Latest News & Events
Science in Our Parks: The Importance of Natives vs. Invasives in North Carolina’s Coastal Wetlands
By Ash Keiper-Kintz, Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore The Battle When you look out over the saltmarsh at South Point Road on Ocracoke Island, you may think it looks calm and peaceful. But in reality, the...
Fort Raleigh’s Elizabethan Room: Another Mystery on Roanoke Island
This year, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site staff dove deep into the history of the park. But not, as you might suspect, the history of events at the park. Instead, Ranger Taylor Hegler dove into the history of a room, one that has graced the Fort Raleigh Visitor...
Meet Our Board: Dr. Paul Orser
Please tell us a bit about yourself. I am originally from Maine and have lived in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and most recently in Winston-Salem, North Carolina since 1989. I am an ecologist by training, having worked for 15 years in a Boston-based...
Science in Our Parks: Treating Invasive Plants
Invasive Plant Profile: "The Mighty Phrag" (Common Reed, Phragmites australis) By Megan Baker, Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore What is Phragmites (Common Reed)? Common Reed (Phragmites australis), or simply Phragmites, is a...
Meet Our Board: Nick Graham, Treasurer
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m 32 – born and raised in Southern Shores. I’ve spent my whole life on the Outer Banks except for a six-year stint for higher education and trying out life in a big city. I am in the property and casualty insurance...
Science in Our Parks: Treating Invasive Plants
Invasive Plant Profile: Thorny Olive (Elaeagnus pungens) By Michael Gosselin, Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore What is it? Thorny Olive is a fast-growing, evergreen shrub that is native to Asia. It was introduced in...
Monitoring Recreational Water Quality
By Michael Flynn, Physical Scientist at Cape Hatteras National Seashore The Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) is situated between two major water bodies – the Atlantic Ocean and the Pamlico Sound – which provides a wide variety of water based recreational...
Meet Your Ranger: Lilianne Kinne
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio Program of study, relevant job experience: My degree is in Communications with a minor in Sociology. But I have a mix of job experience in conservation work (trail building, wildland...
Sea Turtle Nesting: Step-by-Step
By Emma Dlutkowski, Seasonal Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Sea turtle species at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Of the world’s seven species of sea turtle, five have been documented nesting at Cape Hatteras National...
Meet Your Ranger: Mike Anderson
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Chesterton, Indiana Relevant job experience: 8 years with the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service in a variety of positions, mostly focusing on interpretation. Position in our...
Supporter Story: Colleen Minard
My siblings and I were born in Charlottesville, Virginia, but grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. Our parents, Paul and Mary Ann, loved the Outer Banks, and our family spent weeks camping there when we were growing up. Colleen and her mom, Mary Ann, on Hatteras in 1966....
Meet Your Ranger: George S. Jaramillo
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Miami, Florida Program of study: I received a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University, ’01, and a MSc in Historic Preservation at Columbia University, ‘05. I received my PhD in Cultural...
Partner Spotlight: OBX Beverage
Please tell us a little bit about yourselves and your business. My name is Kiefer Pirrung, and along with my wife Molly and our four young children, like so many others that live and vacation here, we too have a deep love for the Outer Banks. This beautiful area has...
Meet Your Ranger: Robin Snyder
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Appomattox, Virginia Program of study: I hold a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Teaching from the University of Virginia. I thought I would be a classroom teacher, but working...
Revealing diamonds: Sonja Griffin Evans’ new painting helps tell the story of the Freedmen’s Colony on Roanoke Island
Sonja Griffin Evans in her studio. Photo: Sonja Griffin Evans - The Art of Sonja Griffin Evans. By Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator at Outer Banks Forever She has been likened to Michelangelo for her ability to capture the human spirit in and with her...
Meet Your Ranger: Nakita Lopez
Nakita Lopez and her family hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Photo: Nakita Lopez Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: El Portal, California Program of study, relevant job experience: I went to school for outdoor recreational...
Supporter Story: Shannon Winakur
Shannon Winakur visiting the Cape Hatteras Light Station. Photo: Shannon Winakur. I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and I now live in Baltimore, Maryland, with my husband and two teenage daughters. I am a cardiologist, so work for...
