E X P L O R E , E N J O Y , A N D P R O T E C T T H E P L A N E T nc.sierraclub.org/cypress PAGE 1

NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER of the SIERRA CLUB cypress group Volume 42 NUMBER 8 april 2017

Serving 19 Counties in Eastern North Carolina since 1974

CYPRESS NEWS

Table of Contents

Page 1 : Audubon Program

Page 2 : Outing & Photos

Page 3 : Photos & Sponsors

Page 4 : Upcoming Events

Page 5 : Save the Dates

Page 6 : About Us

APRIL

PROGRAM

MONDAY April 10, 2017 7:30 PM

131 Oakmont Drive UU Congregation Greenville, NC

DIRECTIONS

Oakmont Drive is located off Charles Blvd, south of Red Banks Rd, across from

Fitness Connection.

All programs and activities of the Cypress Group are open to the public. You do not have to be a member to attend.

Robbie Fearn, Center Director of the Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Corolla, will be our speaker for April’s Program. He will describe the sanctuary and its conservation work in the greater Currituck Sound region.

The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Sanctuary in Corolla is described as “one of the last pieces of untouched property on the northeastern portion of the Outer Banks, preserving 2,600 acres of marsh, upland maritime forest and sandy beaches, as well as the historical beauty of the Outer Banks.”

Fearn oversees the Center’s Conservation Planning, as well as Construction and Renovation of the 2,600-acre property for Programming and Research activities. In his role as Center Director, Fearn also engages the local community in the protection of this pristine property. Audubon took full management of the property several years ago and the sanctuary harbors 170 bird species among other wildlife.

After earning his master of sciences degree in Environmental Studies from Antioch New England Graduate School, Fearn served in many leadership roles including Executive Director of Birmingham’s Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, Director of the Cape Wildlife Center in Massachusetts, and Education Curator at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence Rhode Island. With Millie Overman and a core of dedicated volunteers, he and his wife Pamela cofounded the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles on the Outer Banks.

Environmental work is Fearn’s second career, following a 15-year stint in professional theater as an equity production stage manager, director and designer. He has served in many positions at The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama in Manteo. For more information about the Center … http://nc.audubon.org/

Sanctuary & Audubon Center in Corolla

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NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER of the SIERRA CLUB cypress group Volume 42 NUMBER 8 april 2017

chocowinity creek paddle

Join the Cypress Group’s first Spring Outing

Saturday, April 8

10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

Chocowinity Creek offers a 3.0 mile loop through

a scenic swamp, passing a large beaver dam, and

broadening into a stretch along coastal marsh

grass to Chocowinity Bay. The loop back goes

through a second branch of the creek to the

launch point.

An added 1-mile jaunt up the extension of Chocowinity Bay leads to where bald eagles may be seen.

Our access point is 1.2 miles east of Chocowinity on Hwy 33. Go east from the intersection of Hwy 33

and US 17 in Chocowinity. Cross the creek’s bridge and make an immediate left turn into the drive of a

residence by the creek. Caution - Opposing traffic can be heavy. Continue left around the drive to the

boat ramp, being sure not to block the drive.

A Liability Waiver must be signed and Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) are always required. Bring

water, sun protection, and optional snacks. Recommended kayak safety accessories are a whistle, safety

line, and water removal pump. Meet at the launch at 9:45 AM. In the case of foul weather, the outing

will be cancelled. Contact Tom Williams at 252-917-4180 for any questions.

I

Images from March Program with SELC

Colin Shive Associate Attorney

Ramona McGee Associate Attorney

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NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER of the SIERRA CLUB cypress group Volume 42 NUMBER 8 april 2017

outing photos from Historic Tar River Trail

Support our sponsors

Thanks to Tony Laspina, Mona Mandeur, Christine Tepper and Tom Williams for a thorough clean-up of Cypress Group’s adopted highway on Corey Road. This will make future pick-ups easier if we can get help. Contact Tom Williams at 252-917-4180 if you are willing to participant in these service outings.

We could really use your help!

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NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER of the SIERRA CLUB cypress group Volume 42 NUMBER 8 april 2017

upcoming events

The Nile Project

"Citizen Diplomacy & Transboundary Water Conflicts" April 6, 2017 | 7:00 pm | Wright Auditorium

For more information about the Nile Project, please visit: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cfac/nileproject.cfm

For tickets, visit http://www.ecu.edu/voyages

ECU DEPT OF GEOLOGICAL Sciences turns 50!

ICE, WATER, & CLIMATE

Keynote Address HENRY N. POLLACK, PhD

April 19, 2017 ~ 12:00 noon Wednesday

Mendenhall Student Center

Read more...

