Former Gov. James Hunt’s 20-year-old goal of protecting from development 1 million acres in North Carolina by 2010 was finally achieved late last year.
Commentary
Get to the Bottom With Crustaceans, Shellfish
So many different crustaceans and shellfish can be found in North Carolina waters, but some species, including bay scallops and some lobsters, are lower in abundance.
NC’s Crustaceans, Shellfish Make A Big Splash
They might be relatively small — even jumbo shrimp — but shellfish and crustaceans are valuable fisheries in North Carolina, worth millions of dollars each year.
After Travels West, NC’s Coast Beckons
Columnist, nature photographer and retired state park superintendent Sam Bland is back from a cross-country adventure, guided home by familiar coastal beacons.
Camp Meant Opportunity for Black Youth
Guest columnist Kenneth Chestnut shares the history of Camp Oceanside on Topsail Island, which was established in the 1950s for Black youth.
Origins, Growth of North Carolina Land Trusts
In the second of a series, columnist Chuck Roe, former director of the N.C. Natural Heritage Program, looks at the origins and growth of land trusts in North Carolina.
What’s on the Line? NC Black Sea Bass
Underwater photographer and columnist Robert Michelson illustrates the habits and management of “the relatively unknown ocean bass called the black sea bass.”
Fight For NC’s Natural Heritage Continues
Columnist Chuck Roe, former director of the N.C. Natural Heritage Program, reflects on the origins of conservation in the Tar Heel State and the challenges ahead.
Deeper Dive into the World of NC’s Sea Jellies
Underwater photographer Robert Michelson continues in the second of a two-part series to explore the world of sea jellies and their relatives in North Carolina waters.
Strange Beauty: Jellyfish of the NC Coast
Robert Michelson explains in the first of a two-part series why jellyfish are “some of the coolest looking creatures that live in North Carolina’s waters.”
Keep Plastics Out of Our Seafood
With little doubt that microplastics find their way into seafood, Todd Miller of the North Carolina Coastal Federation says we should be doing everything possible to reduce the amount of plastic released into coastal waterways.
What’s on the line? Grouper in North Carolina
Gag and red grouper are the most important for North Carolina commercial and recreational fishermen, writes columnist Robert Michelson.
Temporary Rules Needed to Protect Wetlands
Guest column: The Environmental Management Commission should enact temporary rules restoring the Department of Environmental Quality’s authority to regulate activities in wetlands that no longer require federal permits.
Alienation: Are You Really at Home?
We can’t truly experience the natural world until we come to know the world in which we live. If not, we risk becoming alienated from it — commentary by Jared Lloyd.
What’s On the Line? Cobia
Ling, sergeant fish, lemonfish, crab eater — otherwise known as cobia, this fish grows large in N.C. waters, with the state and world record weighing more than 116 pounds caught here.
On The Line: False Albacore
One of the best places to fish for the tuna-like false albacore is off the coast of Cape Lookout says columnist Robert Michelson.