Meet Your Ranger: Carrie Hardin
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Born in Seattle, Washington, but raised in Arlington, Virginia. Program of study, relevant job experience: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Master of Business Administration. I spent the last 20-ish...
Education Garden at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site provides a new way to learn about Roanoke Island history
By Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator at Outer Banks Forever While exploring the grounds of Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, you may come across a raised garden bed filled with plants such as corn, beans, squash, sunflowers and herbs, especially in...
Outer Banks Forever and friends raise $25K+ in 24 hours on Giving Tuesday
Photo Credit: Daniel Pullen Photography KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC – Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial, in partnership with REAL...
Meet Your Community Volunteer Ambassador: Serena Diaz
Community Volunteer Ambassador Serena Diaz using a mano and metate. Photo Credit: Serena Diaz. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Yakima, Washington Program of study: Bachelors in Anthropology with a focus on...
Outer Banks Forever, Cape Hatteras National Seashore break ground for new Cape Hatteras Lighthouse multiuse pathway
Pictured from left to right: Trip Forman, Outer Banks Forever Board President and Co-Owner of REAL Watersports; Laura Ertle, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative; Jessica Barnes, Director of Outer Banks Forever; Babur Mian,...
Junior Ranger programs inspire next generation of Outer Banks national park lovers and stewards
Junior Ranger programs inspire next generation of Outer Banks national park lovers and stewards By Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator at Outer Banks Forever Each year, thousands of kids across the country who visit national parks pledge to protect and...
Open OutDoors for Kids Field Trips!
Each year, fourth-grade students across North Carolina learn about the state’s history, including the important stories of American Indian peoples, English exploration, the Freedmen’s Colony on Roanoke Island and the Wright brothers’ first flight, which the Outer...
Sea Turtle Scoop 2023
Did you know that biological science technicians at Cape Hatteras National Seashore carefully track, learn from, and protect hundreds of sea turtle nests each summer? While human visitors flocked to the Seashore this summer, more than 370 sea turtles also made their...
Meet Your Ranger: Taylor Hegler
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: This is always a loaded question as I was a military kid due to my father’s service in the United States Coast Guard, so we moved constantly. But I was born in Peoria, Illinois, and it’s where the large...
Project Update: Pathways to Your National Parks
Since last October, we have been working with our National Park Service partners and our local community to create a new experience at Cape Hatteras National Seashore: the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Pathway. Each year, millions of people visit the Seashore, and many...
Meet Your Ranger: Alisa Hardin-Lapp
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Southeast Pennsylvania (Go Eagles!) Program of study: B.S. in Business Management, Metropolitan State University of Denver Position in our Outer Banks national parks: Supervisory Park Ranger (Hatteras Island...
Supporter Story: Barbara Jordan
Barbara Jordan enjoying her time at the beach! It’s 1952 and I’m in a house on the beach in Nags Head, North Carolina, and I’m seeing the ocean for the first time. I am 16 years old. I will try to briefly summarize my over 70 years of visiting the Outer Banks. I am...
Celebrate National Aviation Day in the Outer Banks!
We invite you to celebrate National Aviation Day on Saturday, August 19, at two different locations in the Outer Banks: Wright Brothers National Memorial and Dare County Regional Airport! Join our friends at the National Park Service, the First Flight Society, and the...
Meet the Team: Nicole Erickson, Development and Adoption Programs Manager
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Being the child of a military family, I had the opportunity and pleasure of living in some beautiful places around the world. I was born in Wales, United Kingdom, and then spent some time in Iceland and on the island...
Meet Your Ranger: Lulu Luis
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Miami, Florida. Program of study, relevant job experience, or relevant life experience: I have a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, specializing in Advertising. I spent nearly...
Ask A BioTech: Flippers or Feet?
By Ash Keiper-Kintz, Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore So, you’ve come across a turtle while visiting the beach, that means it’s a sea turtle, right? Not necessarily! Sea turtles aren’t the only turtles that enjoy the beach, they...
