravo and kudos,” stated Tom Earnhardt, host and co-producer of UNC-TV’s Exploring North Carolina. “Great news, that was a long time coming,” said Mike Leonard of The Conservation Fund. “Let the trumpets sound off: what a powerfully good day in the natural history of our state!” exclaimed Bland Simpson, author of “North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky”.

So, what is so special about this small place?

The property near Point Comfort is a prominent landmark on the Chowan River, rising 90 feet above the water. This land may be the highest point directly above sea level in the North Carolina coastal region. The bluffs are part of the Wicomico Terrace, an ocean shoreline dating as far back as the Pleistocene Era (which ended about 12,000 years ago). Layers of

clay, sand, quartz, ironstone, limestone, and marine fossils have been deposited over time, creating layers of color and texture. “These geologic layers tell incredible stories about the history of changing climates and sea levels over many millennia,” states Dr. Stan Riggs, coastal geologist and professor emeritus at East Carolina University. “From a scientific point of view, there is tremendous value in preserving these incredible bluffs.”

In addition to its distinctive topography and geological value, the property also hosts a unique coastal forest ecosystem of large white oak, American beech, and holly rarely found on the North Carolina coast. Mike Schafale, ecologist with the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, explored the property in April, documenting mesic mixed hardwood forests of American beech, loblolly pine, and northern red oak, as well as swamp forests of bald cypress, American elm, red maple, swamp tupelo, and green ash in wetlands along a small stream running through the property. The forest community growing

Coastal Land Trust Annual Celebration at Old Town.

Rising nearly 90 feet above the water below, these bluffs are a notable landmark on the Chowan River.

Photo courtesy of Tom Earnhardt

POINT COMFORT continued on page 4

John and Claudia Griffin with Ed and Susan Norvell (left), hosts of the 2023 Party for the Point.

MAIN OFFICE

3 Pine Valley Drive Wilmington, NC 28412 (910) 790-4524

HARRISON MARKS Executive Director ext. 2060 harrison@CoastalLandTrust.org

JESICA C. BLAKE

Associate Director and Director of Stewardship and Community Conservation ext. 2030 jesica@CoastalLandTrust.org

MARLO BROOKS

Director of Finance and Administration ext. 2040 marlo@CoastalLandTrust.org

MARY ANN BROUGHTON DANIEL Development Associate ext. 2090 maryann@CoastalLandTrust.org

MELLISSA DIONESOTES Land and Stewardship Manager ext. 2300 mellissa@CoastalLandTrust.org

SYDNEY GARDNER Office and Events Manager ext. 2080 sydney@CoastalLandTrust.org

KENNETH J. LINGERFELT GIS Specialist/Stewardship Associate ext. 2070 kenneth@CoastalLandTrust.org

ERIC VREELAND Director of Strategic Advancement ext. 2100 eric@CoastalLandTrust.org

LAURA WILSON Development Officer ext. 2010 laura@CoastalLandTrust.org

BRYCE THOLEN Environmental Education Coordinator and Stewardship Assistant ext. 2020 bryce@CoastalLandTrust.org

MIDCOAST OFFICE

JANICE L. ALLEN Director of Land Protection 3301-G Trent Road New Bern, NC 28562 (252) 634-1927 janice@CoastalLandTrust.org

NORTHEAST OFFICE

LEE L. LEIDY Northeast Region Director Attorney at Law 410 E. Main St., Ste. 204 Elizabeth City, NC 27909 (252) 335-9495 lee@CoastalLandTrust.org

ADDITIONAL CONTACT

LENA AUSTIN O’NEAL

Springer’s Point Preserve Steward Lena.ONeal@nccat.org

A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In 1992, Camilla Herlevich, together with Michael Murchison, Bill Raney and Chuck Roe, created an organization that would conserve special places along North Carolina’s coastal plain. These individuals were thoughtful, hopeful, and optimistic about what could be accomplished by such an organization but would have been hard-pressed to imagine the success achieved by the Coastal Land Trust in 31 years.

