Officials set to unveil sweeping restoration effort for state park — here's why the timeline is critical

Carolina Beach State Park is adding an overlook to allow visitors to observe the wildlife up close and better appreciate the recent restoration of the area's wetland.

The state park, located in coastal North Carolina, is entering its third year of restoration efforts led by the North Carolina Coastal Federation, a nonprofit serving the Carolina coast. 

In an article by Coastal Review, Coastal Federation Coastal Specialist Georgia Busch said, "The final phase of this project is the construction of an observation platform for visitors to learn about critical wetland habitats within our dynamic coastal systems."

With visitors granted better access to the intricacies of the state park, they can fully understand how the wetlands function without interfering too much with the systems in harmful ways.

Leading up to the construction of this observation platform, endeavors in the area included integrating native plants to restore balance to the park's ecosystem and removing phragmites, an invasive reed grass species. 

Invasive plants such as this one are known for threatening natural ecosystems. While invasive species can come as a result of many factors, the practice of "rewilding" your yard — using native plants instead of ones that do not naturally grow in your area — is a good way to prevent the integration of invasive plants. 

What's better, native plants thrive in their natural environment, so the upkeep, both for homeowners and for places like Carolina Beach State Park, is minimal. Nature does the work for you, keeping costs and labor down.

While the hands-on work restoring the area is crucial, the North Carolina Coastal Federation sees the educational opportunities of the new overlook as another vital step in protecting and improving Carolina Beach State Park.

Jesse Anderson, the lead park ranger, explained to Coastal Review that "[The overlook] will make an excellent area for observations of wildlife in their habitat that may otherwise be difficult to access."

With construction beginning in the coming weeks, visitors to the Sugarloaf Trail — a hot spot for visiting hikers and explorers at the state park — should use caution navigating the area and watch out for temporary closures as the North Carolina Coastal Federation begins work on the overlook.

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