Cape Fear River Watch

May First Saturday Seminar: The Plastic Pandemic
2022-05-07 08:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
We hope you can join us for our May First Saturday Seminar, which will be our first IN PERSON seminar since the beginning of COVID! We can’t wait to share coffee and pancakes with you at our office. CFRW staff members Rob Clark and Audrey Dunn will be discussing the growing plastics crisis, including plastic’s dire environmental impacts from production to disposal (or lack thereof) as well as CFRW’s work to combat plastic pollution in our area. Check out Audrey and Rob’s bios here.
For those who would prefer to attend via Zoom, that option will be available, and you can register for that here.
For everyone who wants to attend in person, please register here.
The seminar will be held at our office (617 Surry St.), with doors opening at 8am and the presentation beginning at 9am.

September First Saturday Seminar
2022-09-03 08:00 - 10:30
A History of Greenfield Lake with Travis Gilbert
We hope you can join us for our September First Saturday Seminar! Travis Gilbert, Executive Director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation will be sharing about the history of Greenfield Lake, from centuries ago to today.

Our doors will open at 8am for coffee and pancakes and our seminar will begin at 9am. You can also join our seminar virtually via Zoom.
Register for ZOOM ONLY here: https://bit.ly/FirstSatZOOM

No pre-registration required for in-person attendees.

The seminar will be held at the CFRW office located at 617 Surry St. We hope to see you there!

October First Saturday Seminar
2022-10-01 08:00 - 10:30
Join us at 617 Surry St. on Saturday, October 1st for an educational seminar presented by Andy Wood. Doors open at 8am for pancakes and coffee; seminar begins at 9am.
Magnificent Rescue: Protecting Biodiversity at Ecosystem Scale
Cape Fear River swamps and other wetland habitats are imperiled by river dredging, the wood pellet industry, and an expanding ocean. This engaging program explores the environmental challenges our species must meet head-on for the sake of future generations—ecologically, economically, and politically—with attention to protecting the living nuts and bolts holding-together our Starship life-support system.
Andy Wood is a biologist and conservation educator. His career includes 12 years as Education Curator with the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and 11 years as State Education Director with the National Audubon Society. As director of Coastal Plain Conservation Group, Andy is focused on preventing unfettered habitat loss and extinction of southeast North Carolina plants and wildlife. Andy is otherwise an environmental consultant with his wife Sandy’s company, Habitats Gardens, LLC.
Pre-registration not required. We will record this event and share to our Youtube channel.

1st Saturday Seminar: Restoring Wilmington's Waterways
2022-11-05 08:00 - 10:30
Speaker: Anna Reh-Gingerich, Watershed Coordinator – Heal Our Waterways Program with City of Wilmington Stormwater Services
Topic: Restoring Wilmington’s Waterways through Stormwater Solutions
Anna’s presentation will introduce the goals of the Heal Our Waterways Program and walk through a variety of “Creek-Friendly Practices” property owners can incorporate around their homes and businesses.
About the speaker: Anna is the Watershed Coordinator for the City of Wilmington and manages the City’s ‘Heal Our Waterways Program’ for Bradley Creek and Hewletts Creek. After receiving an M.S. in Coastal and Ocean Policy in 2016 from UNC-Wilmington, she moved to Richmond, Virginia and worked for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in a water quality policy role for several years. The pull of the ocean and love of Wilmington brought her back to the area and to her current position where she enjoys promoting simple solutions for stormwater pollution within the community.
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online within the next couple of weeks.

1st Saturday Seminar - From Mountains to Sea: An Adventure in Plant Communities
2022-12-03 08:00 - 10:30
Speaker: Amy Renfranz
Topic: From Mountains to Sea: An Adventure in Plant Communities
Join naturalist Amy Renfranz as she makes parallels between the plant communities on the coast and in the mountains of North Carolina. Her talk will leave you with a bucket list of places to visit and a few ideas for ways to incorporate natural ecology into your own backyard!
About the speaker: Amy Renfranz lives for exploring and investigating the world around her – and sharing those experiences with others.
Amy began in environmental education on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2008. In 2011, she was awarded the National Park Service at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s “Ranger of the Year” award for her work in creating new programming for youth and adults. She is a NC Certified Environmental Educator and a Certified Naturalist through the Yellowstone Institute. She has also worked at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, Lees-McRae College, the Yellowstone Association Institute, and New Hanover Soil & Water Conservation District. For nearly ten years, she wrote an award-winning, weekly newspaper column called “Dear Naturalist.” In 2022, she began pursuing a full-time career in native plant landscaping.
Amy is a graduate of Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University, where she obtained a Master’s Degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. She currently serves on the board of Keep New Hanover Beautiful and the Environmental Educators of North Carolina. She volunteers as a Creek Watcher for Cape Fear River Watch, and facilitates litter cleanups in her neighborhood.
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online within the next couple of weeks.

1st Saturday Seminar - Magnificent Rescue: Protecting Biodiversity at Ecosystem Scale
2023-01-07 08:00 - 10:30
Speaker: Andy Wood
Topic: Magnificent Rescue: Protecting Biodiversity at Ecosystem Scale
Cape Fear River swamps and other wetland habitats are imperiled by river dredging, the wood pellet industry, and an expanding ocean. This engaging program explores the environmental challenges our species must meet head-on for the sake of future generations—ecologically, economically, and politically—with attention to protecting the living nuts and bolts holding-together our Starship life-support system.
About the speaker:Andy Wood is a biologist and conservation educator. His career includes 12 years as Education Curator with the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and 11 years as State Education Director with the National Audubon Society. As director of Coastal Plain Conservation Group, Andy is focused on preventing unfettered habitat loss and extinction of southeast North Carolina plants and wildlife. Andy is otherwise an environmental consultant with his wife Sandy’s company, Habitats Gardens, LLC.
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online within the next couple of weeks.

