Everett Creek Preserve

North Carolina Coastal Land Trust’s Everett Creek Preserve, located off Betty Dixon Rd., in Sneads Ferry, Onslow County is a 240.68-acre nature preserve having 1.5 miles of frontage along Everett Creek, which empties into Stones Bay. The Preserve was purchased by the Coastal Land Trust in two phases – with the first phase purchase of 148.35 acres being completed in 2007 and the second phase purchase of 92.33 acres, the majority of which had been slated for residential subdivision development, being completed in 2011. Everett Creek Preserve features longleaf pine, hardwood bluffs and bottomlands, and black needlerush marsh, and it is located across N.C. Highway No. 210 from Stones Bay Game Lands managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

The permanent conservation of this ecologically significant property by the Coastal Land Trust serves to buffer existing conservation lands and helps preserve the water quality of Everett Creek, which, at the time of the Coastal Land Trust’s purchase of the property, was designated as High Quality Waters and Shellfishing Waters by the N.C. Division of Water Quality.

In addition to the property’s ecological significance, which made it a priority for protection by the Coastal Land Trust, Everett Creek Preserve is strategically located immediately adjacent to Camp LeJeune Marine Corps Base. For this reason, the permanent conservation of the property was also a priority for the U.S. Military, and the Department of Defense, through its Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program, provided half of the acquisition funding for the Coastal Land Trust’s purchase of the property in two phases. The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund (now, the North Carolina Land and Water Fund) provided the remaining acquisition funds for the Coastal Land Trust’s purchase of the property.

The mission of Everett Creek Preserve is to: (1) to enhance water quality along Everett Creek and tributaries (2) to serve as an undeveloped buffer adjacent to the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune; (3) to protect and restore native forest communities including longleaf pine forest and to improve habitat for native and rare flora and fauna; and (4) to provide for outdoor environmental education opportunities.

The Coastal Land Trust has had the opportunity to work with the North Carolina Youth Conservation Corp who provided hundreds of hours of work to create and maintain trails are the Preserve. We also provide volunteer opportunities to work on pollinator planting in the meadow as well as trail work.

Visit the preserve! On the 3rd weekend of the month (September – June), we offer Open Hike Weekends where we open the gates to the public for self-guided exploration that Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm; no sign up necessary and restrooms are on site. Visit our events page to learn more!