Project: Ice the Movie

America’s Inland Ocean THE GREAT LAKES

April 19, 2017 ~ 5:30 PM Wednesday

Regal Grande Theater Read more...

For Program Flyer, click here. For Parking Instructions, click here.

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NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER of the SIERRA CLUB cypress group Volume 42 NUMBER 8 april 2017

save the dates

people’s climate march on washington On Saturday April 29, the Sierra Club is a sponsor of the People’s Climate March on Washington DC.

For the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, environmentalists are taking action and calling on everyone to join on April 29th for a massive march to bring our demands to Washington, D.C. Undoubtedly, you are aware of this administration’s efforts to dismantle all that has been put in place to protect the planet from pollution and global warming. In Trump’s world, everyone gets a free pass to dispose of their waste in everyone else’s backyard, all in the name of increasing profits. Climate change is dismissed as a fairy tale – no serious action needed. This is not the first time the Sierra Club has had to stand up to similar behavior from the White House. Ronald Reagan said “trees cause more pollution than automobiles do.” It took massive organized action, but in the end their policies were defeated. Again the environment is up for grabs and we must protect it by mobilizing everyone who cares. The March on Washington is a start – an opportunity to build a movement and to let the Trump administration and Congress know what is at stake. The climate is changing. The planet is heating up and if nothing is done about it now, our future looks grim. Here’s what we stand for:

We want a plan to cut fossil fuel use and to promote sustainable energy

We don’t want more fracking and more gas pipelines

We don’t want drilling off our coast

We want improved vehicle emission standards

We support the Paris agreements of 2016

We don’t want the EPA gutted by budget cuts

By ourselves we can achieve little, but with thousands of supporters we can make a difference. Please join us to make our voices heard in Washington. The Cypress Group has a bus leaving Greenville around 4:00am on the 29th, and will return that evening. Seats are available for members and non-members. The cost is $25 per adult; $10 per student 18 and older. To reserve a seat, please email David Ames at davidames1@suddenlink.net. More detailed information will be available soon! Stay tuned! NOTE: If you are in a northeastern NC county, there is a bus leaving from Norfolk with seats available. Contact Jim Sakolosky at 434-509-8112 and/or visit http://rallybus.net/peoples-climate-march/trips/Norfolk-VA/1030415.

Hello Pirate Nation from Chad Carwein

The ECU Department of Sustainability has a week full of activities lined up to celebrate Earth Day, starting with an environmental activist talk by a soon-to-be announced celebrity on Tuesday, April 18th. Next, bring your hammock or blanket and join us outside the Mendenhall Student Center on Wednesday, April 19th, at 8:30 pm, to watch the award-winning documentary Tapped, about the bottled water industry. Then, get your spring cleaning done because on Friday, April 21st, we’ll have collection bins setup for a drive-through paper shredding, drop-off

donations, and electronics recycling. Checkout the flyer and spread the word!

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NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER of the SIERRA CLUB cypress group Volume 42 NUMBER 8 april 2017

The Cypress Group 1602 Hollybriar Lane Greenville, NC 27858

MONTHLY

PROGRAMS

Programs are held monthly, September through May, on the 2nd Monday of the month. In December we have a potluck dinner and in June we have a Sunday afternoon picnic.

LEADERSHIP

TEAM MEETINGS

All Cypress Group members are welcome to attend Leadership Team meetings. Leader-ship team meetings are held the 4th Tuesday of the month. Location is 131 Oakmont Drive and time is 7:00 pm.

The Cypress Group represents 19 counties in eastern North Carolina, from Northampton to Lenoir and Wayne to Dare, making it the largest Group in the state geographically. The Cypress Group's Leaders are listed below. If you are interested in becoming part of the Leadership Team or serving on a committee, please contact any of the following. We welcome you and we need you!

About us the cypress group

thank you, new members!

Chair, Executive Committee David Ames

Vice-Chair, Membership Chair, Executive Committee Janet Smith

Treasurer Carol Williams

Program Chair Greg Kearney

Outings Chair, Executive Committee Tom Williams

Political Chair, Executive Committee David Emmerling

Publicity Mary Alsentzer

Program Committee Cindy Elmore

Diannalea Knight

Docia Harrell

Eugenia Dansereau

Hunter Atherton

James Hagwood

Kenneth Pledger

Linda Courson

Lynda Furman

Mary Beddard

Mrs Danny Wisner

Nancy Cordano

Peter Farrell

Rita Rodabaugh

Robert Lees

Susan Charbonneau

Susan Klontz

David Emmerling at ECU’s Climate

Change & Health Symposium with

our new banner and tablecloth!