Overview

Members of APNEP’s Engagement and Stewardship Action Team include representatives from universities, the NC Office of Environmental Education, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, NC Aquariums, NC State Parks, NC Sea Grant, local government, and conservation organizations including the NC Coastal Federation, Sound Rivers, and River Guardian Foundation. The team pursues collaborative initiatives aligned with the following APNEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) actions:

  • D1.1: Communicate the importance of stewardship and offer opportunities for volunteerism to further APNEP's mission. Advocating environmental stewardship and providing citizens with meaningful volunteer options improves the environment while educating the public about the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system.
    • Outputs: Workshops and engagement materials on stewardship and volunteer opportunities
    • Results: Increase in voluntary citizen action to protect and restore the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system
  • D2.1: Provide and promote opportunities for outdoor experiences that connect individuals with the Albemarle-Pamlico ecosystem. A meaningful and educational outdoor experience can change the lens through which a person views the natural world. A person who is connected to the estuarine system is more likely to take the steps necessary to ensure that it thrives. APNEP will continue to work with its partners to provide and promote opportunities for meaningful outdoor experiences.
    • Outputs: Activities for the public to become engaged in experiencing the Albemarle-Pamlico ecosystem
    • Results: Increased awareness and engagement in implementation of the CCMP
  • D2.2: Provide environmental education training opportunities for educators in the region. By teaching educators about the Albemarle-Pamlico region and its associated environmental issues and providing them with science-based resources, APNEP and its partners enrich the education of thousands of students annually.
    • Outputs: Workshops and materials for educators
    • Results: Increased awareness and engagement in implementation of the CCMP
  • D2.3: Increase public understanding of the relationship between ecosystem health and human health advisories relating to water, fish, and game. Few citizens fully understand the relationships between human activity and health advisories. APNEP will work to help people make these connections, allowing citizens to take concrete steps to address pollution sources.
    • Outputs: Outreach and educational materials
    • Results: Improved water quality.

Engagement and Stewardship grant awards fund projects in the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine region. An independent review committee from the Engagement and Stewardship Team selected the projects through a competitive evaluation and ranking process. The selected projects support APNEP’s mission to identify, protect, and restore the significant resources of the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system, and specifically address multiple actions in the partnership’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Read more about the selected projects from the 2021 research funding proposals.

Please contact Steve Anderson (APNEP, Partnership Coordinator) if you are interested in participating or have project ideas for the team.  

View all Engagement and Stewardship Action Team Meetings Materials

Team Members