![Page 1: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center
![Page 2: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
![Page 3: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Audubon Sanctuary Site
Top 2% of Climate Strongholds protecting ¼ of climate imperiled species in U.S.A.
![Page 4: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Representative Habitats within 2,600 acres
• Needle Rush Marsh – extensive Giant Cord Grass fringing marsh, and forested islands (1,800 acres)
• Evergreen Maritime Forest • Deciduous Swamp Forest • Stable Dune Barren • Red Bay Shrub Swamp • Open Fields • Freshwater ponds • and • Extensive SAV beds
![Page 5: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Currituck Club • Hold conservation easement of 1,600+ acres • PI + CC + Public Trust waters = 14,000 acres in conservation in heart of Currituck Sound
![Page 6: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Current Facilities supporting Research and Education
Dock and boathouses Pavilion
![Page 7: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Current Facilities supporting Research and Education
Historic Lodge sleeps 17 Research Cottages
$40/person/night
![Page 8: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Future Facilities supporting Research and Education
Great Hall Science Workshop
![Page 9: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
The Alliance for Currituck Sound
a community based
collaborative of diverse
stakeholders restoring the
health of Currituck
Sound
![Page 10: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
College Programs and Research
Universities onsite in 2017 Duke – Masters project NCSU – PR Undergrad UNC – Erosion intern Wake Forest – Climate Change class Chowan – Field Ecology Class Eliz. City State –a developing partnership
Research Duke – Historic marsh loss and socio-economic impacts Davidson – Tree Swallows UNC CSI – Low Cost Erosion Control, Coastal engineering Chowan –sediment behavior In marsh, amphibian survey, Marsh/Swamp/Upland maps WRC – Herp surveys
![Page 11: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Marsh Mapping and Restoration Duke/ UNC -CH
• Duke Master Project Mapping Historic Shoreline Changes and Marsh Loss • UNC Undergrad doing experimental low cost erosion reduction techniques
Currituck Sound loses 72 acres of Marsh per Year
![Page 12: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Biota Studies –
• Davidson – Tree Swallow Nesting and Range Expansion • NCSU – Online Herbarium of Pine Island
• NC Botanical Garden (BLM) – Seeds of Success – Local Genotype Seed Bank • NY Botanical Gardens – Lichen Biodiversity
• William and Mary – Black Rail Survey • Chowan University – Amphibian Calling, Night Flying Insects, etc.
• NC WRC – Herp Surveys
![Page 13: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Chowan University – supported by SeaGrant
• Mapping boundaries between Marsh, Swamp and Upland for long-term change monitoring • Studies of Above and Below ground biomass (Phragmites vs. Spartina) • Study of Sediment deposition on marsh
![Page 14: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Living Shoreline Demonstration Project
Clean Water Management Trust Fund Grant applied for:
![Page 15: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
CWMTF Planning Grant applied for: • To develop a long term protection plan and pilot restoration techniques for southwest facing marsh islands exposed to high erosion from long fetch • Explore solutions from highly engineered to less so.
![Page 16: The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr Sanctuary and Audubon Center€¦ · UNC – Erosion intern . Wake Forest – Climate Change class . Chowan – Field Ecology Class . Eliz. ... populations](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022050402/5f801b49e6071f5e9602ac07/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
A Conservation Plan for Currituck Sound and The Donal C. O’Brien Audubon Sanctuary
At Pine Island
The Donal C. O’Brien Audubon Sanctuary at Pine Island will be a primary catalyst for a healthy greater Currituck Sound ecosystem with diverse habitats sufficient for the long-term sustainability of populations of birds and other wildlife.