“The Lower Cape Fear region is very special for a lot of reasons,”
says Kemp Burdette, executive director of Cape Fear Riverwatch.
“Our area is what scientists call a biological diversity hotspot, meaning
that there are more species of plants and animals found here than
anywhere else along the eastern seaboard. Diversity is really a key
word in our watershed.”
Camilla Herlevich, executive director of the North Carolina
Coastal Land Trust, echoes this sentiment. “Biodiversity is really a
good index of the richness of natural areas. This is a nationally significant
area, a great place for people to get out and enjoy nature. The
Cape Fear region is great for conservation.”
Here in southeastern North Carolina, we’re never far from water
— whether it’s the majestic Atlantic or meandering Town Creek. In
Wilmington, the Cape Fear River defines our downtown, provides
a gateway to the world and, on the most basic level, hydrates our
bodies.
“Some people don’t realize that in Wilmington we actually get
most of our drinking water from the river. There is no better reason
to protect the river than that,” Burdette says. “On a larger scale, the
river is a major tourist attraction. Our area depends on the beauty
of the environment to attract visitors. No one ever sat around their
dinner table and said, ‘We should go visit that place in NC with the
dirty river.’ What people say is, ‘We should head to Wilmington
and walk along the beautiful river that runs through downtown and
26
WBM october 2010
maybe do some kayaking, fishing,
eco-touring or birding.’
That river is our golden-egg
laying goose; we really need
to make sure that everything
we do is a step forward in protecting
and improving it.”
To paraphrase Peter
Parker’s Uncle Ben, with
great biodiversity comes great
responsibility. A number of
local organizations have taken
on the considerable challenge
of protecting our fisheries,
waterways and wetlands
— from the Green Swamp to
the Black River and beyond.
Here’s a glimpse into the
•inner workings of a select
three. When it comes to The
Nature Conservancy’s
accomplishments, the
numbers speak for themselves. In total,
the agency has extended its stewardship to
139,581 acres in the southeastern coastal
plain. A few highlights: 17,424 acres in the
Green Swamp Preserve, where 14 species of
carnivorous plants are rooted; 1,579 acres
at Lake Waccamaw, the only place where
eight particular species can be found; and
13,000 acres on the Black River, where the
oldest trees east of the Rockies, huge silverbarked
cypress, anchor deep below the teacolored
water.
While the local office of the Nature
Conservancy (www.nature.org/wherewework/
northamerica/states/northcarolina/) is located
right here in New Hanover County, most
of the areas they own or manage are inland,
outside the Wilmington area — including
the 6,500-acre preserve of Boiling Spring
Lakes. “We have a very close relationship
with the preserve and the surrounding
city of Boiling Spring Lakes,” says Sarah
Over, conservation coordinator for the
Conservancy. “It’s a state-owned property,
and we have a management agreement.
Like a lot of ecosystems in the region,
Boiling Springs is fire-dependent, meaning
that it needs fire for the plants and animals
to exist and be healthy. Managing prescribed
fire is one of the things that we do.”
The Conservancy also educates the
public about prescribed fire, letting people
know why it’s necessary in order for certain
areas to survive and thrive. “Without fire
naturally prescribed in this region, fuel
builds up and naturally occurring fires
can spread to urban regions,” Over says.
“Prescribe fires lessen that danger. It’s a
public safety issue.”
The Nature Conservancy
Black River