The Coastal Land Trust has protected more than 86,000 acres, including our three most recent projects: Point Comfort (17 acres) in Bertie County, Newport River (1,400 acres) in Carteret County, and Trent River (113 acres) in Jones County. The impact of our land conservation work is significant. As we seek to broaden awareness and un-

NATURE TRIVIA

derstanding of that importance, we invite the public to participate in educational events like Flytrap Frolic, join us for guided hikes and trail building days, and celebrate success at gatherings with our supporters throughout the region. The Coastal Land Trust has been able to achieve these incredible results by remaining

true to its mission, maintaining an exceptional volunteer Board, and attracting and retaining committed and knowledgeable staff. We depend on your generosity to continue our mission as our costs continue to rise. Thank you for your support again this year. We look forward to another year of remarkable success saving the lands we love at the coast!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Hal Kitchin Wilmington, NC

Merrie Jo Alcoke New Bern, NC

Bernest Hewett Bolivia, NC

Yoshi Newman, Ph.D. Greenville, NC

Vice President

Laurie McComas King

Wilmington, NC

Linda Pearsall

Raleigh, NC

Chad Pearson

Wilmington, NC

Dr. Stan Riggs Greenville, NC

Vice President and Secretary

Bob Emory New Bern, NC

Ann Cary Simpson

Chapel Hill, NC

Cheryl Bradley Smith Pine Knoll Shores, NC

Mary Tillery

Chapel Hill, NC

Treasurer

Nick Parker

Wilmington, NC

Robert Wells

Kitty Hawk, NC

George Wood

Kill Devil Hills, NC

What tree frog has a call that sounds like Morse code?

a. Squirrel tree frog

b. Gray tree frog

c. Pine woods tree frog

NEW FACES AT THE COASTAL LAND TRUST

Mary Ann Broughton Daniel

Mary Ann Broughton Daniel is excited to join the Coastal Land Trust team as the Development Associate. Having spent her summers between the mountains and the coast, she has a deep-rooted appreciation for the natural beauty of North Carolina.

Mary Ann grew up in Winston-Salem and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has spent the past three years working in fundraising and enjoys hearing why people support an organization’s mission. Prior to joining Coastal Land Trust, Mary Ann was the Assistant Director of Advancement at Cape Fear Academy and the Donor Relations Manager at StepUp Wilmington. She is excited to work for an organization that has saved so many of her favorite lands along the coast.

In her spare time, she enjoys boat adventures with her husband and basset hound, exercising before the sun rises, and searching for shells.

REAVES CHAPEL UPDATE

Progress has been slow and steady this summer on the restoration of Reaves Chapel as the final phase moves through the permitting process. Once the permitting is complete, work will commence on the construction of the external restroom, driveway, and completion of the interior of the Chapel.

We need your help to complete this project. Make a gift at www.coastallandtrust.org/ reaves.

In November, there will be a small ribbon-cutting ceremony on a demonstration portion of the walking trail that will connect Reaves Chapel with a future project organized by our partners at the Cedar Hill/West Bank Heritage Foundation.

Bryce Tholen

After completing two years as an AmeriCorps service member with the Coastal Land Trust, Bryce Tholen has joined the staff as the new Environmental Education Coordinator and Stewardship Assistant.

As an AmeriCorps Service member, Bryce focused on expanding our environmental education programs, serving multiple counties and reaching more than 1,000 students through classroom visits and field trips. Bryce led the transition from virtual back to in-person programs, redesigned our annual Pollinator Palooza event, and led the Flytrap Frolic to record attendance this year.

In his new role, Bryce will be assisting in more field work and supporting the stewardship team. Bryce will continue to grow our environmental education programs with plans to expand opportunities to schools in northeastern NC. We are excited that he will continue to be a part of The Coastal Land Trust team!

ACCREDITATION RENEWED

TheCoastal Land Trust is excited to share that our accreditation has been officially renewed! Accreditation is awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence. To achieve this distinction, we had to provide extensive documentation and were subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation.

We have maintained our accreditation since we first became eligible in 2012 and are happy to continue to show that when we protect land, we apply best practices to ensure the lands we protect are protected forever!