Meet Your Ranger: Pia Cano
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Santa Ana, California. Program of study: I recently graduated from Clark University where I majored in Race & Ethnic Studies and minored in Global Environmental Studies and Art...
Coastal Warning Signal Tower Returns to U.S. Weather Bureau Station in Hatteras Village
By Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator at Outer Banks Forever On Tuesday, June 20, Cape Hatteras National Seashore completed exterior renovations of the historic U.S. Weather Bureau Station in Hatteras Village with the installation of a new...
Ask A BioTech: All About Shorebird Protections
By Abby Burke, Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Why are sections of the beach closed for shorebirds? This is by far one of the most common questions we get as bio techs. The answer lies in shorebird nesting strategies and...
Meet the Team: Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I grew up in beautiful Central Virginia – where I currently live – and have been visiting the Outer Banks since I was little. In fact, my parents met in the Outer Banks, so the ‘Banks have always been a part of our...
Partner Spotlight: Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
Please tell us a little bit about the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and your role(s) there. The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is the lead marketing and promotional agency for Dare County’s Outer Banks. We promote overnight visitation to the area and provide travel...
Meet the Team: Jessica Barnes, Director
Photo: Director, Jess Barnes, on her first day of a six day solo backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park.Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I was born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia, right outside of Richmond. Growing...
Sea Turtle Migration: Moms on the Move!
Sea Turtle Migration: Moms on the Move! By Jessica Stuczynski, Biological Science Technician May 1 kicked off the sea turtle nesting season at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore)! Every morning, biological technicians hit the beach to survey and document new...
Donor Story: Thurman Worthington, Jr.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to the Outer Banks. I grew up in eastern North Carolina, in Pitt County, which is where Greenville, North Carolina, and East Carolina University are, on a tobacco farm. My family owned one of the original...
Partner Spotlight: Roasts for Coasts Coffee Co.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your coffee company. What inspired you to start “Roasts for Coasts”? Hello! My name is Adele! I am a mother of a soon-to-be two-year-old, I love coffee and I love the Outer Banks. It all started back in 2019 when a trip...
Donor Story: Edward Masterka
It's National Park Week, and we're celebrating by sharing stories from our supporters! A Sacrifice For Freedom: Gratitude For The Royal British Navy By Edward "Eddie" Masterka My wife was involved in recording the history and culture of the Outer Banks for decades,...
Donor Story: Susan Bacon
It's National Park Week, and we're celebrating by sharing stories from our supporters! "My husband and his family have gone to Cape Hatteras National Seashore since the 1970s, when -- bless my mother-in-law's soul -- they went in tents, then moved up to a travel...
Artist in Community: Karyn Renea Soto
Our new Artist in Community program, in partnership with Dare Arts and the National Park Service, gives Outer Banks artists the opportunity to demonstrate their crafts or perform their arts in our Outer Banks national parks! Please tell us a little bit about yourself...
Artist in Community: Gray Michael Parsons
Our new Artist in Community program, in partnership with Dare Arts and the National Park Service, gives Outer Banks artists the opportunity to demonstrate their crafts or perform their arts in our Outer Banks national parks! Please tell us a little bit about yourself...
Artist in Community: Kate Leal
Our new Artist in Community program, in partnership with Dare Arts and the National Park Service, gives Outer Banks artists the opportunity to demonstrate their crafts or perform their arts in our Outer Banks national parks! Please tell us a little bit about yourself...
Outer Banks Forever, Dare Arts, National Park Service announce artist selections for ‘Artist in Community’ Earth Day event
KILL DEVIL HILLS and MANTEO, NC - Outer Banks Forever – the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial – in partnership with Dare Arts and the National Park Service are...
Meet Your Ranger: Ann-Marie Mignone
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Burlington, North Carolina Program of study: Anthropology (Conc. Archeology),...
Meet Your Ranger: Madison Grigsby
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida Program of study: Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies. I...
Call for Artists: Artist in Community Earth Day Event!
Event Description Outer Banks Forever, Dare Arts, and the Outer Banks Group of the National Park Service have partnered to create and launch a new Artist in Community program that will give local artists the opportunity to share their crafts with the public at a...
