COASTLINES VOLUME 20 // ISSUE 3 // Fall 2020
Springer’s Point Expanded and Secured Forever?
It’s Within Our Reach
By Camilla M. Herlevich
Coastal Land Trust Founder and Executive Director
T
he Coastal Land Trust’s Springer’s Point Preserve is a peaceful oasis of natural beauty in the heart of Ocracoke Village. The Preserve encompasses more than 120 acres of maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands and sound front beach.
Designated as one of North Carolina’s significant natural heritage areas, it also enjoys a vibrant cultural history. The Preserve’s nature trail winds past ancient, gnarled live oaks to a sandy beach overlooking the infamous Teach’s Hole, where the legendary pirate Blackbeard was finally captured. We couldn’t have been more delighted when we opened Springer’s Point Preserve to the public in 2006!
Beloved by Ocracokers and visitors alike, the Preserve is visited by more than 3,000 people annually. Today, there’s more reason to celebrate! For the first time since the opening of the Preserve, the Coastal Land Trust recently was given the opportunity to purchase a key private land holding within the Preserve—a prime residential parcel springer’s, continued on page 5
Good News for Salmon Creek State Natural Area and Site X The Coastal Land has protected almost 300 acres on the Chowan River known as the Bal Gra Harbor tract, and immediately transferred the property to the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. The property features a half mile of waterfront, with a sandy beach and high bluffs. Its interior includes mixed pine hardwoods with small ephemeral ponds. It’s the property’s strategic location, though, that makes it so special. Immediately to the north of Bal Gra Harbor is a 137acre tract known locally as the Tall Glass of Water, which Bertie County purchased and intends to use as a public park for recreational purposes and public water access. Immediately to the south of Bal Gra Harbor is the salmon creek, continued on page 4
CoastalLandTrust.org
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