FALL 2011

INSIDE Citizen Scientist Program, Maintaing ATVs, What’s new at Turtle Central, New Adopt-a-Gifts Program, Wish List

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Status Alyssa TaylorSea Turtle Program Coordinator

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service announced that Loggerheads will remain classified as Threatened in the state of North Carolina. Although listed federally as a threatened species, the Endangered Species Act recognizes 9 different Distinct Population Segments (DPSs). North Carolina falls under the Northwest Atlantic region which stands as threatened along with the South Atlantic, Southwest Indian Ocean, and Southeast Indo-Pacific Ocean DPSs. The Mediterranean Sea, North Indian Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, Northeast Atlantic

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Photo by Staff

The BHI Conservancy nears completion of the Barrier Island Study Center

BISCBy Amanda TimbersDirector of Development

T he creation of the Barrier Island Study Center will provide scientists, students and researchers with the labs, library and facilities needed to conduct high level research and expand current conservation efforts. For the community of BHI it will provide expanded educational opportunities including all day camps for youth, a library that can be used to answer your questions, a high tech theater offering distance learning and most importantly, it will bridge the gap between science and the community. It will provide a deeper understanding of barrier island dynamics and clarify how we as a community can best steward barrier island resilience.

As construction nears completion we would like to remind you of how the Center will affect you and provide you with an in-depth look into what you may expect a year in the life of the Barrier Island Study Center.

A year at the Center might start quietly as winter typically is a slow time for field research. The winter period would be the ideal time to inventory

ands on, in the field participation in conservation projects that will have impacts on coastal communities for years to come. This could be considered the best educational program possible for learners of any age. Best of all, the BHI Conservancy already participates in this excellent educational venture. Citizen Science is a term used for projects or ongoing programs of scientific work in which individual volunteers or networks of volunteers, many of whom may have no specific scientific training, perform or manage research-related tasks such as observation, measurement, or computation. There are several ongoing conservation projects at the BHI Conservancy that can utilize citizen scientists, and there are many more of these opportunities on the way!

Members of the BHI community have assisted the Conservancy’s research in many ways. One such method has been to place bird feeders in their back yard in order to keep a watchful eye on our painted bunting populations. Community members also venture into the forest to help collect information on the types of species found there. Students from UNC-Wilmington come to the island to help with larval oyster population monitoring, dune and erosion measurements, and with the monitoring of water levels in our underground aquifer. Teens enrolled in C Patrol this past summer assisted with sea turtle monitoring, collection of species data in the forest, and monitoring of our bird populations. Community members on Bald Head Island have

been actively involved in conservation projects since the founding of the BHI Conservancy in 1983.

This long-standing community involvement adds a level of excitement to the opening of the Barrier Island Study Center. The study center not only provides a space for more in depth research, but will also attract new researchers and students to the island, allowing for even more opportunities for the community to participate in studies. Best of all, these new projects will allow volunteers to not only see the many natural wonders of our island first hand, but to witness the positive impact their efforts can have in protecting these wonders. Because of this personal experience that citizen science creates, the education department will assist the conservation department in developing citizen science opportunities. We will strive to involve volunteers, C Patrol, and Conservancy Camp in as many different conservation and research projects as possible. This will provide a two-fold benefit. We will receive assistance in the labor-intensive process of data collection. At the same time, participants will gain a personal experience with the environment, and will have a sense of ownership. They will know that they have contributed to the ongoing conservation efforts put in place to protect our island, along with coastal communities in general.

Want a chance to do your part? Be on the look out for new and continuing ways to participate as a citizen scientist with the BHI Conservancy! Sign up for new educational programs, or offer to become a citizen science volunteer. There is sure to be a wide variety of new opportunities developing at the Conservancy throughout the coming years!

Want to sign up? Call Tom Hancock, Director of Conservation at: 910-457-0089 or email him at Hancock@bhic.org

Citizen ScientistEnvironmental Monitoring and Researchby Andy Gould, Director of Education

Photo by Tom Hancock

H

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Turtle CentralShopping here saves Sea Turtles

I f you like soft things, then Turtle Central should be your first stop to shop. Our new line of bamboo clothing for men and women is ULTRA soft and worth every penny. After you shop for yourself, consider the opportunities to take care of your holiday gift list.

