to remove the bulkhead and replace it with 

 natural vegetation to filter and absorb runoff 

 from the impervious parking lot. 



Skrabal says the creation or restoration 

 of natural marshes is a cost-effective way to 

 buffer boat wakes, reduce pollutants entering 

 the water, enhance fisheries and near-shore 

 habitat, and improve the aesthetic view from 

 land and water. 



Skrabal says the efforts address 

 immediate water quality concerns and the 



possibility of chemicals leaching from treated 

 wood. The plan also eliminates costly repairs 

 to aging wooden bulkheads. 



In addition, Skrabal designed a 

 constructed wetland to meet stormwater 

 management needs at the new visitors' center 

 and ferry dock. 



The Coastal Federation also is leading 

 an effort to have the White Oak River 

 designated as a "Recreation and Scenic 

 River" by the federal government. This will 



provide additional protection for the pristine 

 waters just behind Bear Island. 



To strengthen the cause, the federation 

 joined forces with the U.S. Forest Service and 

 local citizen groups, the Carteret Canoe and 

 Kayak Club and Crossroads. 



"In North Carolina, so many people are 

 directly affected by so many aspects of the 

 coast. Those are the people who can energize 

 an issue to get something done — or at least 

 can get the ball rolling to raise awareness to 

 what is important," Miller says. 



"One person starts the ball rolling, and 

 others add shoulder or clout — whatever it 

 takes to maintain the momentum." 



CHAPTER THREE: 



The Experience 



Soon, new voices will be telling their 

 own stories based on experiences at the 

 Coastal Federation Summit held at Ham- 

 mocks Beach State Park. The summit is a 

 time to reflect on accomplishments and to 

 become energized to meet the challenges 

 ahead. 



The entire park is a classroom, where 

 conference participants become students and 

 spread out for crash courses in coastal 

 processes, history and culture. Their newly 

 discovered "facts of life" will be incorporated 

 in their telling — or will frame a deeper 

 understanding of future news articles or 

 political debate about coastal issues. 



Bland Simpson, author of Into the Sound 

 Country, spins modern folklore in the context 

 of the coastal history and culture. He tells of 

 people whose roots sink deep in sand, streams 

 and salty marsh; of watermen who know 

 where fish are running; and of isolated coastal 

 communities where people may be poor, but 

 not in need. 



And, on the sandy beach of Bear Island, 

 Richard Spruill, an East Carolina University 

 hydrology professor, provides insight into a 

 hidden resource on this unspoiled island — 

 fresh water. He explains the water cycle, 

 relationships between groundwater and 



