Even though we once again saw snowflakes here in the Outer Banks over the weekend, there are still signs that summer is just around the corner – and our Outer Banks national parks are gearing up for another potentially record-breaking year!
As the busy summer season arrives, we are committed to keeping you in the loop on what's new in our parks, stories that are important to you, and ways you can support our parks to help protect and enhance these special places. One way you can help today is by taking our short survey (details below) and sharing what you would like to hear from us about our parks this year.
In addition to the stories we are sharing to celebrate Women's History Month, here are a few other happenings in our parks that might interest you:
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Our parks are seeking public comments on the rehabilitation of the Ocracoke Light Station.
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Volunteers are needed to help with several beach cleanups in Rodanthe in the coming weeks.
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OBX History Weekend, which will explore the theme "Searchers of New Horizons," kicks off with tours at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial on March 30! More information is available here.
We looked forward to welcoming you and your family in our Outer Banks national parks this summer – stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details on how you can rediscover the beauty and history of our parks. As always, remember to recreate responsibly to ensure our parks continue to thrive!
See you in our parks,
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Jessica Barnes
Please note: We will be transitioning our email platform in April! To ensure you continue to receive our emails, please add jessicabarnes@obxforever.org to your safe senders list. We look forward to continuing to share the stories of our parks with you.
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We want to hear from you! |
We are so grateful that you are part of our Outer Banks Forever community. We value your feedback on how we are doing as we work to protect and enhance our Outer Banks national parks.
If you have a moment, please take our short survey and share with us how we can continue to improve how you engage with our Outer Banks national parks. Your participation ensures that you get the most from us and our parks this year!
Please note: This survey is different than the one our donors received last week – if you are a donor, you are welcome to answer both surveys. Thank you!
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In Her Own Wright: A Look at the
Life of Katharine Wright
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Katharine Wright has long been known as "the sister of the Wright brothers" – but she was so much more. She was a true pioneer and advocate in her own "Wright."
To celebrate Women's History Month, we recently sat down with our friend Mackensie Wittmer, Executive Director of the National Aviation Heritage Area in Dayton, Ohio, for an interview with Harry Haskell, step-grandson of Katharine Wright. Harry is the author of four books, including Maiden Flight, and host of the new three-part podcast, “In Her Own Wright” which explores Katharine's life.
We discussed Harry’s connection to Katharine, how Katharine grappled with her sense of identity and establishing her place in an increasingly modern world, the inspiration behind the podcast, and what we can continue to learn from Katharine’s life and legacy.
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Celebrating Women's History in
Our Outer Banks National Parks!
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March is Women’s History Month and we are celebrating the many women who have made — and continue to make — an impact on our Outer Banks national parks!
Check out our Meet Your Ranger series and get to know some of the women of our Outer Banks national parks, as well as read about the late Louise Meekins, the first female park ranger in the Outer Banks.
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Project Spotlight:
Open OutDoors for Kids Field Trips
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Each year, students across North Carolina learn about the state’s history, including the important stories of Native American peoples, English exploration, the Freedmen’s Colony on Roanoke Island, and the Wright brothers’ first flight, which our Outer Banks national parks preserve.
Last year, we were awarded a grant from the National Park Foundation through their Open OutDoors for Kids program. The goal of the program is to provide K-12 students, educators, and families with access to national parks around the country through both in-person and virtual learning opportunities.
Through our partnership with our parks, the Open OutDoors for Kids grant funds will be used to cover transportation costs for field trips for students at Title I schools in Currituck, Dare, Hyde, and Tyrrell Counties.
We are thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity for teachers to get their students out of the classroom to learn about and experience the unique history and environment found in our Outer Banks national parks — something many students from these local counties have never done.
Schools that are interested in scheduling field trips to our Outer Banks national parks may email obx_interpretation@nps.gov for more information.
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Outer Banks Forever is the
official nonprofit partner of our Outer Banks national parks, helping to protect and enhance these special places.
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