Dial Cordy and Associates Dawn York, Project Manager National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Suzanne Sessine, Asst. SE Regional Director

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1 Dial Cordy and Associates Dawn York, Project Manager National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Suzanne Sessine, Asst. SE Regional Director

2 Project Purpose The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking assistance in developing a fish and wildlife habitat assessment, first and foremost of the Cape Fear River basin, but also of the broader Southeast Atlantic coast. Products will be used to inform priority areas for possible resiliency projects that protect communities from severe storms and floods, and enhance fish and wildlife populations and their associated habitats.

3 Project Purpose Three key components NFWF is undertaking as part of a broader program of work for the Cape Fear River basin and southeast coastal NC. Ongoing efforts include: a coastal, nature-based resiliency assessment, as well as identifying potential coastal and inland, nature-based resilience projects in the Cape Fear River basin and southeast NC coastal areas. Information will be provided as a map/geospatial dataset to be used to identify priority areas within the Cape Fear River basin and coastal areas where projects may be implemented that have the greatest impact on community and ecosystem resiliency.

4 Background NFWF is managing the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Grants Program, to support projects that reduce NE coastal communities vulnerability to storms, sea level rise, flooding, erosion, and associated threats, through strengthening natural ecosystems that also provide benefits to fish and wildlife. NFWF, along with federal partners, want to expand that work beyond the NE. Comprehensive approach to climate resilience planning on a watershed and landscape scale.

5 Background The program will result in more than: 6,600 acres of wetlands and marshes restored or created, 225 acres of beach restored, and over 216 million gallons of stormwater runoff reduced to protect communities and infrastructure from future storms, as well as to benefit fish and wildlife.

6 Coastal Resiliency Framework 1. Reduce the impacts of coastal storm surge, wave velocity, sea level rise and associated natural threats on coastal and inland communities. 2. Strengthen the ecological integrity and functionality of coastal/inland ecosystems to protect communities and to enhance fish and wildlife and their associated habitats. 3. Enhance our understanding of the impacts of storm events and identify cost effective, resiliency tools that help mitigate for future storms.

7 Changing Environment

8 The ability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and adapt to changing conditions and to withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions with minimal damage.

9 The goal of overall effort is to strengthen the ecological integrity and functionality of coastal and inland ecosystems in order to protect communities and to enhance fish and wildlife and the habitats on which they depend.

10 Project Boundary The local analysis boundary is the Cape Fear River watershed from Greensboro to the ocean with two additional HUC 8s north and south of the river mouth NEMAC provided a shapefile to ensure accurate overlay of their resiliency map and our habitat assessment. The regional analysis boundary will utilize HUC 8s to ensure uniformity and it will be a coarser-grained assessment N

11 Goals Identify coastal and inland natural and nature-based resiliency projects within the Cape Fear River basin and southeast coastal NC. Projects should protect communities from severe storms and floods, and enhance fish and wildlife and their associated habitats. Natural or nature-based resiliency projects utilize natural systems and features, or replicate natural features and their beneficial services.

12 Examples of landscapes eligible to restore habitat and increase community resiliency include, but are not limited to: Sub-tidal Habitat Beaches and Dunes Wetlands and Marshes Near-Coastal Freshwater Habitat Coastal Forests Inland Rivers and Streams

13 Newer Thinking: Nature-based Infrastructure Wetlands Riparian Vegetation Dunes Barrier Islands Oyster Reefs Reduced wave energy Shoreline stabilization Reduced wave energy Soil retention Shoreline Stabilization Reduced wave energy Shoreline Stabilization Reduced wave energy Breaking waves offshore Reduced wave energy Water Quality Major nursery habitat for fish Key nesting habitat for birds Water quality Wildlife habitat Wildlife habitat Allows marshes to develop on lee side Wildlife habitat Recreation opportunities Water quality Marshes and seagrass develop on lee side

14 Criteria In terms of scale of projects, identify both small-scale and more long-term resiliency projects. Focus on engineering, habitat restoration, green infrastructure, and similar actions that will improve the natural resiliency of the landscape. Ideally, project options will be in the $1-5 million range, but ultimately interested in realistic and feasible projects that will lead to meaningful outcomes. Fact sheets on potential projects will inform assessments to determine where projects may have the greatest impact on community and ecosystem resiliency.

15 Project Fact Sheets Applicant Organization and Project Title Site Location lat/long coordinates Project Description sentence description explaining the problem, need and solution Project Performance Measures and Outcomes what is the resiliency opportunity Project Timeline is the project shovel ready Permits & Approvals - describe any permits or approvals that are needed or are in-hand Land Owner private/state/federal; is there land owner interest/approval Overall Project Cost - please provide a rough order of magnitude cost estimate Contact Information we want to reach out to you for additional information **Please fill out at least one fact sheet before you leave or to Dawn at dyork@dialcordy.com

16 Previously Identified Projects Cape Fear River Partnership Land acquisition/conservation potential Sturgeon Creek, Eagles Island Fort Anderson/Brunswick Town shoreline restoration Sanctuary Islands restoration oyster reef enhancement/creation Living shoreline/marsh restoration Carolina Beach State Park Battery Island shoreline restoration white ibis sanctuary Oyster reef restoration in Lower Cape Fear River

17 Wrap Up Please share your data to help inform the GIS database Tell us what areas are critical to your community Share this project with your colleagues Please fill out one project fact sheet before you leave or to Dawn Thank you for your support in improving and protecting the Cape Fear River basin and southeast coastal NC Dawn York: or