1st Saturday Seminar - Bird Atlasing in NC
2023-02-04 08:00 - 10:30
Speaker: John Carpenter
Topic: Bird Atlasing in NC
The NC Bird Atlas, now in its third year, is a project that maps bird distribution and abundance through bird observations. Come out to learn about the NC Bird Atlas, its function, and how you can get involved. Learn about priority blocks and where you can find additional resources on atlasing. Great if you are new to birding, or an experienced birder who wants to contribute to the Atlas.
About the speaker: John Carpenter has worked as a Wildlife Biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission for the past 13 years. He received a M.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online the following week.

1st Saturday Seminar - Oysters
2023-03-04 08:00 - 10:00
Speaker: James Hargrove, Owner of Middle Sound Mariculture
Topic: Oysters
8:00 am – Doors open for coffee and pancakes
9:00 am – Seminar begins
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online the following week.

1st Saturday Seminar - Cooking the GOOS: Salinity, sea level rise and the oceans
2023-04-01 08:00 - 10:00
Speaker: Dr. Frederick Bingham, professor in the Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography and Center for Marine Science at UNCW
Topic: Salinity, sea level rise and the oceans. Join us as Dr. Frederick Bingham will be talking about some of the ways that the ocean is observed, including in situ (wet) instruments, tide gauges and satellites relating them to how we observe and understand sea level rise. He will also talk about salinity, how it is defined and measured, how it is changing globally and how it is being monitored (or really not) in the Cape Fear River.
Bio: Dr. Frederick Bingham has been a professor in the Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography and Center for Marine Science at UNCW for almost 30 years (29). He has a PhD in Oceanography from the University of California San Diego, and a Masters degree in Computer Science and Information Systems from UNCW. He has held previous positions at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Fred has spent his career studying the circulation of the oceans at large scales, their interaction with the atmosphere, their role in the climate, and the importance of ocean salinity in all of that. He has over 50 published papers in the field and his research has been funded by NASA as a member of their Ocean Salinity Science Team since 2009.
8:00 am – Doors open for coffee and pancakes
9:00 am – Seminar begins
Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online the following week.

February First Saturday Seminar
2026-02-07 08:00 - 10:30
We will hear from New Hanover County’s first Sustainability Manager, Madelyn Wampler. Madelyn will provide an overview of the county’s recently completed sustainability assessment (click here to read). She will highlight key findings, ongoing initiatives, and opportunities to strengthen environmental stewardship and resilience across New Hanover County.
Be sure to arrive early to warm up with complimentary pancakes and coffee, plus the chance to meet our spring interns!

March 2026 Seminar - What's Happening with the GenX Exposure Study
2026-03-07 09:00 - 10:30
For our next installment in our seminar series, we will hear a much-anticipated update on the GenX Exposure Study from Dr. Jane Hoppin. Dr. Hoppin is a professor at N.C. State University and the principal investigator of the study. She will provide a summary of the study’s findings to-date and discuss future plans for the project. The GenX Exposure Study first began in 2017 to measure the blood levels of PFAS in Wilmington residents. Since that time, it has grown into a long-term health study with more than 1,000 participants throughout the Cape Fear River Basin.
Be sure to arrive early to secure a seat and warm up with complimentary pancakes and coffee, courtesy of our spring interns!

April First Saturday Seminar
2026-04-04 08:00 - 10:30
The state’s oldest history museum, founded in 1898, the Cape Fear Museum focuses on the history, science, and culture of the Lower Cape Fear region. Museum Director Kate Baillon will give us an exclusive preview of the state-of-the-art exhibits and experiences coming to the museum’s new Grace St. campus this summer, including a planetarium, education space, and much more.

Be sure to join us before the seminar at 8 a.m. to warm up with free coffee and pancakes!

Please note: our front door is currently out of use due to renovations, please follow the signs and use our side door for seminar entry!

May First Saturday Seminar
2026-05-02 08:00 - 10:30
Join us for another wild installment in our monthly seminar series! Jeremy Bivins, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator based in Carolina Beach, will offer an inside look into the lives of our wild neighbors in the Lower Cape Fear. Jeremy will share tips and tricks on how you can best coexist with urban wildlife, including responsible feeding practices and what to do if you come across one that is orphaned or injured. Plus, Jeremy will debunk myths about some of our misunderstood “pest” species.

Saturday, May 2nd at 9:00 a.m.
CFRW Office (617 Surry St.)
Join us before the seminar at 8 a.m. to warm up with free coffee and pancakes!

Please note: our front door is currently out of use due to renovations, please follow the signs and use our side door for seminar entry!

June 2026 First Saturday Seminar
2026-06-06 09:00 - 10:00
We’re reaching the mid-year mark, and much has happened around the Cape Fear River Basin already. Let’s catch up! Our next seminar is a special one, as we hear an advocacy update from our Executive Director and Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette. Kemp will dive deeper into the advocacy campaigns you’ve seen us working on—from PFAS to the proposed port expansion and everything in-between—and share how you can take action, too.
🗓️: Saturday, June 6th at 9:00 a.m.
📍: CFRW Office (617 Surry St.)
🥞: Join us before the seminar at 8 a.m. to warm up with free coffee and pancakes, plus the chance to meet our new summer interns!
Please note: our front door is currently out of use due to ongoing renovations, follow the signs and use our side door for seminar entry.
