NC Association of Environmental Professionals (NCAEP) upcoming events

Coastal Permitting Dinner Meeting (13 May 2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Coastal Permitting Dinner Meeting

Join us at NCAEP’s Coastal Permitting Dinner Meeting for an informative presentation by Steve Trowell on the fundamentals of coastal permitting under CAMA and the Dredge and Fill Law. Steve will walk attendees through permit types, common challenges, and practical strategies for navigating the permitting process efficiently.

Steve brings deep experience as a fisheries biologist and regulatory specialist, having worked throughout North Carolina’s coastal counties—particularly in the northeast region. During his 20 years with the Division of Coastal Management (DCM) in the NCDEQ Washington Regional Office, he supported a wide range of permitting efforts, including agricultural and municipal drainage improvements and the use of tide gates to manage saltwater intrusion.

His background also includes four years with NCDOT Division 1, where he applied his expertise in CAMA permitting and resilient shoreline stabilization to protect transportation infrastructure, develop marinas, and dredge transportation routes. This includes permits dealing with ocean overwash and sandbags on Hwy 12 on the outer banks and dredging permits for the ferry division in Hatteras inlet and Ocracoke channels. Steve’s regulatory knowledge spans 401/riparian buffer rules, NPDES Construction Stormwater, Section 404/Section 10 permitting, wetlands delineation, and Coastal Stormwater requirements.

Social Hour starting at 5:30 PM
Food at 6:30 PM
Speaker at ~7:00 PM

What: Coastal Permitting Dinner Meeting
When: May 13, 2025, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Where: High Park Bar and Grill
625 E Whitaker Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608 https://share.google/nbT8dzoP4AunGFu34

Rare Plants/Natural Communities (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Rare Plants and Natural Communities Workshop

May 29, 2026

Class Location:

World's Edge, Mill Spring, NC

Registration Fee:
$120 for NCAEP members

$145 for non-members

The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NHP) and the North Carolina Association of Environmental Professionals (NCAEP) will hold a one-day Natural Community Identification workshop on May 29, 2026. The field trip/workshop will be led by NC Natural Heritage Program staff and will focus on natural communities and associated rare plants on the southern Blue Ridge Escarpment in North Carolina. This field trip is designed for environmental professionals, botanists, and students who are responsible for conducting environmental surveys.

This one-day trip will include visits to several natural communities and will focus on identification and habitat for White irisette (Sisyrinchium dichotomum).

The natural community portion of the workshop will be based on the Guide to the Natural Communities of North Carolina, Fourth Approximation (2024). This document in electronic form is available as a free download at the NHP website.

Please visit https://ncaep.org/event-6673275 for more information and to register. Registrations must be completed by Friday May 22, 2026.

Liability waivers must be signed upon your arrival to class.

In order to make the most of this learning experience and for the safety of all participants and the habitats that we will visit, registration will be limited to 26 participants. A minimum of 10 participants will be required for this event. If the minimum registration is not met, the class may be cancelled or rescheduled.

Additional Information

Transportation: Your registration fee includes transportation to the site by van from the parking area near Hendersonville (TBD). Due to limited parking at the planned stops, riding in a van is required between sites. Additional details regarding exact departure times and meeting locations will be provided in upcoming updates prior to the workshop date. Please contact the workshop coordinator (workshops@ncaep.org) for further information.

Equipment: Attendees are asked to please bring a bag lunch, as lunch will be had during the workshop. Coolers will be provided for drinks and afternoon snacks will be provided. This field trip will be planned rain or shine, so please plan accordingly for adverse weather conditions and bring appropriate clothing, shoes, water, insect repellants, and sunscreen, as needed. The field sites are known to harbor ticks, chiggers, snakes, and other wildlife. Cameras are encouraged if there is interest in photographing the plant species and communities that we will be observing. The collection of plant or animal specimens will be prohibited.

Cancellation: Registrants cancelling their registration two (2) weeks or more prior to the event will receive a refund of the registration fee, less a (3%) administrative fee. Registrants canceling between two (2) and one (1) week(s) prior to the event will receive a refund, less a (5%) administrative fee. No refunds will be given for cancelations less than seven (7) days prior to the event. Registrants may transfer their registration to another attendee with the same membership status (e.g. regular member, government employee member, non-member) at any time. Only one transfer per registration is permitted.

SWITC 2026-06 (08 Jun 2026)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Surface Water Identification Training & Certification

Monday, June 8 - Friday, June 12th, 2026

Class Location:
Biltmore Hills Park

2615 Fitzgerald Dr, Raleigh, NC 27610

Large Meeting Room

(35.746106, -78.628234)

Staff of Natural Resource Consultants (Jennifer Burdette), Sage Ecological Services (Nikki Duprey), and The Swamp School (Greg Price) will conduct a 4 1/2-day course on the latest version (Version 4.11, September 1, 2010) of the North Carolina methodology for identifying intermittent and perennial streams and their origins from June 8 - June 12, 2026 in Raleigh. This class is organized by and taught through the NC Association of Environmental Professionals (NCAEP). This lecture and field course will focus on the method that is the standard method used across the state and the Southeast by the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) and many local governments to identify intermittent and perennial streams and their origins. The course will be taught in and near Raleigh, NC, and will focus on streams located in three different Level IV ecoregions – Northern Outer Piedmont, Triassic Basin, and Rolling Coastal Plain, in varying conditions.

The class will be taught at Biltmore Hills Park, large meeting room at 2615 Fitzgerald Dr, Raleigh, NC 27610 (35.746106, -78.628234). Students will be asked to use their own personal vehicles to and from field sites. This class is offered in coordination with the DWR and follows the same curriculum as the course taught by DWR instructors. Upon successful completion, students will receive a Certificate of Training which can be used with delegated or designated local governments. Cost of the class is $815 for NCAEP members and $840 for non-NCAEP members. Registration fees must be received by NCAEP no later than May 25th.

A detailed class description and itinerary can be found here:

SWITC_June2026