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Your Parks, Your Impact:
2023 Annual Report |
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| Our Outer Banks national parks continued to create new experiences for you and were able to adapt to new challenges last year, all because of your continued generosity. We are excited to share our 2023 Annual Report with you which highlights some of the amazing work supporters like you made possible last year! Each success story and milestone is a direct result of your generosity and belief in our mission to protect and enhance our Outer Banks national parks, now and forever. |
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We are grateful for your support and look forward to continuing this journey together, ensuring that our parks remain cherished treasures for generations to come. Together, we are making a lasting impact in our parks!
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National Aviation Day Events |
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| This year’s events include festivities at the Dare County Regional Airport, and ranger programs, special guest speakers, and an outdoor movie at Wright Brothers National Memorial, where admission is free for the day! |
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Learning to Fly:
Year One of The Wright Flight Academy |
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 | In the fifth installment of the Wright Flight Academy, students are wrapping up the first year of the build and reflecting on what being a part of the process has taught them. Over the next two years, these students will be building their very own, two person “flying machine” on the very grounds where brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved their world-changing first flight on December 17, 1903! We’re proud to support this program by sponsoring this video series created by Rayolight Productions. As videos are made available, we’ll be adding them to our YouTube channel, sharing them on Facebook, and including them in our monthly e-newsletters. |
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Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest Closes for the Season September 1! |
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Here’s how the program works: Donate: Give a tax-deductible donation of $100 or more to adopt your 2024 sea turtle nest. Your gift helps us fund important projects that protect and the Seashore and the vital sea turtle habitat it preserves. You will receive a confirmation email for your donation. Receive your nest assignment: You will be assigned your sea turtle nest and receive an adoption certificate either by mail or digitally with initial information about your nest. Wait patiently for your nest to hatch! When your nest hatches later this summer or fall, you will receive a personalized update in the mail with information park rangers collect about your nest including the number of hatchlings that made their way out to sea. A note about honorary/memorial gifts: If you choose to adopt a nest in honor or in memory of a loved one and provide an honoree’s mailing address on your donation form, a letter with nest information and a certificate will be mailed directly to your honoree. Your honoree will be notified of your gift and will receive a certificate when their nest is assigned, not at the time you make the gift. Please keep this in mind if your gift is time sensitive. Digital certificates are available! If you would like to receive an electronic certificate or send an electronic certificate to an honoree, click the box “send certificate digitally” on the donation form and provide an email address. Read our frequently asked questions for even more information about our Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest program! Please note: Nature belongs to all of us – no individual or group that participates in this program can claim ownership of a sea turtle nest, eggs, or hatchlings. For the safety of the sea turtles and in alignment with National Park Service guidance, your nest’s exact location will not be shared until after it has hatched. |
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Love the Beach, Respect the Ocean:
Beach Safety |
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| Digging holes in the sand is more dangerous than it may initially seem. Every year, children and adults die from suffocation after holes and tunnels in the sand collapse and trap them. Large holes in the sand are difficult to see and cause dangerous obstacles for ocean rescue personnel and lifeguards who are trying to quickly provide emergency services to those in need. |
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| Sea turtle laying and hatching season runs from May through September. Holes in the sand often become fatal obstructions for female sea turtles laying nests on the beach at night and hatchlings heading out to sea roughly 60 days later. Sand collapses occur in holes just a few feet deep. Never dig a hole deeper than it is wide. Children and adults should not dig holes deeper than their knees when standing in them. If you do dig a hole, please fill it in before you leave the beach. Even small holes should be filled in before you leave. |
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| Whether you’re stargazing or listening to the soothing sounds of the waves, the beach after dark is magical. However, it’s essential to take precautions and be aware of potential hazards, such as limited visibility, changing tides and wildlife activity. Please follow these tips to safely enjoy the beach at night, while respecting the natural environment: |
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| Avoid shining lights on the beach at night as this may frighten away nesting female sea turtles and interfere with baby turtles’ ability to find the sea. Instead, use turtle-friendly red-light flashlights when walking along the beach at night. Don’t disturb a turtle that is crawling to or from the ocean or laying eggs. Watch from a distance. Don’t swim at dawn, dusk or at night, as these are times when sharks feed. |
