Wetlands in the News

Rocky Point's 'quirky' wetland forest with unique plants and wildlife is now protected

Jordan writes, "North Carolina Coastal Land Trust purchased 32 acres of land in Rocky Point with a rare wetland type known as wet marl forest, which combines those unique plant species. The property near the intersection of Interstate 40 and N.C. 210 was purchased from landowners Diane Toothman, Sheryl Shelby and Elizabeth Hunley. Funding for the sale was secured from a grant program from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services North American Wetlands Conservation Act."
Eaton writes, "President Joe Biden on Friday began the process of designating the Great Dismal Swamp as a National Heritage Area in recognition of its history and connections with local Indigenous tribes and African American history.  Biden signed the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act, which directs the Department of the Interior to study making the Great Dismal Swamp — and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge within it — a heritage area. The distinction will make the site eligible for more federal funding. The swamp and refuge extend from Chesapeake and Suffolk to northeastern North Carolina."
 
"The Southern Environmental Law Center released the following statement regarding the Biden administration’s announcement today of its rule to reverse the removal of federal Clean Water Act protections against pollution and destruction of streams, wetlands, and other critical waterways by the Trump administration.  The Trump administration’s now-vacated “Navigable Waters Protection Rule” removed protections from several public lakes including Lake Keowee, a drinking water reservoir for almost 400,000 people in South Carolina, and from wetlands such as the nearly 600 acres of wetlands next to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in the way of a mining operation in Georgia."
 
Tuliano writes, "The Swift Creek Loop Trail at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary, NC has recently re-opened after being closed since late November 2022. The closure was necessary to replace the boardwalk, which had become a potential safety hazard for visitors due to deterioration and wear and tear.  The Swift Creek Loop Trail is a popular destination for hikers, nature enthusiasts, and families, offering a peaceful and scenic walk through the preserve's beautiful wooded areas and wetlands."
 
Day writes, "For the first time in two years Dismal Swamp State Park welcomed visitors back for its First Day Hike.  About 30 people joined N.C. Park Ranger Katie Sanford for a roughly two-mile roundtrip walk along Canal Trail on Sunday, the first day of 2023.  “We’re excited to have everybody back for our First Day Hike,” Sandford said while welcoming guests.  Sunday marked the return of the First Day Hike to Dismal Swamp State Park since Jan. 1, 2020. The hikes were canceled the following two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic."
 
Boyce writes, "The reasons for the denigration of wetlands are not as self-evident as our still bog-biased minds assume. Across the planet, most famously in the Euphrates, Nile and Indus and Yangtze River deltas, human beings chose to settle in the marsh. Their diverse ecosystems provided a continual bounty of edible plants, fish, birds, shellfish and animals. Residents also had access to sediment-rich grazing and cropping grounds during the drier months to complement the wild food supply. When waterways were the highways of the world, wetlands were also global centres of trade and innovation."