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Eagles Island, located in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, North Carolina, consists of approximately 2,100 acres situated between the Brunswick and Cape Fear Rivers. The land of the island is presently owned by private and corporate individuals, the State of North Carolina (NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation, NC Department of Transportation and NC Ports Authority), the New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District, the Town of Leland, and the United States of America.

Wildlife that will benefit from the conservation, management, and interpretation efforts include marsh birds, waterfowl, wading birds, and raptors, along with

anadromous fish, reptiles, amphibians, and at least two rare butterfly species. In addition, the site supports populations of the Federal and State Endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), Federal and State Threatened American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and the only current populations in North Carolina of rare skipper (Problema bulenta), a Federal Species of Concern. The Dukes’ skipper (Euphyes dukesi dukesi) also is found here in the Brunswick County portion of the island, and is currently known in only two other sites in the

state. The site also supports large populations of more common waterfowl, wading birds, marsh birds, raptors, and migrant songbirds.

Eagles Island is a wedge of open space in the midst of a rapidly urbanizing area. This fact was recognized in the Cape Fear River Corridor Plan adopted by the City of Wilmington and the Counties of Brunswick and New Hanover in October 1997. The plan calls for the island to remain in its natural state. More recently, The Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, City of Wilmington, 2010 calls for the protection of Eagles Island as well as to work with other interested parties and agencies to ensure the continued preservation of and recreational access to Eagles Island. The plan states that the City of Wilmington is interested in expanding partnerships with the Town of Leland, the New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District, the New Hanover County Parks Department, Cape Fear River Watch, the North Carolina Coastal Federation and other involved groups to acquire Eagles Island and to develop a conservation management plan for Eagles Island.