SPRING 2013

INSIDE Apri l Programs, Turtle Central Update, New Summer Programming, Volunteer Call, Membership, Plant Sale,Critical Habitat Designation

The Effects of Beach Nourishment on the Natural Environment:

A review of scientific literature regarding the pros and cons of sand placement

By Patrick Amico, Conservation Biologist

IntroductionThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been working to dredge the shipping channel immediately adjacent to Bald Head Island (BHI) this spring. This “maintenance dredging” is required to maintain the navigational depth of the shipping channel. The sand removed from the bottom of the channel is used to restore sand to the beaches of BHI. Bald

Head is supposed to receive sand every other year except for every 6th year when sand is placed on Oak Island. Unfortunately this does not always

occur on the time schedule originally agreed to by the Corps and the towns of Oak Island, Caswell Beach and Bald Head. Often federal funding constraints cause the disruption in the cycle of sand replenishment. On years without nourishment, the

Bald Eagles of Bald Head IslandBy Kendyll Goeman Collins, Environmental Educator and Outreach Coordinator

I often ask visiting school groups why they think Bald Head Island is called Bald Head Island. Their answers are usually “because bald people live here” or “because ‘bald head’ eagles live here.” Neither answer is correct! Of course, BHI was named when the river pilots rubbed the primary dune raw, on their quest to guide approaching ships. We don’t have any “bald head” eagles on the island, but we do have bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)! Looking back through BHI C o n s e r v a n c y archives, bald eagles have been spotted on the island for many years. Before the fall of 2011, bald eagles only nested in Southport. They took day trips to BHI fish. From August-October 2011, BHI Conservancy staff saw a bald eagle pair flying all over the island collecting nesting materials. We noted that a branch one carried looked more like a small tree! A month later, I made an exciting discovery while birding down Middle Island. I raced back to the BHI Conservancy office

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Staff photo

Photo courtesy of Dann and Gail Jackson

to share the news- the bald eagles had nested! Bald eagles are one of the few monogamous animals in the entire animal kingdom! They mate for life and return to their nesting site each year. Bald eagles perform a breathtaking courtship ritual; they link talons and free fall to the ground- only letting go right before they crash! In 2011, the eagles successfully raised one eaglet. You may have seen the juvenile bald eagle perched by the island marina. Juvenile bald eagles are entirely brown in color. The nesting pair returned this year, added a massive addition to the nest, and successfully hatched 2 eaglets! Bald eagles are piscivores, or fish eaters. You’ll

often see them hunting and fishing around the salt marsh or Beach Access #1. Check out this amazing shot taken by BHI Conservancy Life Member and avid birder, Robin Prak. She took this picture of one of the eagles soaring over the Kent Mitchel Trail.

You may also see the eagles pestering shorebirds for their catch. Even though eagles are completely capable of catching their own meals, they’ll often go after another bird’s meal! This is one of the reasons why Benjamin Franklin did not want the bald eagle to be our national emblem. He believed it was a bird of immoral character. The eaglets just emerged and are still covered in down. Be sure to join BHI Conservancy staff for a Birding BHI, Island Nature Tour, or Middle Island Hike for a chance to see their nesting site.

Education UpdatesBald Eagles— Continued from page 1by Kendyll Goeman Collins, Environmental Educator

April Programs, see pricing and Sign up Online at www.bhic.org:

Birding BHIMondays, April 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th from 8:30-10:30am. Join BHI Conservancy staff for a 2 hour birding tour of the island. Bird scopes and binoculars provided.

CSI: BHI- Beachcombing EditionThursdays, April 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th from 2:00pm-3:30pm Put on your detective hats, and swing down to the Bald Head Island Conservancy to become a “Conservancy Shell Investigator!” Embark on the ultimate scavenger hunt. Explore the beach and surf with BHIC naturalists to unearth evidence left behind by beach dwelling animals. Learn how to use investigative tools like seine nets, dip nets, binoculars, and magnifying glasses.

Echinoderm Exploration. Hands-on Dissection of the Forbes Sea Star.Tuesdays, April 9th and 23rd from 10:00am-11:00am Learn about a carnivorous predator in our waters…the SEA STAR! Learn their biology and predatory tactics. BHIC staff will lead a hands-on sea star dissection. $15 per specimen.

