The North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve announced on May 5 that it will hold its spring local advisory committee meetings from May 11 to June 15. The meetings are scheduled for various reserve sites, including Zeke’s Island, Masonboro Island, Permuda Island, Rachel Carson, and Currituck Banks Reserves. All sessions are open to the public.
These meetings offer community members an opportunity to learn about ongoing management activities at each site and participate in discussions with staff from the Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve program. The reserve is also beginning an application process this year to select potential new members for its Local Advisory Committees at all ten coastal sites.
Interested individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting corresponding to their preferred site before applying. The application period runs from June 1 through June 30, with more information available online at https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/nc-coastal-reserve/stewardship/local-advisory-committees/nc-coastal-reserve-and-national-estuarine-research-reserve-local-advisory-committee-member.
Local advisory committees include residents as well as representatives from community organizations, government agencies, and partner groups. These committees provide guidance and feedback regarding program activities and management of the reserve sites.
The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management operates under the Department of Environmental Quality to protect coastal resources in twenty counties across the state. Since its creation in 1989, the N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve Program has preserved over 44,000 acres of unique coastal environments at ten locations along North Carolina’s coast.