We are now carrying items made by women in underprivileged countries to help pay for schools in their communities. This is one of a number of vendors we carry who support international charities.

Fall is here and Turtle Central is ready for all your apparel needs. New sweatshirts, jackets, vests and long sleeve tees have arrived. A new line of caps has arrived. We even have new designs in polo shirts that are top notch!! You will love them.For the sailors amongst you …our “captain” and “first mate” mugs make a great gift. And

because of your requests we are expanding our infant lines and there is a colorful new array of infant and toddler items available. We are gearing up to help you with your holiday giving needs. Please feel free to offer suggestions and let us know what you would like to see at Turtle Central. We will try to accommodate your needs when we can.

Don’t forget that shopping at Turtle Central saves turtles. All proceeds go to the Bald Head Island Conservancy for their turtle preservation and educational programs.

We are always looking for volunteers to help in the store. Working at Turtle Central is a lot of fun and very rewarding, knowing you are helping a great cause. Please call Elyse Brown at 910-457-0917 if you would like to help out a few hours a week or a few hours a month.

Does your wild side relate better with a Painted Bunting or a Spinner Shark?This holiday season share your favorite Bald Head animal with family and friends by adopting one of six BHI animals. A symbolic adoption will not only share your love of BHI animals it will represent your commitment to the conservation of all Bald Head Island animal species and their habitats. Your gift adoption, depending on level, will include an adoption certificate, species info card and color photo along with a soft, stuffed version of your adopted animal. What a wonderful way to share your love of Bald Head Island with the ones you love.

Adoptions will be available on line at www.bhic.org coming in November 2011.

Loggerhead Hatchling Facts:• Upon hatching, they measure ~ 1.8” and weigh ~ 0.71 oz.• Loggerhead eggs are typically laid on the beach above the high-tide line. • The loggerhead’s gender is determined by the temperature in the underground nest. • Hatchlings in the middle of the clutch tend to be the largest, grow the fastest.• After incubating for ~ 50-70 days, hatchlings dig through the sand to the surface. • They emerge all at once in a “boil”.• The boil occurs at night, when darkness increases the chance of escaping predators. • Hatchlings find the ocean by navigating toward the brighter horizon created by the reflection of the moon and star light off the water’s surface.• Once in the ocean, hatchlings swim for about 20 hours, bringing them far offshore.• An iron compound, magnetite, in their brains, allows turtles to perceive the Earth’s magnetic field, for navigation. • Hatchlings live in Sargassum algae in the open ocean for protection until they reach ~18 in.

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling (Caretta caretta)

Beac

h/D

une

Hab

itat

Photo courtesy of Donna Finley

$50Adoption

Gift

Fact Card • Certificate of Adoption • 5x7 Photo • Marble hatchling

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Conservation UpdatesDune Measurement and Managementby Tom Hancock, Ph.D, Director of Conservation

In December 2009, BHI Conservancy staff began establishing twenty-eight transects (lines) stretching from beach access one, down West Beach, along South Beach and up East Beach for the purpose of measuring dune erosion and accretion. Measurements are taken from a fixed point on the dunes to the seaward end of vegetation. This method allows documentation of changes in dune vegetation, not the unvegetated portion of the beach (see Olsen and Associates Monitoring Reports for that information). Conservancy measurements have show, as most island stakeholders realize, that BHI dunes are highly dynamic – accreting in some areas and eroding along others.

Areas that have remained relatively stable include portions of dunes fronting Green Teal and Seagull Trails. Areas that have experienced accretion are the dunes in front of Turks Head Court (39 feet added) and the majority of South Beach excluding ‘the point’ (22 feet added). The Turks Head Court area receives sand as it moves from the point, up West Beach, is by-passed around the marina entrance and begins to shoal in the mouth of Bald Head Creek. Most of South Beach

has benefited by the sand trapping ability of dune vegetation planted by the Village of Bald Head Island after the 2009-2010 beach renourishment project. The area that has endured chronic erosion over the past two years (even before Conservancy measurements began) is the point. One transect located at the

point has lost 199 feet of vegetated dune since December 2009, yet another transect located just 300 feet northward gained 136 feet in the same amount of time. Needless to say, this is a very dynamic area.

