Protecting beaches and sea turtles: An analysis of beach nourishment in North Carolina, the impacts on nesting loggerhead sea turtles, and how sea level rise will transform the status quo.

1 Acknowledgements 2 Introduction 4 Background 7 Loggerhead Nesting Biology 7 Sea Turtle Management in North Carolina 8 Management of North Carolina Beaches 11 Sea Level Rise Planning in North Carolina 12 Other Relevant Stakeholders 13 Summary of Findings 15 Historical North Carolina Nourishment Projects 15 Historical Loggerhead Nesting in North Carolina 17 Impacts of Nourishment on Nesting 19 Discussion and Recommendations 23 Recommendations 25 Data Gaps and Suggestions for Future Studies 29 Conclusions 30 References 32 Appendix A: Summary Table of Sea Level Rise Mitigation Strategies 37 Appendix B: Coastal Vulnerability Index Maps 38 Appendix C: Table of Loggerhead Nesting Density by Beach 42 Appendix D: Proposed Critical Habitat Maps 43 Appendix E: North Carolina Loggerhead Nesting Trends from 1998-2013 45