Effects of White-tailed Deer on the Maritime Forest Saturday, April 20th 3:30pm-5:00pm Come join us for a wine and cheese social with Dr. John Taggart, an associate professor of environmental studies at UNCW. At 4:00 PM, Taggart will discuss a study he conducted in Bald Head Woods from 2006-2011 that determined the impact of white-tailed deer on maritime forest plant species and composition, especially live oak regeneration. The lecture will be held in the Barrier Island Study Center.

Island Nature TourThursdays, April 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, 9:00-11:00amJoin professional naturalists on a guided tour of the wildlife hotspots of BHI! See amazing wildlife while learning about and exploring our pristine beaches, maritime forest, and marshes.

Kayaking the CreeksFriday, April 12th - 9:00am-11:00am, Tuesday, April 16th - 11:30am-1:30pm, Friday, April 19th 2:30pm-4:30pm, Friday, April 26th - 8:00am-10:00am, Tuesday, April 30th - 11:30am-1:30pmExplore the unspoiled creeks of Bald Head Island on a guided trip with Conservancy staff to learn about the beauty and importance of this habitat. Each trip offers a unique perspective of BHI and great views of wildlife; this is a must-do experience before you leave the island! Double kayaks are used, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Trips are tide and weather dependent. Meet at the Village Creek Access located on Federal Road. Life jackets, paddles, and kayaks will be provided. Please bring a water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, a hat, and clothes that can get muddy and slightly damp.

Marine Mammal Stranding Network Lecture: Saturday, April 27th - 3:30pm-5:00pm Come join us for a wine and cheese social with Ann Pabst and Bill McLellan from the NC Marine Mammal Stranding Network. At 4:00 PM, they will discuss how the stranding network functions and what to do if a marine mammal washes ashore on BHI. The lecture will be held in the Barrier Island Study Center.

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Turtle Central & Turtle Central Online

Shopping here saves Sea Turtles

Turtle Central is looking fabulous these days with a lot of new exciting merchandise arriving daily. Our new lines include SALT LIFE and GUY HARVEY. We will be carrying eco-friendly watches designed to have the smallest possible impact on the environment. We also carry a large variety of items made from recycled or sustainable materials.

Our Jewelry counter is busting at the seams with new pearl and precious stone pieces. MOTHER’S DAY will be here before you know it and we have the best selection of fine jewelry we have ever had to please any woman in your life. Come see what else is new.

Shopping online really does save turtles. Our new E-commerce store is growing with new items added each week. Please check out www.BHIC.org/store. T-shirts, toys, gifts and symbolic adoption of island animals can be purchased at your convenience. If there is something you saw at Turtle Central that you wish you purchased and you are already back home…don’t worry… check our e-commerce sight and if the item is not there….call us at 910-457-0917 and WE WILL SHIP the item to you.

LIKE US on Facebook: Facebook.com/BHIC TurtleCentralGift Shop

Turtle Central is looking for Summer Volunteers. If you are interested in helping the BHI Conservancy while you are staying on the island, love to work with people, and would enjoy taking on the retail world, contact Elyse Brown at Elyse@bhic.org or call 910-457-0917.

Search: BHI ConservancyPlease like us, share us and get your friends to like us and become friends. We are trying to expand our “reach” through social

Maritime Forest HikeFridays, April 5th and 19th from 9:00-10:30amMaritime forests are considered a globally imperiled ecosystem, and BHI has one of the best remaining tracts of forest along the southeast coast. Join a Conservancy naturalist for a walk through these woods and learn why this habitat is so crucial for the survival of Bald Head.

Middle Island/Ibis Sanctuary HikeFridays, April 12th and 26th from 9:00-10:30amExplore the quiet solitude of Middle Island while visiting the Ibis Lake Sanctuary, a protected area of land that is private and only accessible with Conservancy Staff. This particular spot is popular with several species of herons, egrets and ibis.

