North Carolina Coastal Land Trust

Land stewardship and management: - ncclt continued its ongoing work to eradicate invasive species at its 247-acre island creek nature preserve, in jones county. In furtherance of this work, ncclt contracted with woodland vegetation management, inc., a company specializing in invasive species eradication, to conduct herbicide applications to treat invasive species at island creek preserve, and this treatment was completed on april 24, 2024. Island creek nature preserve lies adjacent to a portion of the croatan national forest, and it is one of the most botanically rich areas on the n.c. Coast. Eradication of non- native plant species is critical to maintain the ecological integrity of the island creek nature preserve. - ncclt contracted with wright-mckinley forestry to conduct prescribed burns on approximately 75 acres of natural and planted longleaf pine stands at ncclt's bern nature preserve, in craven county, on march 19, 2024, and on 89 acres at ncclt's 177-acre b.w. Wells preserve, in pender county, on february 10, 2024. - all of ncclt properties held in fee title and under conservation easement were monitored and posted by staff biologists, interns, or contractors, and boundaries of all newly acquired properties were painted.

Conservation education: ncclt hosted a series of educational outreach and special events throughout the state's coast, or entered into agreements to expand environmental education opportunities including the following: - ncclt continues to partner with camp albemarle, which has provided children's summer camps and programs for more than 70 years, to expand children's access to nature on ncclt's 367+ acre gales creek preserve near the town of newport, in carteret county, which features open, park-like stands of longleaf pine and mature mixed pine hardwood forest along more than a mile of frontage on gales creek, a tidal creek that flows to bogue sound. Camp albemarle is allowed to use gales creek preserve for its camper and nature study programs. This mutually beneficial partnership provides greater recreation and environmental education opportunities for children; - ncclt partnered to host the "fire in the pines" festival, an educational festival dedicated to raising positive awareness about controlled burning in the longleaf pine ecosystem, and hosted "fire in the pines" school events in new hanover county, n.c.; - ncclt hosted a "trick or treat on the trails" event and a "love your land" hike at ncclt's everett creek preserve, in onslow county, n.c.; - ncclt hosted "pollinator palooza", a free community environmental education event highlighting the importance of pollinators in nature and food supply and providing materials and guidance on creating small pollinator gardens, in conjunction with the n.c. Science festival; - americorps service members hosted by ncclt visited elementary classrooms in north carolina coastal counties and conducted after school and summer camp environmental educational programs; - ncclt hosted monthly trail volunteer opportunities on several of its nature preserves; - ncclt hosted its 14th annual flytrap frolic on june 1, 2024, at the stanley rehder carnivorous plant garden, which is permanently protected under a conservation easement held by ncclt. The free community environmental education event highlights native carnivorous plants that thrive in southeastern n.c., was held in conjunction with the n.c. Science festival; and - ncclt regularly communicates educational and volunteer events and features profiles of its conservation work, including the importance of preservation activities, in its electronic and newsletter communications and on its regularly maintained and updated website.