New Land Saved

302 acres near Croatan National Forest – 20th military partnership project in 10 years

The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust announced that it has purchased 302 acres of forested land along Mill Creek located in Carteret County near Newport. The property is surrounded on two sides by Croatan National Forest and has 2,400 feet of frontage along beautiful, tea-colored Mill Creek, a high quality stream and a tributary of Newport River. The property, which will be owned and managed by the Coastal Land Trust, features significant habitats such as longleaf pine forest, pocosin, and brackish marsh wetlands, all of which are home to a variety of wildlife. Mill Creek itself has been designated as shellfish waters of the state. This tract is literally the missing puzzle piece between adjoining sections of the Croatan National Forest.

In addition to its conservation values, the property lies beneath a busy (and noisy) military flight path that leads to the main runways at the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point. Development of the property, or installation of tall structures like towers or wind turbines, would be incompatible with military air traffic overhead. However, conservation and recreational use of the property is considered compatible with military activities. The Mill Creek project is the 20th Coastal Land Trust property acquired to help buffer Marine Corps installations at the coast since 2006. “We’re so proud of these 20 projects in 10 years that benefit the US Marine Corps here at the coast,” said Janice Allen, Deputy Director of the Coastal Land Trust. “Those 20 projects add up to more than 8,000 acres of land that buffer the bombing range, main base and outlying landing fields from incompatible development that may affect their training., ,.”

The property was purchased from Carteret County residents Doug and Carolyn Brady; in addition, mineral rights to the tract were purchased from Weyerhaeuser. Major funding to purchase the property was provided by the Department of the Navy and the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund. In addition, Golden LEAF Foundation and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina each provided grants in support of the Coastal Land Trust’s efforts to plan and execute the project successfully.

“This tract stood out like a “hole in the donut”; we wanted to make certain that it would continue to be a wooded, natural area, both from the standpoint of its location on the borders of the Croatan National Forest, and from the standpoint of the pilots overhead, as they fly back and forth to Cherry Point Air Station,” said Janice Allen.

Doug and Carolyn Brady expressed their appreciation of the time and effort the Coastal Land Trust dedicated to make this purchase a reality. Doug Brady, who bought the property years ago to enjoy for outdoor recreation, said he is delighted that it will remain in its natural state and be enjoyed by future generations. “For years,” he said, “I thought that this property needed to be preserved for its location and proximity to Croatan National Forest. Without the work of the Coastal Land Trust this would never have been a reality”.

Dr. Troy Kickler, Chairman of the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, pointed out that, “This is an excellent example of how the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources can join together with regional partners to protect the military mission in our state while conserving natural resources and providing recreational opportunities. We’re grateful that the State of North Carolina, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and the Coastal Land Trust can work together and keep a focus on these critical efforts in eastern North Carolina.”