Photo contributed

Photo contributed

POINT COMFORT, continued from page 1

along the cliffs and ravines tipped the scales to make this site a new natural heritage area, named the Chowan River Point Comfort Bluffs, considered to be of exceptional ecological significance (the highest classification).

The property is now a Coastal Land Trust preserve and is forever protected thanks to the work of Stan Riggs and Tom Earnhardt, and the generous support of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stanback, and other private donors who provided funds for purchase of the property.

CELEBRATING, continued from page 1

On a warm afternoon in February, longtime supporters and members of the Coastal Legacy Society gathered at NECF Five Eagle Farms in Pender County. The delightful event gave us the chance to thank those who have committed to a legacy of conservation by including the Coastal Land Trust in their estate plans. In March we headed to Edenton for our first Northeast Region gathering in many years. Hosted by Miles and Reagan Coxe, 80 guests enjoyed a beautiful evening overlooking Pembroke Creek and celebrating the exciting conservation work happening in the area.

April brought the celebration to the lawn of Tryon Palace in New Bern. A short but powerful rainstorm that afternoon couldn’t keep folks from coming out and hearing Janice Allen’s humorous and fact-filled recap of 30 years of conservation in the mid-coast region.

Memorial Day weekend again found us on Ocracoke Island celebrating Springer’s Point Preserve. This year’s gathering was hosted at the home of Ed and Susan Norvell. Despite high winds and cancelled ferries, lovers of Springer’s Point came together for a spectacular event.

We’ve been honored to celebrate 30 years of conservation with you and look forward to many more years of saving the lands we love.

Above, from left: Ann Riggs, Coastal Land Trust Board member Bob Emory, and Liddy Emory joined the Party for the Point on Ocracoke Island.

Right: Friends of the Coastal Land Trust enjoying a wonderful evening at the Cheers for 30 Years event in Edenton.

Bottom right: From left: Coastal Land Trust Executive Director Harrison Marks with Bob Mattocks, Anne Kane, and Travis Moser at Tryon Palace.

It is not just the bluffs that make this place special. The mixed hardwood forests that stretch down to the water’s edge and the swamp forest along a stream give the land exceptional ecological significance.

Photo courtesy of Tom Earnhardt

SAVING THE LANDS YOU LOVE AT THE COAST

Even More Land Near the Croatan

More land around the Croatan National Forest was protected earlier this summer when the Coastal Land Trust purchased more than 1,400 acres in Carteret County.

The property is located just north of Morehead City and east of Newport, with four miles of frontage along Newport River and Little Creek Swamp. About 1,100 acres consists of managed loblolly pine timberland. The remaining 300 acres are bottomland hardwoods and estuarine marsh, with coastal estuarine fringe forest (a rare forest community!) Another Coastal Land Trust conservation property can be found just across the river.

The land will eventually be given to the North Carolina Coastal Federation, which recently received a grant from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund to design and implement the restoration of 1,100 acres of the property.

We look forward to sharing more about this special place and our partnership with the Coastal Federation in the future.

Partnering with the Marine Corps to Protect Land

In August, the Coastal Land Trust purchased a 113acre property adjacent to the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS)-Cherry Point’s Outlying Landing Field Oak Grove in Jones County. The property consists of farmland as well as bottomland hardwood wetlands along the Trent River.

While the property lies in rural Jones County, it is only minutes from the new U.S. Highway 17 Bypass around Pollocksville. “When the For Sale signs started going up on this property, we decided to take action. Due to the extensive road frontage associated with this property, we knew it was only a matter of time before numerous lots would be sold and homes would be constructed adjacent to the Oak Grove landing field,” stated Janice Allen, Director of Land Protection for the Coastal Land Trust.

The military contributed 50% of the funds needed for the acquisition through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI) program. “The threat of development raised the priority of this project for REPI funding,“ said Rhonda Murray, Community Plans and Liaison Officer at MCAS Cherry Point,

“this outlying field is a critical military training asset.” The landing field is used by both MCAS Cherry Point and New River Air Station for training pilots to land aircraft on unimproved surfaces in a reduced visibility area. Development of this property may have resulted in restrictions on timing, frequency, and the type of training that occurs at Oak Grove.