The Village of Bald Head Island, using the Conservancy’s data, successfully convinced the Coastal Resources Commission and all stakeholder agencies that an emergency sand bag effort was needed near groin sixteen to protect dunes, Village infrastructure and

private residences. Erosion along this area of the point was measured at ten feet per week before sand bag placement. Erosion has stopped since beginning this project.

The dunes along East Beach were relatively stable from December 2009 until mid-August 2011, accreting an average of six feet during that time. Hurricane Irene brushed by BHI on Saturday, August 27 resulting in flooding, downed trees, power outages and erosion/overwash along East Beach. During the storm, twenty feet of dune were lost on average. Again using the Conservancy’s assistance, the Village of Bald Head Island was able to obtain the necessary permission from state agencies to perform an emergency dune repair for portions of East Beach. This repair involves bulldozing sand from the lower beach to rebuild the frontal dune.

The Conservancy will provide a written dune report to members of the Village Shoreline Protection Committee this fall.

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As we expand our programs, campus and educational offerings we also expand our need for: • gently used golf carts• power washer• air compressor• angle grinder• bicycles.

I Wish, Wish, Wish,Wish List

Turtle Central Shop: Shopping here saves Sea Turtles!

Come in and see what new Summer merchandize we have at the shop.

We have several new lines of apparel, locally hand made gifts, toys and books, with a green eco-friendly focus, hand bags and clothing made from recycled Indian Saris and many other items made from renewable resources. Open Daily 10-5.

Shop Turtle Central and SAVE THE TURTLES!

Search: BHI Conservancy

Chances are you have heard about the Conservancy’s Turtle Trots this year. We have offered four run/walks on the beach to date. These walks were designed to offer anyone on BHI an opportunity to learn more about our Sea Turtle monitoring program and help us generate funds to maintain our Beach vehicles. The trot is a 2 and ½ mile trek around the Cape Fear, it’s fun for all ages and a great activity for the whole family.

The sand and salt of the beach makes for a harsh environment for vehicles. Our UTVs (so named because they are bigger, safer, and have a truck bed when compared to “ATVs”) typically spend 9 hours a night, 7 nights a week from mid May till the end of August patrolling the 14 miles of beach on Bald Head Island. With proper care, including daily cleaning and maintenance, an UTV will last the Conservancy approximately 2 years. The vehicles cost about $12,000 to purchase and maintain every year. This past summer one of our two UTVs spent more time in the shop than on the beach due to mechanical problems.

The UTV’s are needed protect and monitor nesting and hatching sea turtles. The UTVs make it possible to meet our goal of intercepting every nesting turtle mom. BHI’s sea turtle protection is unique in that our moms are tagged and their well-being monitored. Nests are accurately located and protected during the egg’s incubation period. The result is the best protected sea turtles in North Carolina.

So if you have not had the opportunity to trot for the turtles please consider joining us for one of our last two Turtle Trots. The starting line is at Beach Access #42. We will run again on Saturday, Oct 22 at 10 am and Saturday, November 5 at 10 am. Race day registration begins at 9 am and is only $15/participant. You can pre-register at turtletrot2011@gmail.co, with your name and phone number. Can’t make the run? Drop by Turtle Central and pick up a Turtle Trot 2011 tee shirt for only $15 and help us continue saving the sea turtles.

Turtle Trot Revenue Helps Maintain ATV

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and repair equipment. It would also be the time when r e s e a r c h e r s would visit and plan for research activities during the coming year. Of course a few intrepid scientist s t u d y i n g winter aspects of vegetation and animals may be active. We will be asking researchers to give lectures and promote opportunities for citizen involvement during this time.

Spring will usher in a crop of research students some staying for a few weeks others for several months. Each day they will tramp out in all directions taking measurements and observations in the marsh, dunes and forest. Community members will join them in the field and in the laboratory where samples will be processed and analyzed. As spring break approaches several colleges will bring classes of 15 to 20 students to spend their break studying barrier island dynamics. BHI Conservancy staff will be busy providing programming and supporting field sampling by these college students. Week long courses will extend into June as some colleges offer a mini-summer session for field research courses.

