Crystal Lloyd, one of the park superintendents at Falls Lake State Recreation Area, is now the park superintendent at Carolina Beach State Park in New Hanover County, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced. Lloyd fills the role after longtime superintendent Chris Helms retired in April.
The park superintendent leads the operations and administration at the park and has a comprehensive set of responsibilities that include staffing, training, law enforcement, planning, natural and cultural resource management, interpretation and education, and visitor services.
A native of Creedmoor, N.C., Lloyd has a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation, and tourism management from North Carolina State University. She first joined the division working as a seasonal employee at Falls Lake State Recreation in high school, continuing to work for parks during the summer, including at William B. Umstead State Park. She became a ranger in 2012 at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, then transferred to Falls Lake in 2015, before eventually being promoted to superintendent in 2021. She also co-hosted a podcast called “Ask a Ranger” that tackled the various aspects of the division’s mission as it relates to the work of field staff.
“Crystal has a unique perspective of division operations, moving her way up from seasonal positions to park ranger and to park superintendent,” said N.C. State Parks Director Brian Strong. “We are excited to have Crystal at Carolina Beach State Park and the years of experience she brings as a superintendent will be invaluable as she stewards the unique natural and recreational resources of the park.”
Located 12 miles south of Wilmington, Carolina Beach State Park is home to the Venus flytrap, a unique carnivorous plant. The park is known for habitats like Sugarloaf Dune, a 50-foot dune that once served as a navigational marker for river pilots, as well as three limesink ponds that each feature a unique plant community. The park’s marina provides access to the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway, making the area popular for boaters and anglers.
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 250,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C Symphony, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.