Project Grant F25AP00802

THE NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT (NCDCM), AS APPLICANT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL LAND TRUST (NCCLT) AND OTHERS (NOT AS SUBRECIPIENTS), IS REQUESTING $1,000,000 IN FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM (NCWCG) TO PURCHASE IN FEE TITLE APPROXIMATELY 147.5 ACRES OF EXCEPTIONAL MARITIME FOREST AND COASTAL WETLANDS ON THE SOUTH END OF TOPSAIL ISLAND, A COASTAL BARRIER ISLAND IN PENDER COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. THE 147.5 ACRE PROPERTY, KNOWN AS THE TOPSAIL BEACH TRACT, HOSTS OVER 1.6 MILES OF SOUND TO SEA FRONTAGE ALONG THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, BANKS CHANNEL, AND NEW TOPSAIL INLET. THE TOPSAIL BEACH TRACT LIES JUST NORTH OF, AND ACROSS NEW TOPSAIL INLET FROM, THE 1,350 ACRE LEA-HUTAFF ISLAND COMPLEX IN PENDER COUNTY, MOST OF WHICH IS IN CONSERVATION. IF THE TOPSAIL BEACH TRACT IS ACQUIRED, OVER 1,500-ACRES OF PRISTINE BARRIER ISLAND ON BOTH SIDES OF NEW TOPSAIL INLET WILL BE IN CONSERVATION. THE TOPSAIL BEACH TRACT HOSTS PRISTINE BEACH, DUNE, SALT FLATS, MARITIME SHRUB, AND ESTUARINE WETLANDS THAT PROVIDE HABITAT FOR SEVERAL FEDERALLY LISTED SPECIES INCLUDING SEABEACH AMARANTH, RED KNOT, PIPING PLOVER, GREEN SEA TURTLE, AND LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE. NUMEROUS OTHER BIRD SPECIES OF STATE CONSERVATION CONCERN UTILIZE THE PROPERTY INCLUDING WILSON S PLOVER, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PAINTED BUNTING, BLACK SKIMMER, AND LEAST TERN. THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE INCLUDES THE TOPSAIL BEACH TRACT IN DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT FOR WINTERING PIPING PLOVERS AND NESTING LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES. THE PROPERTY HAS ALSO BEEN INCLUDED IN PROPOSED CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MIGRATING RED KNOT. THE PROJECT IS READY TO IMPLEMENT. NCCLT HAS SIGNED A PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT WITH THE SELLERS AND WILL PURCHASE THE PROPERTY WITH A BRIDGE LOAN ON MARCH 31, 2025. ONCE GRANT FUNDS ARE IN HAND (AND THE DEED OF TRUST IS RELEASED), NCCLT WILL TRANSFER THE PROPERTY TO NCDCM TO MANAGE FOR LONG-TERM CONSERVATION AND PASSIVE PUBLIC RECREATION. THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS $6,210,000 ($6.2M FOR ACQUISITION AND $10,000 FOR TRANSACTION AND CLOSING EXPENSES). THIS NCWCG GRANT REQUEST REPRESENTS 16% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS. THE REMAINING WILL BE COVERED BY OTHER FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS (11%), STATE FUNDS (71%), AND PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS (2%). THERE IS TREMENDOUS LOCAL CITIZEN SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT. THIS ACQUISITION SUPPORTS THE MISSION OF THE COASTAL WETLANDS, PLANNING, PROTECTION, AND RESTORATION ACT BY HELPING TO CONSERVE COASTAL WETLANDS AND MARITIME FOREST ON AN ATLANTIC COAST BARRIER ISLAND IN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. THE PROJECT WILL HELP PROTECT 88.8-ACRES OF COASTAL WETLANDS WHICH INCLUDE 18.6 ACRES OF RARE MARITIME SHRUB SCRUB WETLANDS WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2-ACRES OF MARITIME SHRUB SCRUB UPLANDS, 58.2-ACRES OF DUNE, BEACH AND DRY GRASSLAND UPLANDS A SIGNIFICANT NATURAL HERITAGE SITE ALONG WITH CONSIDERABLE SHOREBIRD, WATERBIRD, LANDBIRD AND RARE SPECIES HABITAT.