Sea Turtle MovieTuesdays, April 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th from 1:00pm-3:00pmSaturdays, April 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th from 1:00pm-3:00pm Join us in our new Barrier Island Study Center for a screening of “Turtle: an Incredible Journey”. Follow a Loggerhead hatchling from her nest, to the Gulf Stream and back to lay her own nest! Learn about the fascinating species that nests on BHI! Rated G, but is not a cartoon, some images may be too dramatic for young viewers. No charge, but donations appreciated. First come, first serve seating. Following the film, BHIC staff will answer questions about sea turtle biology and our renowned sea turtle protection program.

Touch Tank TimeWednesdays, April 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th, begins promptly at 1:00pmSaturdays, April 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th, begins promptly at10:00amMeet the creatures that inhabit our local tidal pools! Following the lesson, you’ll have the chance to help Conservancy staff and interns feed the animals in our touch tank and salt water tanks! $5.00/ person. Additional donations are always appreciated as they fully support our mission of conservation, preservation, and education. The Young Hatchling Learning Laboratory is located in our new Barrier Island Study Center, behind Turtle Central, in the center of our campus. Reservations appreciated.

WHOOO Did Your Owl Eat? A Hands-on Owl Pellet Dissection.Tuesdays, April 2nd, 16th, and 30th from 10:00am-11:00am Join Conservancy staff for a hands-on owl pellet dissection! Did your owl eat a rodent, shrew, mole, or bird? Learn how to use basic dissection tools in our Barrier Island Study Center. Introductory lesson great for all ages!! Pellets are masses of bone, teeth, hair, and feathers regurgitated by birds of prey. Eye protection, tools, pellets, and instruction will be provided. $15/pellet- families can work together!

Register for these programs online today!

April Programs continued from page 2

Pick up your 2013 BHI

Communications Directory from

Turtle Central Gift Shop

BHIC.org | BHI Conservancy 3

New Programming!Tracey Ritchie, Director of Education

We are so excited with the arrival with warmer weather, more outdoor activities and more friends to the island! Our spring calendar kicked off April 1st with our first scheduled kayak trip of the year! It was hard to think of heading out onto the water during the cold, windy days, but we are grateful that the warmth has arrived. Also with April’s arrival we welcome back Beachcombing. But this isn’t your grandmother’s beachcombing… We have redesigned this classic program and it is more exciting than ever. Join us Thursday’s at 2PM in the Barrier Island Study Center for a quick intro into our investigation before heading out to the beach to see what clues we can find during CSI: BHI- Beachcombing Edition.

In addition to the new programs, be sure to make time for some old favorites that you should take advantage of before the summer months bring warm muggy weather and all those mosquitoes. Before it gets too humid, join us for a Maritime Forest Hike or a Middle Island Hike on alternating Fridays through April. We highly recommend exploring these habitats during the spring months to see what natural treasures you might find!

Monday morning birding shifted to 8:30AM on April 1st. Don’t oversleep and miss out on seeing some of our favorite migratory birds, the bald eagles and hopefully any day now we will be welcoming back the painted bunting! Last year we saw their arrival on April 15th, so be on the look out!

Please check out our full calendar of events on our website at www.bhic.org/calendar-of-events to see all that is going on and when! Almost all of our programs have online registration, but for any other questions or registration information please call 910-338-0930.

One question you may be asking yourself is, “How on Earth can Kendyll and Tracey lead all of these programs??” The answer is: We Can’t! We need your help! We are looking to train a team

of Volunteer Educators to help lead any and all of our education programs. If you are a former professional educator, or just love working with people and enjoy inspiring others and getting them excited about all the amazing flora and fauna of BHI, please contact Tracey (tracey@bhic.org) to learn more about this exciting new volunteer opportunity! We are excited to see you all this Spring at the Conservancy!

Volunteers Needed, call 910-457-0089:

Volunteer Educators to run Programs (all Spring)-contact Tracey or Kendyll ext.21

Volunteer Docents to staff info desk, greet public, give BISC tours(April-May, Mid August-October, week before and after Thanksgiving, Christmas vacation weeks - contact Jane ext. 10

Volunteers for Retail Shop -year round, contact Elyse ext. 18

Citizen Scientist to help with conservation monitoring, trail clearing and other projects contact Tom ext. 12

Volunteers for Admin office help- year round, contact Jane or Caroline ext. 10 & 14

The BHI Conservancy was founded by volunteers, made great by volunteers and continues to be the vehicle for their vision through the work of volunteers. We thank you and we need you! Volunteer today.

