NATURALIST'S 



NOTEBOOK 



FROM FAR LEFT: 



Kris Clinard's collection 

 highlights the diversity of 

 barrier island vegetation. 



The discovery of an octopus in 

 shallow waters invites close 

 inspection. 



Lundie Spence, kneeling, and 

 Walter Clark, right, embark on 

 a barrier island adventure with 

 NC State students. 



Niel Hardison and Stuart 

 Carney observe the effects 

 of the dynamic Bogue Inlet 

 currents. 



We get to the high sand dunes, and Lundie 

 talks about fulgurites. Fulgurites are the term 

 used when lightning strikes the sand and heats 

 the sand up to the point where silicon forms in 

 the sand. 



As we're standing on the top of the dune, 

 I see the whole island, and it is a beautiful sight. 



We make our way out of the maritime 

 forest and onto what looks like a big rice field. 

 I soon find out this is a salt marsh. Walter told 

 half of us to jump up and down, while the other 

 half stands still. The marsh shakes under our 

 feet. He explains to us that this is caused by peat 

 compacting when jumped upon. This marsh is 

 covered by peat and glasswort. The glasswort is 

 very interesting because it is a type of pickle, and 

 it's edible. 



We trek across the salt marsh at low tide, 

 ankle-deep in mud. We make it to the edge of 

 the island and stop on what seems to be an 

 oyster burial ground because the shore is littered 

 with old oyster shells. Lundie tells us the 

 Algonquin Indians would bring oysters they 

 caught here to them break open. 



Our group is most determined because we 

 rush to finish all the exercises in the least amount 

 of time. We identify 15 seashells native to the 



island, study the shore currents' speed and 

 direction, identify plants seen as natural, stable 

 vegetation, and find out where the setback line 

 would be if we could build a house on Bear 

 Island. 



This is the fun part. We finally get to walk 

 through the salt marsh at high tide. There is 

 nothing like the smell of a fresh salt marsh early 

 in the morning. We study the salinity of the 

 water close to land and observe the saltwater and 

 freshwater plants. 



AS THEY SEE IT 



The Hammocks Beach State Park/ Bear 

 Island complex is a perfect classroom — 

 sustainable tourism at its best, say Spence and 

 Clark. Being there, they explain, can mean the 

 difference between simply knowing and really 

 understanding the natural processes and the 

 policies. 



In class, a formula on a chalkboard is the 

 best you can do to illustrate building set-back 

 rules prescribed by the North Carolina Coastal 

 Area Management Act, Clark says. 



"But, it's a different picture when you 

 actually step off 60 or 90 feet from the first line 

 of stable vegetation — within view of the ocean 



and signs of change. They can appreciate just 

 how vulnerable man-made structures are." 



Students gain a new perspective on ecology 

 and management issues from the vantage point of 

 a high dune on this undeveloped barrier island. 

 Bear Island has some of the most spectacular, 

 intact dune fields in North Carolina, says Spence. 



Students learn that CAMA rules apply only 

 to the edges of developed barrier islands — the 

 ocean hazard zones and the wetland sides. 

 Management rules don't protect the core of an 

 island — including dune fields and maritime 

 forests that are not designated areas of environ- 

 mental concern, Clark adds. 



But no legislation can protect a maritime 

 forest from nature itself. The Bear Island 

 maritime forest was decimated by Hurricane Fran 

 in 1996. Now students see the beginning stages of 

 its recovery. 



Spence and Clark say there is no way to 

 measure the impact of a single field trip. 



"But we can be certain of one thing," 

 Spence offers. 'They learn that there's more to 

 the beach than surfing or getting a tan. They will 

 never go to the beach with the same eyes. They 

 understand about wave energy, the sand dunes 

 and the tides." B 



COASTWATCH 29 



