Sept. 11, 2009 Contact: Michele Walker, 919-733-2293, ext. 229 N.C. Coastal Reserves and N.C. Maritime Museum celebrate National Estuaries Day/National Public Lands Day Sept. 26 BEAUFORT - The North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve, in partnership with the North Carolina Maritime Museum, will host a National Estuaries Day and National Public Lands Day celebration on Sept. 26 at the Maritime Museum at 315 Front Street in Beaufort. Outdoor interactive education displays and an indoor showing of the “Waters of Life” film will take place from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Event details can be found at www.nccoastalreserve.net. The day’s activities will begin with a Big Sweep clean-up of the Rachel Carson Reserve – the complex of islands located just across Taylor’s Creek from downtown Beaufort. People who participate are encouraged to use their own boats to access the islands for the clean-up. Bags of collected debris should be placed well above the high tide line for pick-up by the N.C. Coastal Reserve. Those who need boat transportation for the island clean-up should call (252) 838-0886 before Sept. 26. Nature hikes and boat tours around the Rachel Carson Reserve will be offered for free. Pre-registration by telephone is required. Call (252) 838-0883 to register. National Estuaries Day is an annual celebration of estuaries, the vibrant coastal areas where rivers meet the sea. The celebration is an opportunity to learn more about these magical ecosystems and how people can protect them. To learn more, visit www.estuaries.gov. Sept. 26 is also National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance public lands.
The N.C. Coastal Reserve will also participate in the town of Kitty Hawk’s Ninth Annual Heritage Day Festival on Sept. 26. The festival will be held at the promenade at the foot of the Wright Memorial Bridge from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The coastal reserve will join local watermen, decoy carvers, the N.C. Trapping Association and various fish and wildlife agencies in the festival’s heritage exhibits. For more information, contact the town of Kitty Hawk at (252) 261-3552. |