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JOIN US for BHI Birding

Bald Head Island offers fantastic opportunities for birding at all seasons. Tours last about 2 hours and location is dependent on tides, weather and recent sightings. Bug spray is recommended. Bring binoculars if you have them; we will provide some extra to share. Participants must provide their own transportation.

Meet at the Barrier Island Study Center. Reservations required.

• Offered: Mondays, year-round • Hours: 8:30 am - 10:30 am April - September

• Cost: $15 per person for BHI Conservancy Members, Free for BHI Conservancy Life Members $20 per person for non-members

These are just a few of the great birds you will see on island this time of year.

Can you name them?

700 Federal Roademail@BHIC.orgwww.BHIC.org910-457-0089

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You Can Make a DifferenceAmanda Timbers, Director of Operations and Development

The BHI Conservancy has a very broad mission encompassing environmental education, on and off Bald Head Island, ongoing conservation and monitoring efforts and land preservation through the Smith Island Land Trust. Our scope extends from children to adults, students to professors and anyone in between with an interest and love for nature. We are able to accomplish all that we do because of the generosity of our donors. Supporters participate in programming, citizen

science, membership, the volunteer program or through charitable donations. Whether you have a passion for birding, hiking, citizen science, native plants or land preservation, we work tirelessly to serve this incredible community, while fulfilling our mission to live in harmony with nature. Thank you for your continued and generous support of the BHI Conservancy. You are protecting a unique and important place for present and future generations. You are helping to create stewards of our diverse environment. You are making a difference in the way we live on Bald Head Island each and every day.

No matter what your particular interest is in the BHI Conservancy, you are a piece of our success and you are making a difference in this community and along our coast. Without each piece we could not do what we do to protect BHI. THANK YOU for your support in each and every way.

• Emmett and Beatrice for the cookies• Sheila and John for the cookies• Abby Topchik for the Turtle donation• Bob & Kathy Ketels for the mini-cinnabuns• 4th grade class for Adopt-a-nest donation

Photo of Emmett’s turtle!

A special thanks for these thoughtful gifts from:

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Sold out

Download your form from www.bhic.org, order plants today by emailing jaymie@bhic.org, calling Jaymie at 910-457-0089 ext 23 or dropping form off to Jane at the Barrier Island Study Center (upstairs).

All Proceeds support land preservation through the Smith Island Land Trust.

Plant Sale extended to April 19th for pick up through May 3rd.

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Beaches from Page 1

sand from the ‘Point’, where BHI’s West and South Beach meet, slips into the channel causing non-natural and accelerated erosion rates.

Economic Impacts:Many beaches along the east coast of the United States depend on nourishment to maintain the historic beachfront. Nourished beaches provide better storm buffers and thus protect infrastructure and housing. Nourished beaches are also better for tourism because of the demand for broad beautiful beaches. In some areas of the country, nourishment projects have been known to double or triple property values. According to a report by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA), in 2006, more than one half of all Americans lived in

coastal counties. That means half of us are crammed into an area that makes up less than 17% of the land in the lower 48 states. Coastal areas receive 3,600

new residents daily, and over the last thirty years, 19 million homes have been built there, currently at a rate of 1500 homes per day. An estimated 180 million people vacation at the coast every year, spending billions of dollars and supporting 2 million jobs associated with tourism. In 2003, coastal watersheds generated $6 trillion dollars nationwide, with the tourism industry being our nation’s largest employer and fastest growing economic sector (ASBPA 2007). Nearly every developed beach in New Hanover and Brunswick County participates in beach nourishment cycles. The demand for beach renourishment will continue to increase with climate change and associated sea level rise.

Environmental Impacts:While beach nourishment projects are costly, their economic benefits seem to justify the investment. Examining nourishment from an environmental perspective turns out to be a bit more complicated. Positive environmental outcomes of nourishment include, protecting endangered dune plants, safe-

guarding back dune habitat, and creating or restoring habitat lost for nesting sea turtles, shorebirds, and other beach organisms. But negative outcomes have also been observed.

