Visiting our friends in the Outer Banks was also a look back at the last project we completed before selling our company.
We were so fortunate to have our career end in an area that we’ve enjoyed working in for decades and are grateful for the opportunities we’ve had with the Fish and Wildlife Service from Alaska to the Caribbean. Visiting the NC Coastal Wildlife Refuges Visitor Center and seeing how well things are holding up was a special treat. Bonnie (a top tier ORP innovator) and crew are doing a great job keeping up with cleaning and maintenance of the exhibits. It was good to see that people, especially kids, are still enjoying learning about the wildlife and habitats of eastern North Carolina.
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Pea Island's entrance signs constructed of
stainless steel letters on thick recycled-plastic boards
have endured a decade in a harsh environment
of sun, sand, and storms - on pilings sunk 20+ ft. |
A side trip to Pea Island Refuge to check out the site of the old office, which was washed away by a storm, revealed a new bridge. A recent storm has severely damaged the innovative Pea Island Visitor Center. Looking at this refuge through time reflects how dynamic nature is and how ephemeral is the tenure of human structures. More often we look at the present and see a static snapshot rather than the perspective of a time-lapse motion picture.
One of our favorite places in the refuge system, other than whichever refuge we happen to be at at the time, is the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge wildlife drive. Here. the gravel route travels through forests and past most soil management areas, providing a chance to glimpse black bear, eagles, waterfowl and wading birds, and red wolves … and so much more. All are easily viewed from the comfort of a vehicle. With opportunities to kayak, hike, and a tram ride on the refuge, it’s a place worth the trip and will reward the careful observer with something wild. We saw 3 black bears when we traveled along the wildlife drive this morning.
Visiting Manteo on Roanoke Island was also a blast from the past, renewing our acquaintance with venues we’ve experienced before - good restaurants, the NC Aquarium, Festival Park, Lost Colony and the NPS Elizabethan Gardens. Most importantly, we got to visit with longtime friends and colleagues - Retired Project Leader Mike and Janet, Cindy, Bonnie, Michael...
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| Osprey helix in foyer |
But, our visit is not without a little melancholy. We are recalling that people who were important to us and had a connection to this area are no longer with us. Ira Dennis, Sam Pritchett, and Wallace Kuralt are gone but not forgotten and part of their legacy endures here in the Outer Banks through their lasting works and the benefits their effort provided to visitors.
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| Visitor Services Lobby - with the Wild Things bookstore - staffed by volunteers. |
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| Chop-shop Cessna for an interactive refuge flyover of the 11 refuges and 1 hatchery in eastern NC and VA. |
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| Diorama with touchable furs, tracks, and poop! (fake poop) |
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Object Theater with video shorts to select from - thanks for the help Glenn!
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| Walk through seasons of moist soil management |
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Refuges in eastern North Carolina offer so many remarkable experiences for nature based recreation. This visitor center is a gateway to learn more about the outdoor opportunities and the work of the Fish and Wildlife Service stewards who are managing these areas. If you go to the OBX for the beach, don't overlook the wild natural places - rich with wildlife and history.
Big UPs to the refuge staff and volunteers who make it happen!
Check out: https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Kuralt%20brochureAllRefuges_NC.pdf
6.12.18
Just put it high on my list of must see places.
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