Carolina Beach Clean-Up
Join Plastic Ocean Project for a fun afternoon of cleaning up at Carolina Beach State Park on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 12 - 3 pm. The cleanup event will begin with a short educational program including the history of Lily Pond and Park. Lily Pond was a dumping site for trash from 1920-1960, before the area became a State Park. Although this is not an official Sierra Club Event, we have helped with these cleanups in the past and it has been great fun. We encourage you to join in if you can.
Everyone will meet at the Visitor Center and the group will then walk together to Lily Pond which is about a 20 minute walk. Volunteers are welcome to stay for any duration throughout the 3 hour event. No need to signup, just show up.
Since 2022, POP has helped remove over 9,550 pounds of trash from Carolina Beach State Park, earning 382 trees for Plastic Ocean Project's Trees4Trash initiative.
It is recommended that you bring work gloves and a small trowel with which to dig.
Local Weather Station Tour
This is a special opportunity to tour the National Weather Service facility at 2015 Gardner Drive, Wilmington, 28405. We'll learn about the day to day operations and all aspects of the jobs performed there. It is a private tour for Cape Fear Sierra Club participants given by Mr. Tim Armstrong, Meteorologist and Climate Program leader.
Space is limited - sign up early!
Monthly Speaker Presentation
Policy and Preservation of our Region's Forests
Our Monthly Speaker Presentations are on the second Tuesday of each month. Doors open at 6:15p - presentation starts at 6:30. We have pizza and drinks. Free - donations accepted. Please RSVP (each person) for each event.
Speaker: Isabelle Shepherd, Executive Director of the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees
Topic: The growing role of policy in preserving our region’s forests.
As Executive Director of the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees, Isabelle leads efforts to protect and plant trees to combat canopy loss, mitigate climate change, and enhance community well-being. Before joining ACFT, Isabelle served for five years as Development Director and later interim Executive Director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation. Isabelle holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
The presentation will trace the Alliance’s evolution — from planting thousands of trees to confronting the deeper, structural drivers of canopy loss. She will share how ACFT is branching out into advocacy with their Code & Canopy policy guide for local governments and developers, pressing for land use policies that sustain our urban canopy and safeguard mature trees. Putting shovels in the ground is one level of tree preservation. But policy on paper — the development codes and zoning decisions that shape our built environment — is another. She will explore how these policies intersect with environmental justice, climate resilience, and community health. And also share practical ideas for how we, as residents and advocates, can speak up for trees and the people who need them most.
Coastal Crescent Workdays for Mountains to Sea Trail
Please Visit https://mountainstoseatrail.org/event/coastal-crescent-workdays-3-of-3/ for details. (not a Sierra Club event but many overlapping interests)
The holiday season is here and so is the perfect weather for working on the MST in the Coastal Crescent! November is gearing up to be a busy month for us and we have 3 exciting days of trail work scheduled for ongoing projects inner Coastal Plain communities!
These workdays will all offer both basic trail maintenance work that doesn’t require special skills or training like cutting limbs or raking, as well as more technical installation of trail infrastructure like bollards and a trail kiosk. No matter what your level of experience is, there are great ways for everyone to contribute!
Tuesday, November 25: 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Where: Meet at Camp Chamblee near Elizabethtown, NC.
What: Site visit to recently started bridge project and clearing the trail from Camp Chamblee to Sweet Home Church Road.
Premiere Screening of "The Last Forest" with Save Sledge Forest
YOU'RE INVITED to the Premiere Screening of "The Last Forest"
📍 Wednesday, November 19 | 6:30 PM
📍 Visit https://www.sledgeforest.org/updates-events for details
Produced and directed by Boot Scrap, this 6-minute docushort tells the story of our community's fight to protect the last large forest in New Hanover County and why it's worth protecting. It's our story—YOUR story—and we can't wait to watch it with you.
Come connect with fellow supporters, celebrate how far we've come, and learn what's next.
Technical Review Committee Meeting for Save Sledge Forest
The Technical Review Committee will meet virtually to review this new application for Sledge Forest by Cooper Builders. The public can listen in (but not comment). This is our chance to stay informed and understand what's being proposed - and to let the county know this issue is important to us and we are paying attention!
Email sign up to receive the call-in number and meeting agenda when it is released.
Visit https://www.sledgeforest.org/updates-events for more information
Additional Opportunity for Public Comments - N.C. Division of Coastal Management
Additional Opportunity for Public Comments - N.C. Division of Coastal Management
The N.C. Division of Coastal Management is holding a public hearing and comment period on the federal consistency determination associated with the Wilmington Harbor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The "consistency determination" is where the state has an opportunity to tell the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) whether or not the project is "consistent" with its coastal management program.