The borrow site, where sand is removed, is disturbed both by the removal of bottom habitat and also by impacts to water quality, noise, and current patterns. Increases in the turbidity or suspended sediment in the water can cause fish populations to temporarily move away from an area. If the bottom was a host to marine organisms, food webs can be permanently disrupted. Noise of the operation and physical contact by equipment can disturb marine mammals and sea turtles. Sea turtles have been sucked into dredge equipment and killed in past projects. Dredging alters wave patterns and sediment transport, changing the sea floor texture, water circulation, and nutrient availability. (Greene 12,14,15,21; Wilgis 4). In the Bald Head Channel, the bottom is sandy and does not host much in the way of food for fish or turtles. The water is fast moving from tides moving in and out of the river mouth. When the channel is narrow from lack of dredging, currents can move so fast that sand is actually swept out into the ocean making it unavailable for nourishment.

Back on the nourished beach, the most directly affected organisms are animals on the sand. Invertebrates such as mole crabs and coquina clams serve as food sources for fish populations and shorebirds. The addition of the new layer of sand harms these organisms, and heavy machinery used to shape a beach can kill these food sources (Speybroeck et al., 421-422; Greene 22-24).

On Bald Head we are interested in how our nourishment might be impacting the invertebrates and the fish that feed on them. Ryan Walsh, a former BHI Conservancy intern is working in collaboration with the BHI Conservancy to examine the differences in fish and invertebrate diversity and abundance in the near-shore beach environment. Since the summer of 2012, this study has observed four study sites across the island. A natural beach (East beach), a renourished beach (South beach), a

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Beaches...continued from page 8

renourished beach with the presence of groins (2nd South beach site), and a river-influenced area (West beach) are included. The BHI Conservancy will use information from this study to help the island tune beach management during and after nourishment to minimize negative impacts on fish and bird populations.

Since nourishment this year is extending well into the spring the BHI Conservancy is also examining the impacts on shorebirds. Noise during construction

can affect foraging bird species (Speybroeck et al., 422). During the current nourishment on Bald Head Island, citizen scientists are participating in a SEANET project to

record the activity and loss of birds on the beach. To date, they have reported seeing fewer birds on the areas of beach in or adjacent to the sand placement zone.

Of course the island is very interested in protecting nesting sea turtles on BHI beaches. Nourished beaches can form scarps (steep cliffs), which impede nesting sea turtles. Scarps just 18 inches high can interfere with nesting turtles by creating a barrier to nesting areas, causing them to return to the sea without nesting. (Wilgis 12). The BHI Conservancy works with the Village of BHI to knock down any scarps that form during turtle nesting season.

In addition to scarps, beach nourishment makes the beach less steep in profile, some researchers believe that the decreased angle makes artificial light on the beach even more perceptible to emerging turtles, increasing distractions and false crawls.

The greatest impacts to sea turtles occur when nourishment happens during nesting season. That is not the case with the current project on Bald Head Island, but in 2001, beach construction carried into July, and turtle monitors recorded double the normal ratio of nests to false crawls, with 77 turtle

nests laid and 125 false crawls (Wilgis 8).

Beaches that are nourished tend to be more changeable than natural beaches. This dynamic nature of the beach may be associated with decreased turtle nesting. A seven-year study on Jupiter Island, Florida concluded that sea turtles lay more nests on natural, un-nourished beaches (Steinitz et al., 1998). Typically a slight increase in attempted nesting is observed soon after a renourishment project, and in subsequent years a decline in nesting is seen when compared to non-nourished beaches. On BHI sand in the nourished area only lasts about 2 years.

Sand size and rocks can also have a strong negative impact on turtle nesting and hatchling survival. The NC Division of Coastal Management has put regulations to ensure that beach quality sand is the only type of sand used in nourishment projects. Before these rules were in place, in 2001 and 2002 the beaches of Oak Island and Pine Knoll Shores were nourished with coarse sand with lots of rocks. Too many rocks and shells deter sea turtle nesting and affect the incubation of turtle eggs and the ability of hatchlings to emerge from the nest (Wilgis 7).

