In Gratitude for Clean Water

Coastal Carolina Riverwatch (CCRW) is a women-led grassroots organization driven by the voices of the coast and working through community collaboration to protect water quality and coastal habitat.

“We are your boots-on-the-ground for water quality in

coastal North Carolina.”

– R.Lewis, White Oak Waterkeeper

CCRW work is funded by your donations and accomplished by an efficient and effective three-person staff, dedicated board of directors, top-of-their field scientific and research advisors, local government and industry community stakeholders, pro-bono attorney groups, captains and pilots, university partners, local sustainable businesses, and local advocates. We are grateful for community, clean water, and You!

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Community and Clean Water

It’s the time of year when many of us, while enjoying the smells of pumpkin pie, pause and express thanks for the things we’re most grateful for in life.

Here at Coastal Carolina Riverwatch, we are thankful, everyday, for

Community and Clean Water!

Have you ever heard the term “it takes a village”? At CCRW, we take an all-hands-on-deck approach to developing and providing water quality services to the community.

You are a part of this collaborative approach and process. You are a key stakeholder in the coastal village of water quality advocates and we are grateful for you!

In this time of food and family, CCRW is grateful for your role in our collaborative approach to working alongside local coastal farms and fisheries. In 2022, CCRW worked to communicate the connection between local and sustainable food sources and water quality protection. We did so through a village of collaborators that worked to prioritize, develop and provide services that benefit coastal NC. This work can be found in the accomplishments of the Pure Farms, Pure Waters and Water Quality for Fisheries programs.

Supporting Local and Sustainable Food Sources

Help Protect Water Quality and

the Quality of Community Life

in Coastal NC

From farm or waters-to-table, coastal NC has everything you could possibly need to sustain an adventurously flavorful seasonal (and sustainable) dish variety.

“The ability to successfully and sustainably farm and fish is an indicator of water quality and quality of community. We all play a role in keeping local sustainable farming and fishing a part of our coastal community heritage.” – Lisa Rider, CCRW Executive Director

Three years ago, CCRW made a commitment to getting-the-word-out about local sustainable food choices “as a tool, in our tool box, for helping improve water quality while also protecting the quality of life here in coastal NC.”

Since 2019, CCRW has supported over 15 (and growing) local farms, farmers, and farmer’s markets in the White Oak River Basin by featuring their sustainable work on a permanent basis on our website and through weekly features (#FarmFriday).

In 2022, CCRW held a Pure Farms, Pure Waters Sustainable BBQ, with partners 34 North, featuring local (Newport, NC) and sustainably-raised pork BBQ and vegan BBQ supporting NC products and farmers. The event supported several coastal farms and farmers and reached hundreds of folks with outreach materials regarding sustainable farming and how to protect the quality of water through sustainable agriculture advocacy.

Local coastal consumers are the glue that holds a sustainably-sourced food-web available to a community. “If you do not support it, it will not be around forever.” In addition, it has been showcased many times, here in the CCRW newsletter, how industrialized agriculture and factory farming practices can and have-had significant impacts on our coastal water quality. As consumers, we play a big role in “voting with our wallet” support for where our money goes relative to whether or not something is made or grown sustainably, locally, and with water quality in mind.

The staff at CCRW go a step above “the talk” about sustainable farming and fisheries. “We personally support these farms and farmers.” At CCRW, the staff and board members support local farms, markets, fishers, and local artisans. “Supporting our local sustainable farms and fishers in our daily lives, for the food we eat and materials we need, is just a part of how we are committed to community and water quality.” It is important that we “walk it like we talk it.”

We are grateful for access to local and sustainable foods in coastal NC. If you would like to learn more about impacts of industrial agriculture and factory farming on water quality, please check out our Pure Farms, Pure Waters Program and Water Quality for Fisheries Program.

Check out our social media program #FarmFriday, highlighting a different coastal farm or market each week and click here for more information. For local fish markets, please click here.

Click here to Support CCRW Programming in 2023.

PHOTO: Jan Farmer, Ocean Fest, and Ryan Bethea, Oysters Carolina, both CCRW Board Members, harvesting oysters for post-cleanup with fellow board members in Harkers Island, NC.

PHOTO: RIDER 2022 – North River

“Some of our most ecologically diverse, and most vulnerable habitats are in jeopardy of being lost forever. I am proud that our work is building a sustainable advocacy coalition to work collaboratively on protecting these important natural heritage areas.”

– K.Burke, Administrative Assistant

Please consider donating today to support programming in 2023.