This acquisition represents the 17th project completed by Coastal Land Trust in partnership with MCAS Cherry Point, with the dual goal of conserving open space and/or natural habitats and minimizing encroachment adjacent to military installations. More than 13,800 acres have been conserved through this partnership.

The Coastal Land Trust will retain the Trent River property and manage it as a preserve with permanent restrictions placed on residential and commercial development. For the near term, most of the open land will continue to be farmed. Future plans, as funding allows, may include planting longleaf pine, creating a pollinator meadow, and/or enhancing the small ponds on the property to improve habitat for native wildlife.

The marshes and coastal estuarine fringe forest are just two of the wonderful features of this property.

A view across some of the farmland on the Trent River Preserve, with the Oak Grove landing field in the distance.

FUNDING PARTNERS

$25,000 – $100,000 +

$10,000 – $24,999

THE SAXER FAMILY FOUNDATION

$2,500 – $9,999

$1,000 – $2,499

PERRY

OF

AIR-CALL COMMUNICATIONS

$500 – $999

• Bug-N-A-Rug Exterminators

• Carol Sue Blueberry Farm

• Carolina Colours

• Cheerwine

• Cothran Harris Architecture

• Craven Physical Therapy and Spine, Inc.

• Duke Energy Corporation PAC

• Dunn, Pittman, Skinner & Ashton, PLLC

• EarthShare NC

• Ebenconcepts, Inc.

• First Benefits Insurance Mutual

• Geological Resources, Inc.

• Kennedy Office Supplies

• Kirkman, Whitford, Brady, Berryman & Gordon, PA

• Lance Snacks

• Lazy Weekends Yard Care Services, LLC

• Liberty Petroleum

• Orton Longleaf

• Republic Brands

• The Oleander Company, Inc.

• The Wonderful Company

• Think Tech Advisors

• Thomas, Judy & Tucker PA

• Window Ninjas

• zenWTR

EDDIE AND JO ALLISON SMITH FAMILY FOUNDATION, INC.

POINT CLAN, LLC

CLARK PROPERTIES OF OCRACOKE, LLC

CAPE FEAR SECURITIES

CEDAR HILL WEST BANK HERITAGE FOUNDATION

FARMS

COLERAIN INC.

LAND ROVER CAPE FEAR

Wisteria, before and after: From a snarled mess of vines to an open field, it is amazing to see the progress made at our Island Creek Preserve over the past three years.

STEWARDS OF THE LAND: MANAGING INVASIVE SPECIES

“What happens after a piece of land is protected?” is one of the most common questions we get. Over the next few editions of the Coastlines newsletter, we will be showcasing some of the core work involved in being good stewards of the lands we protect and hold as preserves. Today, we are taking a brief look at one of the most challenging land management tasks we undertake - the eradication of invasive or non-native species. Wisteria (Wisteria spp.), Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense), a non-native subspecies of the Common Reed (Phragmites spp.), and English Ivy (Hedera helix) are just a few of the invasive plants that NCCLT is working to eliminate from some of our preserves. Wisteria is an aggressive climbing, woody vine native to East Asia that was intro-

duced to the eastern U.S. in the mid/ late 19th century through the early 20th century as a decorative ornamental and remains popular in the nursery trade. Wisteria vines grow upward and often tightly constrict a host tree causing death by girdling. Once established, Wisteria requires a rigorous eradication strategy and often many years of consecutive removal efforts. For mature vines, a combination of cutting and chemical treatments is the most effective method for removal.

That strategy is exactly what has been employed at our Island Creek Preserve in Jones County. The eastern side of the property features an 8-10 acre open area that had become choked with Wisteria. In the spring of 2020, we began to work with a contractor to cut and spray the area

SAVE THE DATE

Volunteer Days

First Saturdays

CoastalLandTrust.org/volunteer

Annual Celebration

October 7

Goose Landing, Brunswick County CoastalLandTrust.org/celebrate

Fire in the Pines

October 14

Halyburton Park, Wilmington

22nd Annual Golf Tournament

May 6, 2024

Country Club of Landfall

Check CoastalLandTrust.org/events for the most up-to-date details and events!

along with vines that were moving into the surrounding forest. This effort continues today, with regular cutting and spot spraying of any new vine growth. As you can see in the photos, the difference is dramatic, but the work continues.

