Press Release concerning the Barrier Island Study Center (Word doc)

BHI Limited HAVEN Magazine article on the Study Center

Donors to Project 20/20

Project 20/20

The Conservancy is poised to take a national leadership position in coordinating barrier island research, conservation and education to ensure long-term, sustainable living on the Smith Island Complex and other barrier islands.

Bald Head Island Conservancy identified three campaign phases in 2003:

Phase I: Turtle Center Completed 2004

Project 20/20 first addressed the financial requirements of the expanded programs and facilities. Turtle Central is the Conservancy’s retail store that has underwritten a large percentage of the annual operating budget. Turtle Central doubled its size. Minor increases in overhead have been more than off-set by a 50% increase in revenues.

Phase II: Malcolm J. Fleming Environmental Center Completed 2006

The original classroom building dedicated in 1996, and made possible by Dr. and Mrs. Robert Timmons, has been renovated and tripled in size with additions. These additions include greater learning and meeting/conference spaces, a new educational display room, state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment, a study space for interns and visitors, and much needed educational resources storage.

The number of environmental programs offered by the Conservancy has grown 47% during the past three years and the number of participants by 117% to over 10,000 children and adults. In addition to educational programs, the Malcolm J. Fleming Environmental Center expands opportunities to host conferences and meetings pertinent to the BHIC and its mission.

Phase III: Barrier Island Study Center – Phase 3 in process

BARRIER ISLAND STUDY CENTER

The Bald Head Island Conservancy is poised to be a national leader in barrier island conservation. Healthy barrier islands protect lives, economic infrastructure and cultural/historic landmarks on the islands and along the coastline. Yet, very little is known about the plants, animals and geological systems that sustain these islands and protect communities. The Barrier Island Study Center (BISC) will be the first community-supported, field laboratory to focus on barrier islands. The facility will have laboratories for research and education, a library, and conference room. BISC will increase educational opportunities while simultaneously providing the management information needed to protect our islands. There's no time to lose. Please help protect this island and other barrier islands throughout the U.S.A. and beyond by contributing to building the Barrier Island Study Center.

The Barrier Island Study Center will be one of the few community-based, resource centers focused on barrier island preservation and restoration, even though their importance to humans, to the economy, and to ecosystems is highly recognized. The new Barrier Island Study Center will be the lab within the living lab of 12,000 acres of diverse, and sometimes rare and endangered, barrier island environments. The Center will have relevance to the East and Gulf Coasts, since 85% of the coastlines are protected from extreme storms and wind by barrier islands.

The annual operations of the Center will be underwritten by fees for scientific use of space, labs, dorms, and equipment plus grants. Additionally, fees for expanded and new educational programs with hands-on lab experiences and experiments will support research studies and operations by the Conservancy.

The plan incorporates a site with limited interference with nature on the Bald Head Conservancy Campus and the attributes of a “green” building, currently at the highest, “Platinum” level. The total square footage will be approximately 5,500 feet

Library: Paper and digital resources to help students and scientists access information relevant to barrier islands.

Wet Laboratory: Salt water aquifer will supply salt water to research tanks with lighting and temperature controls to replicate the natural environment for research and teaching.

Dry Laboratory: Space for research and teaching requiring chemical and research laboratories will have “clean and dry benches, vacuum outlets, ventilation hood, sinks, electrical ports, lockable cabinets for chemicals, drying ovens, digital scales, and centrifuges for environmental research and a teaching resource

Technology: Technology to support complex studies. Access to scientific databases and sufficient computing power to coordinate both field collected and remotely sensed data from in-place data loggers to satellite transmitted data.

Teaching Laboratories: Audio/visual and computer equipment in the Center’s wet and dry laboratories to facilitate education on all levels by professional scientists.

Conference/Education Rooms: One small and one large room with versatile configurations to be used for meetings, classrooms, lectures, and conferences.

Administrative Offices: Eight offices to serve the Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, Operations Manager, Financial Manager, Director of Education/Senior Naturalist, Director of Conservation, Environmental Educator, and Development Director to benefit the productivity of the organization as it grows.

Storage Spaces: Proper scientific storage of equipment and administrative records to accomplish the research and teaching.

BARRIER ISLAND STUDY CENTER

Opportunities are available to name many of the facilities of the Study Center with a donation. Go here for more information. (Word doc)