Indulge in a coastal culinary extravaganza at the 2024 Roast for the Coast! A tantalizing fest of steamed and raw NC oysters, savory clam chowder, and delicious corn chowder awaits you. Come enjoy the vibrant atmosphere complete with live music and the chance to win coastal treasures during our raffle.

When you purchase Roast for the Coast tickets, you’re not just attending an event- you’re making a meaningful impact! Every dollar raised directly supports the Federation’s crucial mission to restore our native oyster populations, including the creation of new reefs in the lower Cape Fear River.

Come sunbeams or cloud cover, this event promises an afternoon of delectable dishes and coastal camaraderie, reserve your spot now to dive into the excitement!

We have embarked on another fruitful year of collaboration with NC Central University’s Department of Environmental, Earth, and Geospatial Sciences students. During the first of three coastal field trips, students embarked on an enthralling journey, exploring living shorelines and oyster projects at Carteret Community College, NCSU’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, and the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium. Later this spring, another group of students will have the opportunity to visit the Oysters Carolina oyster farm, for a hands-on oyster learning experience.

This partnership is being supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to provide hands-on opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students studying marine sciences at NC Central.

Celebrate Cape Fear Creek Week with us on March 19 for a garden maintenance event. Cape Fear Creek Week is a collaborative effort with environmental organizations to highlight the importance of preserving our waterways. Help improve Burnt Mill Creek’s water quality by volunteering at the DREAMS Center for Art Education, a nonprofit that supports over 600 area youth annually in Wilmington. The stormwater retrofits and native plants at DREAMS help capture, absorb, and filter polluted stormwater runoff from entering Burnt Mill Creek. Volunteers can expect activities like weeding, mulching, and clearing debris from the gardens.

You can also join staff and volunteers to help maintain rain gardens and stormwater wetlands at Bradley Creek Elementary School in Wilmington on April 9. This project is part of the Bradley Hewletts Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, that aims to reduce the amount of polluted runoff flowing into the creeks. Come on out to help spruce up the rain garden and find out what you can do in your backyard to protect your local creeks and coastal waters. This garden maintenance is being supported by the Landfall Foundation and Cape Fear Garden Club.

Both events are open to the public and suitable for all ages. Learn more and register below!

North Carolina boasts a large and productive estuarine system with 220,000 acres of salt marshes that provide vital habitats for fish, improve water quality, and protect against flooding. However, these marshes are threatened, and to ensure their protection, the Coastal Federation is leading a partnership to develop the North Carolina Salt Marsh Action Plan (NC SMAP), a five-year strategy to protect, restore, and preserve these vital ecosystems.

The plan is part of the larger South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI), which prioritizes protecting and restoring nearly one million acres of salt marshes along the South Atlantic coast. The NC Salt Marsh Plan will serve as the foundation of the Coastal Federation’s New Marsh Program Goal that will focus on salt marsh conservation and restoration, facilitate salt marsh migration, and include our work to advance living shorelines along the coast.

Educating the next generation of coastal stewards is a critical part of the Federation’s work and it’s something our team of educators enjoys. Recently Coastal Education Coordinator, Rachel Bisesi led a lesson on the importance of oysters to a group of students in Carteret County.

“We love partnering with different community groups and were honored to work with Carteret Parks & Recreation at Fort Benjamin to help educate the next generation about the value of oysters and healthy waterways.”

During Rachel’s lesson, students had the chance to build an oyster reef of their own with the help of recycled egg cartons!

Here’s a look at some recent news featuring the Federation:

• Federation founder Miller to step back, Davis new director – CRO
• Founder of North Carolina Coastal Federation moves to new role – WITN
• Where and How to Recycle Your Oyster Shells After Using Them – WWAY
• NCCF Lost fishing gear recovery program underway – Carteret County News-Times
• Restoring a North Carolina Wetland – PBS
• Tickets on sale for Feb. 3 Hatteras Island Oyster Roast – CRO