Summer time will bring the usual increase in activities. This year, however, we’ll have research staff housed along with our interns. Research activities will increase and you’ll see more muddy and strangely encumbered students around the

island. Many students will be accompanied by a community member as more and more permanent and now part-time residents become engaged in various research, from birding, oysters, and tree census, to snake research, water quality, and geology. All day long camp kids and teens will be in and out of the Barrier Island Study Center teaching laboratory and library. Some kids will drop in to work with their research mentors and help out with a tedious laboratory project, like counting tree rings or washing glassware. Evenings will host not only the usual turtle walks and BHI after dark programs but lectures by students and professors alike. The lectures will share their findings and propose suggestions for the community to consider how to best protect their island home.

Fall will bring in a fresh crop of UNCW students who will eagerly take up residents when the summer interns leave. Each day the students will participate in one of five different course offerings. The course work will take them outdoors and require them to continue the field monitoring, which started with the beach and has now evolved to encompass the forest, marsh and aquifer. Eager Citizen Scientist will

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Monday 8:15 amsaw a pair of oystercatchers

Tuesday 10:47 amfound my first Sea Pen on the beach

Wednesday 1:15 pmlearned about Sharks, Skates and Rays

Thursday 10:30 pmSaw my first Loggerhead Sea Turtle lay a nest

Naturalist Led Adventures:

BirdingBald Head After Dark

Beachcombing BiologyCamps

Crabbing & Castnetting Fishing • Eco Friendly Crafts Geocaching & Letterboxing

Island Nature Tours • Kayaking Mythbusters

Maritime Forest Hike Middle Island/Ibis Pond Hike Sea Turtle Protection Program

Sharks, Skates & Rays Shed Your Fears: ReptilesStargazing • Turtle Walks

700 Federal RoadBald Head Island, NC (910) 457-0089 phone

www.BHIC.org

Connect with nature

and your family.

photos by Donna Finley,Tom Hancock

Join professional naturalists on a guided tour of the wildlife hotspots of Bald Head Island! Each tour includes transportation to, from, and around Bald Head Island, as well as a 2 hour guided tour which will focus on the best wildlife areas for the particular season you are visiting. Take the opportunity to see birds, mammals, reptiles, and other amazing wildlife by exploring our pristine beaches, maritime forest, and marshes. $50/participant, includes ferry ticket and transportation on island.

• Groups of 4-16 people can be accommodated, with additional options available for larger groups.• Tours available September-April. Call 910-457-0089, ext.16 for availability.

photos by Donna Finley, Maureen Dewire and staff

Island Nature Tours

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700 Federal Road · P.O. Box 3109Bald Head Island, NC 28461

910-457-0089 www.BHIC.org · email@BHIC.org

“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.” - John Ruskin, (1819-1900)

mentor students about the monitoring protocol. Once the students master the basic monitoring they will expand the monthly protocol overseen by Citizen Scientist to include detailed annual monitoring. Professors will supervise to ensure that the quality of the information doesn’t vary from year to year. By the end of the semester the students will be well known in the community. Some will have developed close relationships with families on the island. Others will have discovered an intellectual bond with one of the active researchers, paving the way for graduate work. The final task of the students will be to evaluate the long series of data collected by Citizen Scientists and students and develop a realistic picture of where the island is strong and where the community might need to take action to protect sensitive plants or animals.

Fall and Spring will also include short programs on weekends where teachers, scouts, church groups, year-round-schools, and home schools will share space with the researchers and students and pursue their various intellectual and social goals with help from BHI Conservancy staff.

Construction of the Center continues on schedule and on budget, estimated to be completed by the end of the year. A “countdown

to victory” has begun with 92 days remaining to raise the $200,000 needed to fully cover construction costs of the $2.4M Center. Raising the full construction cost prior to the Center’s opening means our overall financial success and our viability are more certain, and the stage will be set for the future. Visit www.barrierislandstudycenter.org to learn more or contact the BHI Conservancy today.

Ocean, and South Pacific Ocean DPSs are listed as endangered. The rulings were based upon assessment of population abundance and trends, current and anticipated threats, and effectiveness of conservation efforts within each DPSs. The separation of regions should allow for even better conservation efforts and a better ability to analyze conservation successes on a smaller scale. This does not mean that conservation efforts in areas listed as threatened will reduce, but remain the same or even increase. Our Sea Turtle Protection Program is always grateful for the support shown through the residents and visitors of Bald Head Island every year! This year we’ve ended the season with 99 nests and 111 false crawls. There are still 22 nests left spanning South and East beaches waiting to hatch over the next month.

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