| Coast
Read below for examples of recent land and historic preservation
projects that are helping communities on the North Carolina Coast and
Coastal Plain. If you'd like to suggest a project to be highlighted on
this website, please e-mail nominations for projects to Kate Dixon,
Director, at
kdixon@landfortomorrow.org
or call her at 919-403-8558 x 1009.
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The
Roanoke River
in northeastern North Carolina is the "largest intact bottomland
hardwood swamp forest east of the Mississippi. Mistletoe and Spanish
moss decorate majestic cypress trees and towering tupelos. Blossoms of
cardinal flowers blaze in shafts of sunlight underneath. The area is
home to black bear, river otter, white-tail deer, bobcat, beaver and
mink. Over 200 bird species have been sighted in the river corridor,
including bald eagles, barred owl, osprey and anhinga. Coupled with the
hundreds of great egrets and great blue herons nesting in the region,
it is a birdwatcher's paradise. The River is renowned for its abundance
of striped bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, lunker catfish, gar
and bowfin." For many years, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, NC
Wildlife Resources Commission and The Nature Conservancy have worked
cooperatively to protect land along this river because of its
extraordinary natural habitats and diversity of wildlife and native
plants. They have partnered with Dominion Power and the US Corps of
Engineers to manage water flow through dams to mimic the natural flow
of the river while still generating needed power. But the river has
been difficult for many people to access and enjoy unless they were
willing to don hip waders for the swamps or had a sturdy fishing boat.
Roanoke River Partners is a new nonprofit working to change that by
building elevated camping platforms on the river and its tributaries.
Eleven of these are now in place, including a luxury model with
screening to keep the mosquitoes away!
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