In a report to the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission, Karen Greene classified the types of impacts from beach nourishment projects in three categories: direct, indirect, and cumulative (Greene 12). Direct impacts tend to be easier to measure, an example would be the loss of bottom dwelling animals living on the seafloor of the dredge site. Indirect effects are more difficult to quantify, an example would be a fish population moving away from dredged area because food sources are missing after nourishment. Finally, cumulative impacts arise from the past and present actions in an area, a combination of direct and indirect effects. These effects can be more serious than the effects of one particular beach nourishment project at one site at one point in time. An example of this would be an animal population is no longer observed in an area drastically changed by repeated nourishment. The thirty-year sea turtle nesting data collected by the BHI Conservancy is an important opportunity for scientists to begin to understand potential

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photos by Donna Finley,Tom Hancock

Join professional naturalists on a guided tour of the wildlife hotspots of Bald Head Island! Each tour includes transportation to, from, and around Bald Head Island, as well as a 2 hour guided tour which will focus on the best wildlife areas for the particular season you are visiting. Take the opportunity to see birds, mammals, reptiles, and other amazing wildlife by exploring our pristine beaches, maritime forest, and marshes. $20 per participant for on island guests. $50 per participant, includes ferry ticket and transportation on island.

• Groups of 2-16 people can be accommodated, with additional options available for larger groups.

• Tours available year round Call 910-457-0089, ext.16 for availability.

Island Nature Tourscumulative impacts of nourishment. With understanding, tools can be developed to help turtles take advantage of nourished beaches as natural beaches become more and more rare.

ConclusionBeach nourishment comes with pros and cons. Property values are increased and healthy beaches are vital tourism and storm resiliency. Several endangered marine organisms depend on the beach for their way of life. Living in harmony with nature means balancing the benefits and costs to these animals along with the economic needs of our community. Monitoring and research like: SEANET, Sea Turtle Protection Program, Fish and invertebrate study, and dune monitoring will aid in providing real answers about how to protect our beaches and the creatures we share it with.

Literature Cited and Consulted“Beach Nourishment: How Beach Nourishment Projects Work.” Shore Protection Assessment. ASBPA, 2007. http://www.asbpa.org/publications/fact_sheets/HowBeachNourishmentWorksPrimerASBPA.pdf

Bolten, Alan B., Larry B. Crowder, Mark G. Dodd, et al. “Quantifying Multiple Threats to Endangered Species: an Example from Loggerhead Sea Turtles.” Frontiers in Ecology & Environment 9.5 (2011): 295-301

Dobkowski, Aleksandera H. “Dumptrucks Versus Dredges: An Economic Analysis of Sand Sources for Beach Nourishment.” Coastal Management 2 (1998): 303-314

Greene, Karen. “Beach Nourishment: A Review of the Biological and Physical Impacts.” Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: Habitat Management Series #7 (2002):1-179.

Hawkes, Lucy A., et al. “Status of nesting loggerhead turtles at Caretta caretta at Bald Head Island (North Carolina, USA) after 24 years of intensive monitoring and conservation.” Coastal Management 29 (2001): 91-103

Lemeris, Joseph. “Impacts to Sea Turtle Nesting Densities from Erosion Rates on Bald Head Island, NC.” Unpublished report, Bald Head Island Conservancy. 2011.

Beaches ...continued from page 9

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Critical Habitat Designation does not impact BHI beach planning or sand bagging permits

By Suzanne E. Dorsey, Executive Director

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has designated Bald Head Island as “Critical Habitat” for the loggerhead turtle. It recognizes that the island is one of the best places in the state for nesting sea turtles. It also emphasizes the need to protect these important habitats as sea turtle populations continue to struggle.

Several island entities have approached the BHI Conservancy to ask what this new designation might mean for the Island. Specifically, what does it mean for private property owners, public access, and for the Village’s plans to protect the shoreline from damage caused by the Army Corps of Engineers Channel.

In response to a query from the BHI Conservancy, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s National Sea Turtle Biologist in Jacksonville Florida responded that the island is already in compliance with all federal regulations to protect endangered sea turtles. As the index beach for North Carolina we actually go far beyond federal or state requirements. Our saturation-tagging program that intercepts every nesting sea turtle mom is the only one in the state. When forced to relocate a nest for protection against erosion or storms, we have the highest hatching rates from a disturbed nest. In general hatchlings that emerge from our beaches survive in greater numbers than our neighboring beaches.

