MOREHEAD CITY—North Carolina recently purchased 35 acres in Sunset Beach which will be added to the Bird Island Coastal Reserve.

The additional property, located between the West Main Street in Sunset Beach and the eastern boundary of the Bird Island Reserve, will allow the Reserve to be directly accessible to the public from public access points in Sunset Beach.

The Bird Island Reserve is one of the few undeveloped barrier island areas in southern North Carolina according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). The Reserve protects a variety of distinct marine habitats, and it is home to several rare plant and animal species, including the loggerhead sea turtle, seabeach amaranth, eastern painted bunting, wood stork, and diamondback terrapins.

“The Sunset Beach West tract is a significant addition to the Bird Island Reserve ensuring long-term habitat protection,” says Director of the Division of Coastal Management Braxton Davis in a press release,” the acquisition will also allow for continuous management of the area neighboring Beach.”

The 35 acre purchase was funded with $2.5 million from the North Carolina General Assembly in 2018, to permanently conserve the area as part of the Nature Reserve. Funds were requested from the town of Sunset Beach to resolve ownership and development litigation, according to NCDEQ.