Coastwatch 



Managing Editor 

 Katie Mosher 



Senior Editors 

 Ann Green 

 Pam Smith 



Designer 

 L. Noble 



Circulation Manager 

 Sandra Harris 



The North Carolina Sea Grant College 

 Program is a federal/state program that 

 promotes the wise use of our coastal and 

 marine resources through research, extension 

 and education. It joined the National Sea Grant 

 College Network in 1970 as an institutional 

 program. Six years later, it was designated a 

 Sea Grant College. Today. North Carolina Sea 

 Grant supports several research projects, 

 a 1 2-member extension program and a 

 communications staff. Ron Hodson is director. 

 The program is funded by the U.S. Department 

 of Commerce's National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration and the state 

 through the University of North Carolina. 

 Coastwatch (ISSN 1068-784X) 

 is published six times a year by the 

 North Carolina Sea Grant College Program, 

 North Carolina State University, Box 8605, 

 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8605. 

 Telephone: 919/515-2454. Fax: 919/515-7095. 

 Subscriptions are $15. 

 E-mail: kmosher@unity.ncsu.edu. 

 World Wide Web address: 

 http://www.ncsu.edu/seagrant 

 Periodical Postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 



POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 



Coastwatch, North Carolina Sea Grant, 

 North Carolina State University, Box 8605, 

 Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. 



Front cover photo of beach house 

 by Spencer M. Rogers. 

 Table of contents photo of 

 sand dune by Scott D. Taylor. 



Printed on recycled paper. ® 



COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Spence Named Environmental Hero 



North Carolina Sea 

 Grant marine education 

 specialist Lundie Spence 

 has earned national honors 

 for her leadership in the 

 state's environmental 

 education movement. 



Spence has been 

 named a NOAA Environ- 

 mental Hero for 2000. 

 Initiated in 1996, the 

 program recognizes heroes 

 for their "tireless efforts to preserve and 

 protect the nation's environment." 



In her 22 years with Sea Grant, 

 Spence has led numerous efforts to protect 

 North Carolina's environment. 



In 1987, she initiated the first Big 

 Sweep in North Carolina. That year saw 

 1,000 volunteers gather 14 tons of trash on 

 North Carolina's beaches. The program 

 grew statewide. By 1995 each of the state's 

 100 counties had designated a Big Sweep 

 coordinator. The program continues today 

 as a nonprofit organization. 



Spence, who teaches 

 coastal issues and ocean 

 frontier courses at North 

 Carolina State University, 

 also has been influential on 

 the college level. In 1997, 

 she initiated the first 

 environmental education 

 course taught on under- 

 graduate and graduate 

 levels in The University of 

 North Carolina system. 

 Through interactive video technology, the 

 course reaches four UNC campuses. 



In 1997 and 1999, Spence coordi- 

 nated CO AST/Operation Pathfinder, a 

 graduate professional development course 

 for teachers in the mid- Atlantic region. 

 More than 50 teachers have taken the 

 engaging lessons back to their classrooms. 



Recently, Spence has been a driving 

 force in the development of a North 

 Carolina coastal plain river and estuarine 

 paddle trail network that promotes 

 ecotourism and environmental awareness. 



-A.G. 



Hodson Receives Sea Grant Award 



North Carolina Sea Grant Director 

 Ron Hodson has received honors from his 

 fellow Sea Grant directors. 



"The Sea Grant Association 

 President's Award was given to Dr. Ron 

 Hodson for his outstanding skill and 

 dedication as a Sea Grant director," says 

 Russell Moll, director of Michigan Sea 

 Grant and association president. 



The award was presented during the 



group's meeting in Washington, D.C., in 

 March. There are 29 Sea Grant programs 

 across the country, representing coastal 

 and Great Lakes states. 



Hodson was named director of North 

 Carolina Sea Grant in July 1 998, after 1 8 

 months as interim director. He previously 

 was associate director for research for the 

 North Carolina program. 



-K.M. 



In the Next Issue of Coastwatch 



Accessible only by boat, Ocracoke Island has a sense of mystery for many 

 folks from the mainland. Join teachers from around the state as they delve 

 into the unique history and environmental wonders of this fishing village. 

 And welcome a return visit from David Cecelski and his Historian's Coast 

 column — a preview to the release of a new collection of his Coastwatch 

 essays in book form. 



2 EARLY SUMMER 2000 