The primary message for comments is that the harbor expansion is inconsistent with the state's Coastal Management Plan and means that pretty much any coastal natural resource concern is relevant to the consistency determination of the Coastal Management Plan.
The public comments meeting takes place Monday, November 17th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Skyline Center 929 N. Front Street, Wilmington. Comments can also be submitted to the N.C. Division of Coastal Management by 5 pm on December 5th. Written comments should be mailed to Federal Consistency Coordinator, 400 Commerce Avenue, Morehead City, NC
28557, or by email to Federalconsistencycomments@deq.nc.gov. Please put “Federal Consistency: USACE Wilmington Harbor 403 Navigation Project” in the email subject line.
Quarterly Clean Up at Halyburton
Quarterly Clean Up at Halyburton Park
Call for volunteers to keep the outside trails around our monthly meeting place safe and looking good. This quarter we will be doing trail maintenance and pruning. These quarterly projects are our way of saying thanks to the City of Wilmington for allowing us the free use of a meeting room for our monthly meetings. We will send the location of the meeting spot as we get closer to the event date.
Cost: None
Signup Instructions: Sign up on Sierra Club Website
Bring: Work gloves and perhaps safety glasses.
Cancellation Policy: Steady rain cancels
Monthly Program November 2025
November 2025 Monthly Program
6:15 PM 8:15 PM
RSVP for location
Our next Monthly Speaker Presentations are on the second Tuesday of each month. Doors open at 6:15p - presentation starts at 6:30. We have pizza and drinks.
Speaker: Gabe Amey, CMO at Cape Fear Solar
Topic: Solar Energy - Past Successes, Current Changes in the industry and Future Challenges
Please RSVP on our site for location details.
Cost: free (donations appreciated)
Green Drinks October 2025
Green Drinks - October 2025
Who: Sustainability professionals & enthusiasts in the Wilmington area!
What: A space for the local sustainability community to network, collaborate, and discuss a different sustainability topic each month.
When: The last Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 pm!
Why: To bring together like-minded individuals to foster connections and drive change.
Details & RSVP at the Green Drinks Website.
Carolina Beach Greenway Walk
Join us for a nice walk along the Island Greenway in Carolina Beach. This 1.5 mile Greenway shows off the Carolina Beach that is not along the ocean that most of us are familiar with. We will start at 10am and walk the Greenway down and back with an opportunity to extend the walk for those that may want to walk more than about 3 miles. Once you sign up, we will send the exact start location as we get closer to the event. Suitable for those age 10 and up.
Level: Easy
Cost: None
Learn More & RSVP @ https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00001A1ygpIAB (you must RSVP individually on the Sierra Club website; details for location released to registered participants only)
Monthly Program October 2025
Our next Monthly Speaker Presentation will be on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 6:15 pm. They will continue to be on the second Tuesday of each month. You can find the speakers in our monthly newsletter or on our website.
When: Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 6:15 pm
Where: RSVP for details
Speaker: Roger Shew, serves on the Board of Cape Fear River Watch, Eagles Island Task Force, Alliance for Cape Fear Trees and is a Supervisor on New Hanover County Soil and Water Board. He also works with the Nature Conservancy on conservation and restoration projects. Roger loves to engage the community and provide facts regarding issues and opportunities facing our area.
Topic: A Changing Southeastern North Carolina: Threats to our Natural Areas and Health from National, State and Local Policies.
Public Open House on Wilmington Harbor Deepening Project
Public Open House Oct 8, 3-7p @CFCC Union Station Bldg Daniels Hall (502 N Front St)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wilmington District has opened a public comment period on its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) of the Wilmington Harbor project. Public comments on the multi-million dollar project to deepen the main channel from a depth of 42 feet to 47 feet will be accepted through November 3rd. The Corps’ draft letter report and draft EIS are available online: https://wilmington-harbor-usace-saw.hub.arcgis.com/ . Environmental issues mentioned in the report and EIS include increased salinity, wetlands function impact, and loss of fish habitat in the Cape Fear River. The potential impacts of dredging and disposing of PFAS-contaminated soils as well as the release of PFAS from Brunswick County’s nearly finished reverse osmosis (RO) plant are not mentioned. PFAS contamination in the Cape Fear navigation channel is currently one of the many critical environmental concerns that must be addressed.
USACE officials are scheduled to host a public open house on October 8th from 3-7 pm at Cape Fear Community College’s downtown Wilmington campus Union Station Building, Daniels Hall, 502 N. Front St. Participants will get the opportunity to speak with officials, learn about the conditionally authorized project, ask questions and provide comments.