Since Bald Head is a model sea turtle conservation community, there will not be any new hurdles or limitations for individuals or for our Village responding to erosion crises. The designation recognizes our importance to the state but does not limit access to the beach. The designation will require the state U.S. Fish & Wildlife staff to confirm that we meet current requirements. That confirmation will not place any additional burden

on private citizens or the Village of BHI.

The message from U.S. Fish and Wildlife service was: BHI is doing a great job at protecting endangered species. The BHI Conservancy’s Sea Turtle protection program does this with no federal or state funding and our results speak for themselves. Your continued support through membership and participation in our education programs is much appreciated. The Conservancy staff and volunteers will continue to protect turtles and ensure that beach planning and emergency response to erosion is supported by internationally recognized conservation efforts.

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling on BHI, photo courtesy of Doug Ledgett

Parsons, George R., and Michael Powell. “Measuring the Cost of Beach Retreat.” Coastal Management 29 (2001): 91-103Rumbold, D. G., P. W. Davis, and C. Perretta. “Estimating the Effect of Beach Nourishment on Caretta caretta (Loggerhead Sea Turtle) Nesting.” Restoration Ecology 9.3 (2001): 304-310.

Speybroeck, Jeroen et al. “Beach Nourishment: An Ecologically Sound Coastal Defense Alternative? A Review.” Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. (2006): 419-435.

Steinitz, M. J., M. Salmon, and J. Wyneken. “Beach Renourishment and Loggerhead Turtle

Beaches ...continued from page 7

Literature cited continued on page 12

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700 Federal Road · P.O. Box 3109Bald Head Island, NC 28461

910-457-0089 www.BHIC.org · email@BHIC.org

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.” – Henry Van Dyke

Reproduction: a Seven Year Study at Jupiter Island, Florida.” Journal of Coastal Research 14.3 (1998): 1000-1013.

Webster, William D., and Kelly A. Cook. “Intraseasonal Nesting Activity of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in Southeastern North Carolina.” American Midland Naturalist 145.1 (2001): 66-73.

Wilgis, Ted. “The Risks of Renourishment: How Pumping Sand on North Carolina’s Beaches Can Affect Sea Turtles, Mole Crabs, and Other Critters.” Coastal Issues. North Carolina Coastal Federation, Apr. 2002. http://library.rawlingsforestry.com/nccf/risks_of_renourishment/.

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700 Federal RoadP.O. Box Box 3109

Bald Head Island, NC 28461(910) 457-0089 • www.bhic.org

email@bhic.org

Now back by popular demand at Turtle Central Gift Shop

STRUCK BY NATURE: Photographs of Bald Head Island This special collection of fine art photographs focused exclusively on Bald Head Island, North Carolina is printed in a beautiful fine art coffee table book. Foreword by Suzanne E. Dorsey, Ph.D. Executive Director, BHI Conservancy From the book jacket:Marjorie Brown Pierson is a visual artist whose work illustrates endangered wetlands in the American South. Her painterly photographs of Bald Head invite the viewer into lush island landscapes, celebrating the uniquely beautiful light, rich color and intriguing texture of the island. Her work is found in private, corporate, museum and university collections across the country. She teaches at Duke University. This book makes a terrific gift for friends and family who enjoy one of North Carolina’s most beautiful barrier islands. Book details: Published in a limited second edition12” x 12”, Full color plates of lush Bald Head Island landscapesHard cover with dust jacket, signed by the artistPrice $85.00

Please join the BHI Conservancy for the Conservation lecture Series:

• April 20th: Deer effects on the Bald Head Island maritime forest by Dr. John B. Taggart, Associate Professor, Dept. of Environmental Studies, UNC Wilmington

• April 27th: Marine mammals of the mid- Atlantic by D. Ann Pabst, Ph.D.Professor, Marine Biology, UNC WilmingtonEach lecture begins with a 3:30pm social followed by the 4:00pm lecture in the Barrier Island Study Center.