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| Keeping our lovely beaches pristine is a team effort! Here are some simple tips to help preserve their beauty: Bring reusable water bottles and snack containers to reduce plastic waste. Do not release balloons or lanterns, as they are detrimental to our sea turtle population. Use reef-safe sunscreen to protect your skin without harming marine life and coral reefs. |
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| Dispose of trash and cigarette butts properly — they’re very harmful to marine life. Each beach access contains trash receptacles, and most also contain recycling bins. The Dare County Library’s Kill Devil Hills branch offers Litter Clean-Up Kits with all the supplies necessary to clean up your favorite beach. Gloves, buckets, trash bags and litter-grabbers are provided! Visit Darenc.gov/departments/libraries/library-of-things to learn more. Please leave only your footprints — leave no trash or litter behind when you visit the beach — and encourage others to follow these tips as well! |
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| The most important thing to do is keep a respectful distance, and report the sighting to the following authorities to seek assistance. If you happen upon the scene of a marine mammal beaching in Currituck, Dare, or Hyde Counties, call the Outer Banks Marine Mammal Stranding Network hotline at (252) 455-9654. For Cape Hatteras National Seashore, call (252) 216-6892. If you find a sea turtle nest or an injured sea turtle, call the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.) at (252) 441-8622. |
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| If you find an injured, orphaned or diseased land mammal, call Outer Banks Wild Care at (252) 995-4793. If you find an injured or orphaned bird, please contact Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation at (252) 475-4217. Loons being loony: A common bird here on the Outer Banks, our loons, are often reported as stranded on the beach, but they are usually just resting. Loons do not have feet that allow them to walk on land so they rely on the ocean’s tide to carry them back to the sea. On land, they may appear to be injured, but most of the time they are just doing the “loon walk”! |
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| It’s entertaining watching your pup play in the waves and sand. However, the last thing you want is to have your beach trip end with a vet visit! Below are a few things you can do to ensure that your beach buddy has a safe and fun visit. Many dogs try to drink ocean water, which can quickly dehydrate them. Be sure to bring plenty of fresh water and a bowl for your dog. |
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| Even when you might not expect it, the sand can become hot enough to burn your dog’s paws. Always test the sand with your bare feet to determine if your dog needs protection for his or her paws. You’re not the only one who needs to be concerned about sunburn! Bring an umbrella or tent that will accommodate both you and your dog in the shade. Running on sand is strenuous, so don’t expect your dog to be able to play fetch as long as he can at the dog park. When you’re done playing, take time to rinse the salt and sand from your dog’s coat. Please clean up after your dog. |
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| Current conditions are posted daily each morning on the homepage of the Love the Beach, Respect the Ocean website. You can text OBXBEACHCONDITIONS to 77295 to have Dare County beach condition reports sent directly to your phone each day. It’s also a good idea to check in with the lifeguard when you arrive at the beach each day to learn about things such as rip currents or marine activity at your access. |
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| Lifeguarded Beaches on Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Memorial Day through Labor Day): |
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Ways to Give: Retirement and Estate Planning |
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| Retirement Gifts: You can support our Outer Banks national parks and benefit from tax advantages by giving a gift through your IRA account. Estate Planning: Consider including Outer Banks Forever in your estate plans to protect our parks for future generations. You can designate a contribution through your will, trust, retirement accounts, or life insurance policy to support our work, or chose a specific park you’d like to leave a legacy in. |
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| Contact Nicole Erickson, our Development & Adoption Programs Manager, by email at nicolerickson@obxforever.org for more information or to make your gift. |
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 | | Join our friends at Barrier Island Group (B.I.G.) for their first-ever Labor Day Lighthouse 5K and be the among the first to run through the newly refurbished Cape Hatteras Lighthouse grounds! |
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| While the lighthouse is still undergoing renovation, this 5K will offer views of the lighthouse and a tour of the park’s newly installed multiuse pathway. The first 200 registrants will receive a commemorative shirt, an eco-friendly reusable cup, an awesome finisher medal, and a post-race celebration just steps from the beach! |
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Here are the details:- Date: Monday, September 2 (Labor Day)
- Time: 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Location: Old Lighthouse Beach Access, Buxton, NC, 27920
- Cost to Register: $48
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