In addition to removing invasive species on our preserves, we are committed to documenting the occurrences and alerting landowners to their presence on any of the privately-owned lands with conservation easements that we hold and/or monitor.

We would like to express our gratitude to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon North Carolina, Brad and Shelli Stanback, and Alan Craig for funding assistance with our Wisteria eradication efforts to date.

Dinner, lawn games, live music, and a wonderful evening marking 31 years of conserving land across 31 counties in eastern NC.

October 7, 2023 | 4-7 pm

Goose Landing, Brunswick County www.CoastalLandTrust.org/celebrate

Brice’s Creek / Craven County / May 2023

HIKING AT EVERETT CREEK

We are excited to announce that our Everett Creek Preserve in Onslow County will be open to the public from 9 am - 2 pm on the 3rd Saturday of every month starting this fall. Visitors can enjoy the 240 acres of longleaf pine and mixed hardwood forest with views of Everett Creek. There are beautiful hiking trails to explore and there will be staff members on site to share more information about the ecosystem. For more information, visit www.coastallandtrust.org/events.

NATURE TRIVIA ANSWER

from page 2o

Answer: c. The small and arboreal Pine woods tree frog (Hyla femoralis) is often known as the “Morse code frog” because of its distinctive call. These tree frogs are generally found in pine woods and cypress swamps from Virginia to Florida and across the Gulf Coast to Louisiana. They have been heard calling this year at the Coastal Land Trust’s Bern Preserve in Craven County.

Jesica Blake named this photo “Monster tree along creek bed.” This was taken at our property along Brice’s Creek in Craven County that is slated to become a county nature park. Jesica included for scale.

Intrepid explorers enjoy a cool weather hike through Everett Creek Preserve in February.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Hall

SCRAPBOOK

Party for the Point / Ocracoke / May 26, 2023

THE POINT OF IT

Volunteer Appreciation BBQ / Halyburton Park Wilmington / May 2023

FOR THE BEST

Flytrap Frolic / Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden / Wilmington / June 3, 2023

Flytrap Frolic 2023 was an astounding success! On June 3rd, a record 870 individuals attended our annual event at the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden. This event was an opportunity for the public to learn more about the local carnivorous plants and the ecosystem that houses them, celebrate the iconic Venus flytrap (native to the Wilmington area), learn about carnivorous plants and their habitats, get information about the work of the Coastal Land Trust and our partners, and spend time in a unique natural area.

Visitors learned about and searched for carnivorous plants with our garden guides and got up close with numerous species of pitcher plants at the North American Sarracenia Conservancy table. The Nature Conservancy shared information about the connection between prescribed burns and flytraps. Staff from Halyburton Park and Carolina Beach State Park taught visitors about the ecosystems that produce carnivorous plants. Families also enjoyed carnivorous plant-themed arts and crafts, games, and face painting.

This event is only possible with the help of our sponsors and dedicated volunteers. 20 volunteers helped at Flytrap Frolic this year. We thank our volunteers for their hard work!

Flytrap Frolic is held the first Saturday of June every year. We hope to see you at Flytrap Frolic 2024!

ROUND AND ROUND

Everyone is a winner at a Coastal Land Trust event.

A visitor learns that Venus flytraps of all sizes are harmless, unless you’re a bug.

LOOK CLOSELY

Sometimes the best view of a Venus Flytrap requires squatting down in the mud.

Coastal Land Trust Board Member Cheryl Smith, Bob Lineberry, and Earle Irwin (R to L) pose for a photo at the Party for the Point.

FEST

Thomas Allen Owen was recognized as this year’s Volunteer of the Year. He has been a regular at our volunteer events since moving to NC last year. Thank you for all of your help this season!

JUMBO FLYTRAP