Help save North Carolina's beautiful beaches

Anyone who has visited North Carolina's beaches knows that our barrier island system is a priceless natural treasure. Our coastline attracts vacationers from all over the state and all over the country for one simple reason: they’re beautiful. Our barrier island system is one of the most extensive in the world, and these dynamic wind and wave-sculpted islands offer great swimming, birding, fishing, and surfing. North Carolina’s long-standing ban against hardened structures at the coast means that very few jetties, groins, or sea walls interrupt the natural dynamics of our islands and mar our pristine shorelines.

Audubon North Carolina and our partner environmental groups are keeping an eye on potential legislation in the NC General Assembly that could undermine North Carolina’s proven and tested ban on hardened structures, which is the cornerstone of the state’s coastal policies and a model for the rest of the nation.

Terminal structures, such as groins and jetties, trap sand on one side and deprive sand on the other. In doing so, they cause a sand deficit and increased erosion rates on downdrift barrier islands. In 2007, more than 40 coastal geologists issued a statement regarding hardened structures that concluded: “We urge you to maintain the State of North Carolina’s high standards for coastal management by preventing any change to the current ban on coastal hard structures. Doing so is the surest way to protect the state’s beaches for future generations.” You can read the statement here.

Natural shoreline movement is one of the ways that inlets provide habitat for North Carolina's native beach-nesting birds, as well as for feeding, migrating, and wintering birds. Hard stabilization efforts put these habitats at risk.

The most effective and farsighted way to protect our coastline for future generations is to develop a comprehensive coastal management vision that unites the many disparate agencies that currently influence coastal policy. The passage of shortsighted legislation that “robs Peter to pay Paul” and could disrupt our coastline forever is an affront to good stewardship of our state’s wildlife and natural areas.

We will keep our supporters informed of the latest developments and please let your representatives know that you do not support hardening our beautiful coastline.