Why Maritime Forests are the Key to Buying Coastal Property

Maritime forests grow where a barrier island’s width, topography and orientation provide proper protection from storm exposure. In other words, maritime forests flourish on the lower risk portions of an island and, as such, they can be a signpost for anyone thinking about developing or purchasing coastal property. Not surprisingly, most maritime forests found on the North Carolina Outer Banks are found only on the back sides of the islands, away from the ocean. But, the situation on Bogue Banks, in Emerald Isle, where I live, is different. Indeed, on Bogue Banks, maritime forests also are found oceanside. That’s because much of Bogue Banks is naturally elevated and it naturally has had a stabilized dune structure running from the ocean to the sound. The abundance of this maritime forest, this natural amenity, makes Bogue Banks less vulnerable to over wash and storm wave damage as well as making Bogue Banks a more pleasant place to live. Hi, my name is Denis Raczkowski and I am a real estate agent who lives fulltime in Emerald Isle on Bogue Banks. If you want to live at the coast, my videos educate you on the good and bad of living where other people vacation. In this video I focus on how maritime forests protect you, your home and your island and why you should look for a maritime forest when making a decision to develop or purchase barrier island property.

The keystone species in the maritime forests on Bogue Banks is the live oak tree. One of America’s more whimsical looking trees, the live oak is also one of its strongest. Native to the United States, Quercus virginiana is known for its longevity–trees can live for over a thousand years– and its signature branches with their sinuous and gangly quirkiness. Live oaks get their name because live oaks regrow their foliage throughout the year so their canopy is unfailingly green and lush all year long. Unlike their oak cousins which lose their leaves in fall. These rugged trees have famously deep and hardy roots giving the tree impressive staying power in the face of the harsh conditions found along the coastal areas where live oaks abound, including salt spray, wind shear, nutrient-poor soil and low fresh water availability. In other words, live oaks have impressive survival skills.

The live oak has impressive survival skills when it comes to saving people’s lives, as history shows that live oaks have protected this continent’s inhabitants for many centuries. Beginning in pre-Columbian America, native tribes relied on the tree’s acorns for food. And, over the centuries, it has saved the lives of thousands of people who have clung to its limbs during hurricanes. In the late 1700s, the US Navy used live oaks to build ship hulls. Indeed, the world’s oldest ship still afloat, the US Constitution got its nickname Old Ironsides after its hull, made in part of live oak, proved itself more than equal to the fearsome cannon of the British during the War of 1812. Today, the live oak still represents a life raft for those in the path of tropical storms, serving as a defense against extreme weather, with deep roots that hold fast and downward-curling branches that offer shelter from high winds. Along with dunes, live oaks are a key defender of barrier islands staring down a hurricane or a nor-easter. And, live oaks are very efficient at capturing carbon, they have an extraordinary capacity for absorbing atmospheric carbon, a bonus in this era of dramatic climate change. Bottom line, live oaks protect our barrier islands, our people and our climate.

Although live oaks are hearty, they are under fierce pressure, and the greatest threat to live oaks is man-made development. Historically, Bogue Banks has had a dense maritime forest and it was this dense, solid green canopy in the middle of a sea of sparkling water that gave the town of Emerald Isle its name. However, even in Emerald Isle,which was named for its live oaks, developers have cleared extensive areas of live oaks in the name of progress. Near its western end, some 60 acres of maritime forest were removed and sand dunes were leveled to construct the Islander Motel, the Queens Court condos, the Trav-L-Park RV campgrounds and the Pebble Beach condos. To make matters worse, the forest was replaced with lawn rather than nearshore vegetation. The lawn costs more to maintain and offers zero protection from storms.

Bottom line, when you go looking for a coastal beach home, look for islands with dense maritime forests and look to purchase homes nestled in and among the live oaks. The protective nature of a maritime forest and its live oak trees should not be underestimated. When my wife and I went looking for oceanfront property, we looked for a thriving maritime forest and we found Bogue Banks, the town of Emerald Isle and the Ocean-Forest neighborhood. In this neighborhood, developers MINIMIZED destruction of maritime forests and natural near seashore vegetation. Maybe that is why our homes and we have weathered multiple hurricanes from Fran in 1996 to Florence in 2018 without any loss of life, house or dunes. So, if you want to find a coastal home that will outlive you, a home you can pass down to your children and their children, call on me and let’s find you a home on Bogue Banks! Every journey begins with a first step and your first step should be to contact me by clicking on the Home Buying Link. Click on this newsletter link to subscribe to my newsletter. Or, sign up for my blog on my website, www.EIHomesforSale.com, and subscribe to Emerald Isle Vacation Home Specialist on Facebook and YouTube. Thanks for reading!