Cape Fear River Watch

Pender County River Cleanup
2026-04-25 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | N.C. Wildlife Boat Ramp, 525 Whitestocking Rd., Burgaw, North Carolina, 28425
Click here to register!
Join Pender County Parks & Recreation for a kayak-based cleanup on the Northeast Cape Fear River from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 25th!
We’ll meet at the N.C. Wildlife Boat Ramp at 525 Whitestocking Rd, Burgaw, NC 28425.
All cleanup materials will be provided, and a limited number of kayaks from our CFRW fleet will be available. Feel free to bring your own kayak and help keep the Northeast Cape Fear clean!

May First Saturday Seminar
2026-05-02 08:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
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!

Paddle Through History on Moores Creek
2026-05-16 08:30 - 14:00 | Moores Creek National Battlefield, 40 Patriots Hall Dr., Currie, NC, 28435, United States
Click here to register!
Join us and Moores Creek National Battlefield for a patriotic paddle along Moores Creek in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Moores Creek is situated along a 88-acre national park that commemorates the battle between Patriots and Loyalist militia on February 27th, 1776. This battle was the first major victory for the Patriots and independence in North Carolina. The creek itself is a peaceful, slow moving blackwater creek that flows into the Black River, a major tributary of the Cape Fear River.
We will experience the creek as it was in 1776, starting at the battlefield, passing under the historic bridge, and tucking into untouched cypress swamps. This paddle is an out-and-back with a roughly 2.5 mile route. Following the paddle, we will load up and take time to enjoy lunch within the park, before joining a park ranger for an exclusive history tour (included with paddle registration!).

June 2026 First Saturday Seminar
2026-06-06 09:00 - 10:00 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
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.

June Second Saturday Cleanup
2026-06-13 09:00 - 23:00 | 735 Medical Center Dr., Wilmington, NC 28401, 735 Medical Center Dr., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Click here to register!
Cape Fear River Watch is partnering with Keep New Hanover Beautiful for our Second Saturday Cleanup on June 13th! The cleanup will take place in the Greenfield Lake watershed behind the Bojangles and Speedway on US 421 from 9-11 a.m. We will be cleaning up the woods, as well as the surrounding stormwater ditch and pond. Parking is available along Silverstream Lane, and an address that will get you close is 735 Medical Center Dr, Wilmington, NC 28401. Just follow for our “cleanup in progress” signs! We will bring the pickers, bags, gloves, and safety vests. You bring your passion for clean water. As always, please remember to dress appropriately for the weather and bring yourself plenty of water. We hope to see you out there!

June 2026 Third Saturday Paddle
2026-06-20 08:30 - 13:00 | Archie Blue Community Park, 1601 Wynnwood St., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Click here to register!
Join us as we continue our exploration of the Cape Fear River Basin by boat! This month, we will paddle a route that spans four waterways, with Downtown Wilmington in view. Our trip will start us off back in Burnt Mill Creek, into the marshes of Smith Creek, under the Isabel Holmes Bridge on the Northeast Cape Fear River, then passing by the riverwalk on the main stem of the Cape Fear River, before finishing off below the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.

Eagles Island Presentation
2026-07-17 09:00 - 10:30 | Zoom
CFRW Board Member Roger Shew will present the preliminary planning for four proposed public kayak landing sites that could eventually provide safe public access to portions of Eagles Island that will highlight the significant natural areas on and around the island, as well as the important cultural aspects. This will give you an opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, and participate with this opportunity to bring responsible public access to the beauty and history of Eagles Island.
Zoom Meeting Information
Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Zoom Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87899477463?pwd=[REDACTED]
We hope you will join us as we continue exploring thoughtful, carefully planned ways to make Eagles Island more accessible for future generations, while respecting the environmental and regulatory process every step of the way.

August First Saturday Seminar
2026-08-01 09:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
David Ingram and Hillary Taylor will explore the natural hazards affecting Wilmington and discuss how the City’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program, funded by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, is identifying vulnerable people and critical assets, assessing risk, and developing solutions to build a more resilient community. Following the presentation, attendees will have an opportunity to provide input that will help prioritize resilience strategies.
About the speakers:
David is the Sustainability Program Manager for the City of Wilmington and brings over 15 years of experience in energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building design and operations, and recycling/zero waste programs. He is passionate about integrating sustainability best practices into City of Wilmington operations and actions. David has BS in Wildlife Biology from the University of Georgia, and is a LEED AP through the US Green Building Council. David brings his diverse background toward advancing the City toward becoming more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.
Hillary is an urban planner with the Community Planning and Urban Design team at the City of Wilmington, where she specializes in long-range planning initiatives that help shape more resilient, equitable, and people-centered communities. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Regional Planners. Hillary is also a LEED AP Neighborhood Development professional and has certificates in landscape and ecological design.

Rock the River Benefit Concert for the Cape Fear
2026-08-02 12:00 - 20:00 | Waterline Brewing Co, 721 Surry St, Wilmington, 28401, United States
A celebration of community and the Cape Fear River? Count us in! Our summer intern, Maya Cruz, and Waterline Brewing Company are hosting the first Rock the River, a benefit concert for CFRW!
Come catch live sets from SIX local bands: GoldieLux, Sea Graves, Kicking Bird, Tercel, Masonboro Sound, and American Chestnut.
Plus, explore art and vintage finds from local vendors including Atrox Design, Samoht Creates Things, PrintedBelle, Anadaluna Studio, and Rachael Kinsey Designs.
And, sip on cold brews courtesy of our friends at Waterline, or have a bite from their on-site food truck Smash N Dash.
It’s all happening from 12-8 p.m. on Sunday, August 2nd at Waterline Brewing! The best part: your ticket supports CFRW’s mission to protect and improve the water quality of the beautiful Cape Fear River at the background of this full-day bash.
Tickets are only $15 (or $20 at the door) and on sale now at tr.ee/rocktheriver.
