Battleship North Carolina and UNCW students plant historic bald cypress trees from Three Sisters Swamp, preserving North Carolina’s natural heritage.
The Battleship North Carolina Memorial in Wilmington, North Carolina, has launched a meaningful conservation and education initiative by partnering with University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) students to plant historic bald cypress trees on the Battleship grounds. This project supports long-term environmental stewardship while honoring North Carolina’s natural heritage.
Historic Bald Cypress Seedlings from Three Sisters Swamp
The newly planted bald cypress trees were grown from cones collected in North Carolina’s Three Sisters Swamp, a remote section of the Black River known for containing some of the oldest bald cypress trees in the world. One of these trees has been verified at 2,628 years old, making the seedlings direct descendants of an ancient and ecologically significant forest.
Captain Charles Robbins played a key role in the project by donating 19 bald cypress seedlings that he personally cultivated. His contribution helped bring these rare and meaningful trees to the Battleship North Carolina site, creating a living link between the state’s natural and cultural history.
UNCW Students Support Conservation and Hands-On Learning
Under the leadership of Amy Long, M.S., C.E.E., student volunteers from UNCW helped plant the young trees across the Battleship property on November 13, 2025. The trees were placed in carefully selected locations to maximize both environmental benefits and visitor visibility…