The north carolina division of coastal management (ncdcm), in partnership with the north carolina coastal federation (nccf) and north carolina coastal land trust (ncclt), is requesting 1,000,000 in…

The north carolina division of coastal management (ncdcm), in partnership with the north carolina coastal federation (nccf) and north carolina coastal land trust (ncclt), is requesting 1,000,000 in funding from the national coastal wetlands conservation grants program (ncwcg) to purchase in fee title approximately 897 acres of exceptional maritime forest and coastal wetlands along the newport river in carteret county, north carolina. The newport river partnership represents an effort to conserve rare maritime forest and valuable coastal wetlands within a growing conservation corridor along the newport river that extends from the north carolina coastal federations (nccf) 215-acre mccotter preserve to a portion of the 160-000-acre croatan national forest in carteret county, north carolina. Specifically, the partnership focuses on acquiring the last parcel in a three phase acquisition effort to conserve over 2,900-acres of land with scenic, recreational, ecological, and military value along the newport river. The newport river phase III tract hosts over 4.5 miles along the newport river, black creek, and unnamed tributaries that flow into the newport river estuary. The tract will be transferred to nccf for long-term management, wetlands restoration, and environmental education purposes. The project will protect restore habitat for four federally listed species, 16 state listed species, and 22 coastal dependent and or migratory bird species. The newport river partnership project supports the mission of the coastal wetlands, planning, protection, and restoration act by helping to conserve coastal wetlands and maritime forest within a growing conservation corridor and a future large-scale wetland restoration effort supported by multiple stakeholder plans in coastal north carolina through a public-private partnership. The total project cost is 2,978,200. This ncwcg grant request represents 34 of the total project costs. The remaining will be covered by a state grant (31 ), privately-raised cash (3 ), match tract value (1 ), and possibly military repi funds (31 ). If 2024 repi funding is not approved, ncclt will use funds from its croatan revolving loan fund to cover the difference. The U.S. Marine corps air station (USMC) cherry point is providing readiness and environmental protection integration (repi) funding to the phase i effort ( 1M) and will likely also contribute funds to the phase II and III acquisition efforts since these lands LIE within a rotary low altitude transit route that leads into military restricted air space and training ranges at and or between the USMC cherry point in craven county and their piney island bombing target in carteret county. The expected benefits of the newport river partnership project include the: (1) permanent conservation of 897-acres of unique and or important coastal habitats consisting of maritime forest, bottomland hardwoods, and estuarine marsh from likely future residential development and associated impacts (2) preservation of a significant natural heritage area (3) protection of forested riparian buffers along four miles of the newport river and black creek which host shellfish harvesting waters as designated by the N.C. Division of environmental qualitys shellfish sanitation program (4) conservation of 1,427-acres of valuable habitat for numerous priority fish, migratory birds and other wildlife species and (5) protection of land important to the USMC cherry point, a significant economic driver in carteret county and the state.