Public comments may also be submitted by Nov. 3rd by email to WilmingtonHarbor403@usace.army.mil, by mail to ATTN: Wilmington Harbor 403, 69 Darlington Ave., Wilmington, N.C. 28403, or by comment card at the public meeting.
Green Drinks September
Learn how the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees is advancing policy and community advocacy to preserve our urban canopy and build a more resilient city.
RSVP here!
Join us at Waterline Brewing (721 Surry St, Wilmington, NC 28401) on the last Tuesday of every month from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm to network, collaborate, and connect with like-minded sustainability professionals and enthusiasts!
Who: Sustainability professionals & enthusiasts in the Wilmington area!
What: A space for the local sustainability community to network, collaborate, and discuss a different sustainability topic each month.
Where: Please RSVP on the Green Drinks website
When: The last Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 pm!
Why: To bring together like-minded individuals to foster connections and drive change.
Hike at Ft. Fisher State Park Sept 2025
Hike at Ft. Fisher State Park
Walk 2.2 miles roundtrip, at Ft. Fisher St. Park
On Friday September 26th, we'll have a guided walk from the Ft. Fisher beach area on the Basin Trail to the observation deck overlooking Zeke's Island. Park Ranger Stephanie Covell will explain the different environments and habitats along the way.
This trail meanders through the marsh, allowing hikers a chance to view sound-side flora and fauna and the maritime forest. The trail passes a World War II bunker, where the "Fort Fisher Hermit," Robert E. Harrell, lived for more than a decade. At the end is a wooden observation deck with wide views of the Cape Fear River and Zeke's Island, making it a great spot for watching birds and boats.
Either after or before the hike, consider an optional visit to the new Museum at the Ft. Fisher Historic Site (not a Sierra Club guided trip). The indoor museum is free and self guided. There is also a ranger led escorted tour of the property grounds at either 10am or 2pm (free of charge).
Wood Pellet Boat Trip
Wood Pellet Boat Trip with Southern Forests Conservation Coalition
Please join us for the very important and educational boat trip. If you haven't been aboard for any of the past free wood pellet informational tours from the deck of the Henrietta, here is your chance! One hundred and sixty acres of North Carolina forests are being clearcut every day and then pelletized for shipment to the DRAX Energy Corporation to be burned in England as clean energy. This is greenwashing in its most egregious form.
Make your reservation now for our Sept. 20 tour to find out what the Enviva Corporation and DRAX Energy are doing to our forest resources in Eastern NC.
Monthly Program September 2025
Join us at Halyburton Park Events Center on the second Tuesday of the month for a program presentation. We will have light dinner available (donations accepted, not required) at 6:15; program starts at 6:30. We’ll give a brief update of important actions for environmental advocacy.
September Speaker: N.C. Rep. Deb Butler, House District 18 and founding member of the Progressive Caucus of the NC Democratic Party. Rep. Butler will speak on upcoming legislation in the fall session of the General Assembly.
We do need all attendees to RSVP on the Sierra Club’s site; couples need to RSVP as individuals.
Walk Briskly With A Purpose - Ft. Fisher
CFSC Walk With a Purpose: Fort Fisher/Kure Beach Pier
Start your day with a stroll by the sea with the Cape Fear Sierra Club on August 2, 2025! This is the second event in our new bi-monthly “Walk With a Purpose” program, intended to complement a moderately challenging walk/hike with a communitarian or educational experience.
What: A brisk walk along the beach from the Fort Fisher sea wall (which runs parallel to the parking lot) to the Kure Beach Pier, one of the oldest fishing piers on the Atlantic coast. Outbound, we’ll observe stunning ocean views, coastal foliage, and a variety of birds; on the return, we’ll collect beach litter. The round trip distance is 5 miles.
When: August 16, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. sharp. NOTE that this is weather and tide dependent.
Green Drinks July 2025
Come network and connect with Wilmington’s sustainability community, and learn from Stefanie Young—Vice President, Client Solutions at the U.S. Green Building Council—as we discuss how green buildings benefit both the environment and occupants, and the role LEED plays in decarbonization and resilience.
Monthly Recurring Event
Join us at Waterline Brewing (721 Surry St, Wilmington, NC 28401) on the last Tuesday of every month from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm to network, collaborate, and connect with like-minded sustainability professionals and enthusiasts!
Who: Sustainability professionals & enthusiasts in the Wilmington area!
What: A space for the local sustainability community to network, collaborate, and discuss a different sustainability topic each month.