Meet Your Ranger: Adair Raybon
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Mobile, Alabama Program of study, relevant job experience, or relevant life...
Partner Spotlight: Carolina Brewery
We’d like to introduce you to Robert Poitras, founder and CEO of Carolina Brewery! With locations in Chapel Hill and Pittsboro and with products on shelves throughout the Carolinas, "Carolina Brewery stands beside anyone who wants to see what’s out there, to dream...
Meet Your Ranger: Thomas Foster
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Williamsburg, Virginia Education: B.A. in American History, University of North...
Meet Your Volunteer: Mona Currie
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Manteo, North Carolina Work and volunteer experience: I was a nurse for 40 years and retired in 2021. Since then, I've been a busy volunteer actively engaged with Fort Raleigh National Historic Site activities,...
Donor Spotlight: The Pony Island Inn
We’d like to introduce you to Charles Cushman of the Pony Island Inn on Ocracoke Island. He and his family and business partners, Gary and Ashley Curry, lovingly care for the 64-year-old inn and provide their guests with top-notch vacation experiences year-round. We...
Outer Banks Forever raises $24,500 for ‘Pathways to Your National Parks’ on Giving Tuesday
KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC – Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial, in partnership with REAL Watersports and Carolina Brewery, is thrilled to announce...
Outer Banks Forever partners with REAL Watersports, Carolina Brewery for $10,000 Giving Tuesday matching challenge
KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC – Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial, has partnered with REAL Watersports and Carolina Brewery for a $10,000 Giving...
Meet Your Ranger: Dillon Roy
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Program of study: M.A. Historical Archaeology (with a focus...
Sea Turtle Scoop: Your Look Inside the 2022 Sea Turtle Nesting Season at Cape Hatteras!
Did you know that biological science technicians at Cape Hatteras National Seashore carefully track, learn from and protect hundreds of sea turtle nests each summer? While human visitors flocked to the Seashore this summer, over 378 sea turtles also made their way...
Outer Banks Forever, National Park Service partner for ‘Pathways to Your National Parks’ project
KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC — Outer Banks Forever — the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial — and the Outer Banks Group of the National Park Service are pleased to announce...
Outer Banks Forever and Swells’a Brewing Beer Company team up to support Outer Banks national parks this National Public Lands Day
KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC –Ahead of National Public Lands Day, Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Swells’a Brewing Beer Company, the only...
Meet Your Volunteer: Paul Hinds
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: The Woodlands, Texas Work experience: Petroleum Engineer - Retired from ExxonMobil in 2021 What do you like to do in your free time? Bake goodies for my coworkers, genealogy work, work with new technology and...
Ask A BioTech: Why Excavate Sea Turtle Nests?
By Ben Ranelli, Seasonal Biological Technician on Ocracoke Island As a biotech, there is hardly a more rewarding sight than a swell of sea turtle hatchling tracks left behind from their oceanward journey. Knowing the effort to protect their nests has given each...
New Opportunities at Oregon Inlet
Formed by a hurricane in 1846, Oregon Inlet connects the Atlantic Ocean with Pamlico Sound and a maze of inland waterways. Forming a 3,000-square-mile estuary, these waters offer crucial habitat for commercially important fish, shrimp, and shellfish species. Over 95%...
Nesting Season on the Outer Banks
Humans aren’t the only creatures that flock to the beaches of the Outer Banks. The sandy dunes and ever-changing shorelines play host to more than 300 bird species and dozens of reptiles. In the spring and summer, seven species of shorebirds make their nests in Cape...
The Bodie Island Lighthouse: 150 Years of Light
The Graveyard of the Atlantic has claimed countless ships and lives off the coast of North Carolina. Since 1872, the Bodie Island Lighthouse has warned mariners of the hidden dangers which lie 40 miles to the south, the Diamond Shoals. Ships taking advantage of the...
Roanoke: New Clues Uncovered In Enduring Mystery
Roanoke Island’s sandy soil has many stories a story to tell. One of those stories is the mystery of the “Lost Colony.” Archaeologists with the First Colony Foundation – which is dedicated to conducting archaeological and historical research, combined with public...
