In November the Coastal Federation worked with contractors to install the final two water control structures at the North River Wetlands Preserve in Carteret County. This officially wraps up the restoration of the 6,000-acre property which is among one of the largest projects of its kind in the nation.

The Federation obtained the property back in 1999 when it was all farmed land. Since then we have worked with multiple partners and grant funds to return the property back to its original state of forested, freshwater, and tidal wetlands in order to improve the water quality of degraded downstream estuaries. Millions of trees, shrubs, and marsh grasses were planted, and water control structures have been put into place to collect and hold back runoff from not only our property but also other nearby farmlands.

Learn more about the restoration work at the Preserve by visiting our website.

The Federation is gearing up for another season of ourLost Fishing Gear Recovery Program that will begin in January. This project hires commercial fishermen and women to help find and remove lost fishing gear and crab pots which if left in the water and marshes could threaten wildlife and create navigational hazards in our coastal waterways.

We are grateful for the support of the N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Grant Program which for supporting this important work.

This grant funding is from commercial fishing license fees and a newly created fund, meaning that ultimately the money that covers our program comes from commercial fishermen and women and will be going right back to those who work with us to find and remove the lost gear.

This month, our central region Education Coordinator Rachel Bisesi presented interactive lessons about oysters to environmental and marine science students at Havelock and Croatan High Schools. Students discussed the importance of oysters and their history before taking part in a hands-on oyster dissection to learn about oyster anatomy. Shells from the dissection were recycled to become part of a future restoration project!

Additionally, students learned how oysters have the ability to take irritants, like sand or food particles stuck inside their shells, and coat it with layers of nacre (or mother of pearl) to eventually form a pearl. Thus, they take something negative in their life and turn it into something beautiful, which is certainly a lesson we can be reminded of!