Topsail Nature Preserve officially transferred to state after decades-long conservation effort

The 150-acre preserve, located on the south end of the island, will now be managed by the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, ensuring the land remains protected for future generations.

“People with a few years on them like me who grew up going to the south end and now experience the joy of taking their grandchildren as well,” said Harrison Marks, executive director of the Coastal Land Trust.

Marks said residents have spent years fighting to preserve the area’s sand dunes, wetlands, nesting habitats, wildlife and natural integrity.

Since 2005, conservation efforts have aimed to stop development on one of the last privately owned and undeveloped parcels on the barrier island.

“In 2023, we had another opportunity to acquire and then this time all the stars aligned and we were able to raise enough money to buy the land from the former owners,” Marks said.

The Coastal Land Trust negotiated a contract with the Raleigh-based property owners to conserve the land and purchased the property for $8 million. The acquisition included $1.6 million in private donations from roughly 800 residents.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official transfer of the preserve to the state.

“This spectacular place, will stay like this, will stay wild forever,” said Reid Wilson, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Protection. 

Wilson said protecting the preserve not only supports environmental conservation efforts but also helps strengthen the coast against future storms and severe weather.

“We’ve seen issues up and down our coast with erosion and flooding,” Wilson said.

He added that while natural forces may continue to reshape the shoreline over time, development pressures no longer will.

“It will not shift because of bulldozers and dump trucks and I think that’s something we can all celebrate,” Wilson said.

The Coastal Land Trust is now seeking volunteers to assist with litter removal and habitat protection efforts at the preserve. Click here to learn more.