“Big Kill Devil Hill’s” New Look
When Wilbur and Orville Wright made the trek from Dayton to Kitty Hawk each year from 1900 to 1903 to test their gliders and their flyer, they relied on the sand dunes known as “Kill Devil Hills” to provide the ideal testing ground. But sand dunes are constantly...
Why Kitty Hawk?
Have you ever wondered why two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, would travel all the way to the Outer Banks to try and fly? Travel wasn’t easy in the early 1900s (this is pre-airplane after all, and pre-highway as well) so there must have been a good reason why Wilbur...
Leatherback Sea Turtles: Titans of the Deep
By Benjamin Ranelli, Seasonal Biological Science Technician at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Ocracoke District) Three quarters of a mile below the surface of the ocean where sunlight cannot reach, true titans still roam the world’s oceans. By far, leatherback sea...
A New Way to Get on the Wright Route!
Orville and Wilbur Wright changed the course of human history in twelve seconds when they completed the first successful heavier-than-air powered flight on the sands of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903. But their journey to the skies began long before...
Meet Your Ranger: Adonis Osekre
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Washington, D.C. Program of study and relevant work experience: I studied...
Celebrate National Aviation Day 2022 in the Outer Banks
We invite you to celebrate National Aviation Day (Orville and Katharine Wright’s birthdays!) on Friday, August 19, at two locations in the Outer Banks: Wright Brothers National Memorial and Dare County Regional Airport! If you can't join in person this year, check...
Outer Banks Forever 2022 Summer Gear Guide
Outer Banks Forever 2022 Summer Gear Guide Just in time for your summer adventures: Outer Banks Forever merchandise! Did you know you that your favorite Outer Banks Forever gear is now available online? Each item in our collection represents something we love about...
Partner Spotlight: Swells’a Brewing Beer Company
We’d like to introduce you Sam Harriss, co-owner and artistic director at Swells’a Brewing Beer Company located in Kill Devil Hills! Not only are Sam and her fellow owners passionate about brewing great beer, but they are also passionate about protecting and enhancing...
All About Sea Turtles: Sea Turtle Hatchlings
Sea turtle nesting season is in full swing at Cape Hatteras National Seashore! Last month, we introduced you to Paul Doshkov, Supervisory Biological Technician (Bodie Island) and Scientific Research and Collecting Permit Coordinator at Cape Hatteras National Seashore,...
Meet Your Ranger: Isabel Gonzalez
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hometown: Arlington, Texas. Program of study: I am currently working on my master’s in public...
Partner Spotlight: Amabile Co.
June is National Ocean Month, and we’d like to introduce you to the Amabile family, the founders and artisans of Amabile Co., a family-owned and -operated company that supports organizations that are committed to protecting and cleaning waterways around North America...
Ask A BioTech: Paul Doshkov
Ask a BioTech – All About Sea Turtles: Sea Turtle Nests Sea turtle nesting season at Cape Hatteras National Seashore has begun! We reached out to our Biological Technician friends to learn more about the sea turtles that visit the Seashore each year. We are pleased...
Honoring American Indian Heritage in the Outer Banks
This month, national parks around the United States are honoring Native American Heritage Month, and our Outer Banks national parks are joining them! Years before the arrival of Europeans and what has come to be called “The Lost Colony,” the land that is now known as...
Mysteries from our Outer Banks National Parks
Whether you’re huddled around a campfire or snuggled under blankets in your living room, fall is the perfect time to tell stories of intrigue. Our Outer Banks national parks have all played vital roles in both American and world history, and each park has its own...
The Origins of OBX Kite Boarding with Trip Forman, REAL Watersports
By Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator Trip Forman has gills. At least that’s what he tells people. “I have to be in the water,” Forman said. “If I'm not in the water regularly, my gills start to dry up and stick to the side of my neck. And then I get...
Why I Give: Mike Smith, Forever Founder and OBX Forever Board Vice President
I first visited the Outer Banks with my parents as a very young child in 1964. My favorite vacation memory, however, is June 1999. I had just completed private pilot training in Chesapeake, Virginia. My first flight as a private pilot was to First Flight Airport...
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