Morning mist rises off 6,000 acres of restored wetlands at North River Wetland Preserve in eastern Carteret County, one of the largest wetland restoration projects in the nation. This massive transformation from farmland back to forested, freshwater, and tidal wetlands demonstrates how partnerships between the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the North Carolina Coastal Federation, and multiple agencies can achieve landscape-scale conservation.

The project exemplifies how federal programs, state funding, and local expertise combine to create lasting environmental and economic benefits. Central to this success is the collaboration between conservation leaders like Bill Edwards, NRCS Wetlands Reserve Easement Manager for North Carolina, whose decades of experience have shaped the state's approach to wetland restoration, and Todd Miller, Executive Director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation.

"Bill's enthusiasm is contagious when you see what's possible," says Josselyn Lucas, Working Lands for Wildlife Coordinator at the University of Georgia's River Basin Institute, after touring one of the partnership's restored wetlands in eastern N.C. "Complete hydrology restoration, invasive species control, freshwater and saltwater improvements, living shorelines. They're using every tool. The site is a model of cross-cutting strategies and multi-stakeholder collaboration, integrating a broad suite of practices into a cohesive project that benefits both the landowner and the ecosystem."

North River: Partnership at Scale

The North River Wetland Preserve represents unprecedented collaboration. Starting in 1999, the North Carolina Coastal Federation worked with the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, NRCS, various agencies, volunteers, and members to restore 6,000 acres of farmland to its original wetland state.

The N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, established by the state legislature in 1996, provides funding to protect and restore water quality throughout North Carolina. This state program complemented federal conservation efforts, particularly through NRCS's Wetlands Reserve Easement (WRE) program, which offers landowners financial incentives to restore and protect wetlands while maintaining ownership of their property.

"For years, we were working with piecemeal funding, acquiring tracts here and there," explains Bree Charron, PE, Water Quality Program Director at the North Carolina Coastal Federation. "Then WRE came along and allowed us to roll these pieces together into something much larger and more impactful."

The primary goal was to improve water quality in degraded downstream estuaries and reopen waters for shellfishing. The recreated wetlands now retain, filter, and naturally treat agricultural runoff from upstream farmland. They're restoring watershed hydrology, trapping sediments, converting nutrients, and preventing pollutants from reaching coastal waters.

"The partnership between NRCS and the Coastal Federation brings all programs into one seamless process," Lucas observes. "Bill Edwards at NRCS and Todd Miller at the Coastal Federation bring decades of experience. It's special but easily replicable."

The ecological response confirms the success of this approach. King Rails, rare in North Carolina, have returned to nest in the restored marshes. Pintail and black duck populations have soared. The diversity extends beyond game species, with remarkable butterfly populations and wading birds that attract researchers from across the nation.

Lux Farm: Landowner-Driven Innovation

While North River demonstrates large-scale restoration, the Lux Farm project in Hyde County illustrates how partnerships enable individual landowners to transform marginal lands while maintaining profitable agricultural operations.

Here, NRCS collaborated with the Coastal Federation, drainage associations, and neighboring producers to address a complex challenge: maintaining necessary agricultural drainage while reducing nutrient runoff that affects downstream oyster beds.

"We redesigned entire water flow patterns," explains Edwards. "Working with drainage associations, we moved pump stations and outfalls to route water through restored wetlands that naturally filter nutrients before reaching sensitive waters."

For participating landowners, WRE provides compelling benefits. "Landowners maintain ownership and access to their property while receiving direct payment for permanent conservation easements," emphasizes Charron. "NRCS covers the full cost of restoration work." This approach keeps productive farmland in production while transforming marginal, flood-prone areas into wetlands that generate income from hunting leases. The restored areas provide flood control for neighboring properties and filter nutrients that previously damaged downstream fisheries.

Multiplying Impact Through Program Integration

Both projects illustrate how integrating multiple NRCS programs amplifies conservation benefits. WRE provides the foundation with easement payments and restoration funding for private landowners. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) supports ongoing management, including the control of invasive species and the maintenance of water control structures. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) enables landscape-scale improvements, evidenced by the $16.8 million investment in the Lake Mattamuskeet watershed.

"We're combining WRE easements with EQIP practices for water control structures, dikes for freshwater management, and living shorelines," explains Lucas. "These aren't exotic techniques. They're bread and butter conservation practices that work across many aquatic landscapes."

Technical innovations stretch funding further. NRCS pioneered the incorporation of 22-mil landfill liners into dike cores, thereby reducing excavation costs. Natural seed banks eliminate replanting expenses. Water control structures enable seasonal management without costly pumping systems.

"We design management plans around producer objectives," notes Edwards. "Our technical assistance ensures you achieve your goals while meeting conservation standards. It's your land, your vision, our support."

Scaling Success Through Collaboration

North River and Lux Farm demonstrate how different partnership models deliver results:

Large-scale restoration by conservation organizations achieves watershed-level impacts by aggregating multiple properties into contiguous conservation areas, maximizing ecological benefits while simplifying management.

Individual landowner participation through WRE enables farmers to convert marginal lands to conservation use while maintaining profitable operations on their best agricultural acres, creating win-win scenarios for production and conservation.

Collaborative watershed management through drainage associations balances agricultural needs with environmental protection by coordinating water management across property boundaries, ensuring both farming viability and downstream water quality.

Each approach serves specific needs while contributing to landscape-scale conservation.

"Eastern North Carolina has incredible potential with large tracts under single ownership," emphasizes Lucas. "The shared vision among NRCS, FSA, conservation districts, and partners makes landscape-scale conservation possible while serving individual producer needs. All of this is scalable."

Since 1992, North Carolina has enrolled 54,800 acres in the WRE program, with 50,000 acres fully restored. Current funding of $1.5 million annually supports the acquisition of approximately 500 acres of new easements per year. Edwards estimates $5-10 million would allow the program to meet current landowner interest.

"Start at your local NRCS Service Center and connect with the WRE manager," advises Edwards to interested producers. "Be patient. The program is competitive because it's so popular. But for those who qualify, it's truly transformative."

The success at North River and Lux Farm proves that strategic partnerships achieve what no single entity could accomplish alone. Water quality improves. Wildlife thrives. Shellfishing waters reopen. Landowners profit from marginal lands. Communities prosper.

As these North Carolina projects demonstrate, when federal programs, state resources, local knowledge, and landowner commitment align, the results ripple across entire watersheds, proving that conservation at scale isn't just possible, it's already happening.

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