North Carolina Coastal Federation Inc

The North Carolina Coastal Federation Inc, a member-supported non-profit organization, is dedicated to assisting people and communities in taking an active role in the stewardship of North Carolina's coastal water quality and natural resources. Over the past four decades, the Federation has worked alongside coastal communities to protect and restore the unique North Carolina coast.

The Federation's mission is to provide the necessary assistance for individuals to actively participate in the conservation of North Carolina's coastal environment. To achieve this, they engage in a variety of programs and partnerships with people from diverse backgrounds. Their efforts focus on clean coastal waters, living shorelines, thriving oysters, effective coastal management, and marine debris removal, all aiming to maintain a healthy coast.

In their work to protect the North Carolina coast, the Federation concentrates on several key areas. Water quality is a major concern, as intense rainstorms can cause flooding and water quality degradation as the runoff funnels pollutants to North Carolina's coastal waters. The Nature-Based Stormwater Strategies Action Plan, released by the Federation, provides specific policies and actions to reduce pollution and flooding caused by new land development, existing development and infrastructure, highways and streets, and working lands such as farms and commercial forests.

The Federation has completed restoration at the nearly 6,000-acre North River Wetlands Preserve, completing a 20-year restoration effort, one of the largest single wetland recovery projects in the nation. They also focus on living shorelines, as North Carolina's 12,000 miles of estuarine shoreline provide some of the most productive habitats in the world for fish and shellfish. The erosion of these shorelines is increasing due to rising sea levels, concentrated waves from boats, more extreme storms, and poorly planned development practices. The Federation aims to make living shorelines the go-to approach for managing shoreline erosion by providing increased financial incentives to landowners for living shorelines.

In addition to these initiatives, the Federation works to restore and protect native eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), a species important to North Carolina's coastal ecology and economy. Oysters provide numerous benefits, including filtering water, providing food for humans, and creating reefs that build homes for more fish. The Federation works to update the Oyster Restoration and Protection Plan for North Carolina, guiding work on oysters until 2026, and collects oyster shells through their Oyster Shell Recycling Program.

The Federation also focuses on effective coastal management, engaging a multitude of stakeholders in sound coastal management decisions based on the best science and technology. They work to secure adequate funds so that decisions can be implemented and enforced, and support and strengthen the legal foundation that enables them to protect and restore the coast. The Federation is committed to coastal resilience, recognizing that now is the critical time to prepare for the future. This means ensuring natural defenses are sound, waters are safe for fishing and swimming, and the coast is free of emerging contaminants and other threats like offshore oil and microplastics.

In summary, the North Carolina Coastal Federation Inc is a non-profit organization that empowers individuals and communities to take an active role in the stewardship of North Carolina's coastal water quality and natural resources. They focus on clean water, living shorelines, thriving oysters, effective coastal management, and marine debris removal, working to protect and restore the North Carolina coast for future generations.