Where: Waterline Brewing - 721 Surry St, Wilmington, NC 28401
When: The last Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 pm!
Why: To bring together like-minded individuals to foster connections and drive change.
Green Drinks Summer Sustainability Social
CFSC proudly supports Green Drinks
This Tuesday
Join us at Waterline Brewing (721 Surry St, Wilmington, NC 28401) on the last Tuesday of every month from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm to network, collaborate, and connect with like-minded sustainability professionals and enthusiasts!
Who: Sustainability professionals & enthusiasts in the Wilmington area!
What: A space for the local sustainability community to network, collaborate, and discuss a different sustainability topic each month.
Where: Waterline Brewing - 721 Surry St, Wilmington, NC 28401
When: The last Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 pm!
Why: To bring together like-minded individuals to foster connections and drive change.
Save Sledge Forest Rally
Cape Fear Sierra Club proudly supports Save Sledge Forest - please see our issues page or their website for more details
We hit a major milestone with our Save Sledge Forest petition - 10,000 signatures!
This isn’t just another event. It’s our chance to say—loud and clear—that destroying our last, large expanse of old-growth forest in New Hanover County - simply for the benefit of a developer’s profit - is unacceptable. And, that this massive development isn’t just wrong for the forest—it’s also a direct threat to our community’s health, safety, and quality of life
We hope you can help us to make June 21st a powerful show of people power and a powerful voice for justice.
Please RSVP, then share with five friends!
This rally is for all of us who care. Let’s show them what 10,000 voices looks like.
Solstice Sunset Hang Out
Come join the members and friends of the Cape Fear Sierra Club for a little fellowship in the glow of the moon along with a hopefully beautiful sunset on the longest day of the year. Open to the entire family. We will be meeting around the fire pit at Ember Park in the Riverlights development in Wilmington. The park is adjacent to the restaurant, Smoke on the Water. Bring chairs, bug spray, drink, snacks and something to share, if you choose and we will sit around the fire pit and socialize as the sun sets over the Cape Fear River. There are a few places to eat beforehand and do takeout right next to Ember Park. Checkout the website for a list. No agenda - "Just Fun!"
Green Swamp Walk
This is the time of the year that the Venus Flytraps and Pitcher plants are blooming, so be sure to sign up early as space is limited.
Hike Carolina Beach State Park
Walk with escort Ms. Eliza Dolin, around the State Park, and learn about the history and natural vegetation of the area. This will be a 60-75 minute moderate walk to Sugar Loaf Dune, with few stops and a side trip to the Marsh Overlook.
Earth Day Retrospective with NC Sierra Club
Deepen your understanding of the urgent environmental issues facing North Carolina, especially the critical state of our wetlands.
Monthly Program
Deepening of the Cape Fear River - Consequences and Building Opposition
April Green Drinks
Come connect with Wilmington's sustainability community and learn from the NC Coastal Federation as they share how they work to protect and restore our coast - from preventing stormwater runoff to recycling oyster shells. You'll also discover simple ways to support their efforts. Stick around afterward for a fun round of coastal trivia with Federation-themed prizes!
Cape Fear Sierra Club is proud to support Green Drinks, a dynamic meetup providing a vibrant platform to boost environmental activism by harnessing the collective knowledge, energy and resources of local and regional environmental organizations.
Carolina Beach Lily Pond Clean Up
Come join us to clean up a unique area of Carolina Beach State Park called “Lily Pond”, which was once a dumping site for trash from the 1920s through the 1960s. Park Ranger Jessse Anderson will also give a short presentation on the Lily Pond. Join Sierra Club and Plastic Ocean Project (POP) for this worthwhile event. For details and to register click here.
Monthly Presentation
Tuesday, April 1, 6:15 pm at Halyburton Park meeting room, 4099 S. 17th Sktreet, Wilmington NC
Topic: Cooking the GOOS: Salinity, Sea Level Rise and the Oceans
Presenter: Dr. Fred Bingham
The ocean plays a major part in global climate change. We know that sea level is rising and the oceans are getting warmer. To go along with this, the salinity of the ocean is changing, in concert with changes in the global water cycle. This talk will describe how the changing ocean is observed, both by satellite and in situ (wet) observations, and what that might mean for our region.
Dr. Bingham is an oceanographer in the Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography at UNCW. In addition to holding a PhD in Oceanography from the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Bingham has held positions at Tohoku University in Japan and the Univeristy of Hawaii at Manoa. He has been especially interested in the role of ocean salinity and its connection to the global water cycle. Dr. Bingham has been a member of NASA’s Ocean Salinity Science Team since 2009.