Join the Extension Office (721 Foster St, Durham, NC) to participate in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. The Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Durham County and community partners will be on hand August 23 to share information about pollinators and native plants. Stop by between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. to learn about pollinators and help us collect pollinator counts. More information
Category: Calendar
🔥 Managing Wildlife with Fire
Discover how prescribed fire, different firing techniques, and the timing of burns can support wildlife and help manage healthy ecosystems!
Hosted by NC State Extension
📍 Location: Bonnie B. Davis Ag Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
1020 US-70
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(Across the street from Hillsborough DMV)
📅 Date: July 15, 2025
🕠 Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Audience: Landowners, relatively new beginners to fire
✅ Agenda (Draft)
6:30 – 6:45 PM | Welcome, Introductions and Resources
- Welcome by Triangle PBA (Mart, Andy, Hope) and NC State Extension (Sarah and Jenn)
- Introduce speakers: Kristin Cathey, Jeff Hall, Chris Jordan
6:45-6:50 | Private Lands Assistance
- Introduction and information on technical guidance, financial opportunities, site visits, other resources.
- Promote Wildlife Conservation Land Program
- Field restoration, pollinator habitat
Presenter: Kristin Cathey
6:50 – 7:20 PM | Why Fire Is Good for Wildlife
- Overview of the role of fire in shaping habitat
- Benefits for game and nongame species
- Different firing techniques
- Restoration vs. maintenance burning
- Burning for the population, not for the individual
Presenter: Chris Jordan
7:20 – 7:50 PM | Wildlife Diversity and Fire: A Closer Look
- How a wide diversity of wildlife respond to prescribed fire including: birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates
- Importance of burn timing, intensity, and frequency
Presenter: Jeff Hall
7:50– 8:15 PM | Panel Discussion: Burn or Not to Burn?
- Group discussion: tradeoffs in burn timing and wildlife goals
- Landowners can ask questions they may have
8:15 – 8:30 PM | Evaluation and Informal Networking
- Quick workshop evaluation (paper or QR code)
- Time for attendees to connect with speakers and each other
- Sharing resources- materials table
August 2, Pollinator ID Workshop, 9-11am at the Briggs Avenue Community Garden: Dr. Hannah Levenson from NC State University and Durham Master Gardener volunteers will lead a pollinator identification workshop for interested participants. Swing by the Durham Wildlife Stewards table to say hello and learn more about pollinators in our area. Pollinator identification will be helpful for the upcoming Great Southeast Pollinator Census on Saturday, August 23.
Sound Rivers, is looking for regular volunteers to assist with water sampling this summer at two sites at Falls Lake:
Connect directly with Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz if interested. Her email is emily@soundrivers.org.
The “Dig Deeper” talks offered by the Orange County Master Gardeners will be held on May 18th and 19th, 2025, focusing on humane gardening. The speaker will be Cathy Williams, a Master Gardener volunteer in Orange County. The talk will explore what humane gardening is and how it supports biodiversity. It will be given twice, once at the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough on Sunday, May 18th, from 2-3:30 p.m., and again at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill on Monday, May 19th, from 10-11:30 a.m
Tuesday, May 13 at 12 p.m. ET
Trees are the basic hallmark of sustainable landscapes. Trees are good and stay good IF you buy a good tree, IF you select a good location, IF you have good installation, IF you continue with proper establishment techniques, and IF you apply regular good maintenance.
In this free webinar on May 13 at 12 p.m. ET, Dr. Douglas Airhart will present and discuss these IFS and features of successful tree establishment. Trees are unique aspects of all communities. They add stature and attractive features of canopy shapes, spring and autumn flowers, scents, various fall colors, and animal habitats. They can whisper in the wind, break its forces, provide comfortable shade, and temper the rain and erosion as stormwater managers.
However, tree are easily damaged and deteriorated by bad habits of people and natural events. Their successful establishment and survival are dependent upon structural selection concerns, the use of proper planting techniques, protection of their root zones, and regularly scheduled arboricultural inspection and maintenance techniques. These factors are the topic of this presentation. Register now for this webinar.
Dr. Airhart is a Professor of Horticulture in the School of Agriculture at Tennessee Tech University. He teaches production horticulture (landscaping, nursery, greenhouse), turf, and provides FFA training and contests in nursery and floriculture. Dr. Airhart is also an America in Bloom Advisor. Register now.
On Thursday, May 1 from 9:30AM-12:30PM, we will be hosting an Invasive Plant Removal Workshop at Campus Hills Park (2000 South Alston Ave) in collaboration with New Hope Bird Alliance, ReWild Earth, and the Durham Cooperative Extension.
If you are interested in becoming even more knowledgeable about invasive plant removal techniques, this workshop is for you!
The workshop format will be a 1 hour educational session followed by a 1.5 hour outdoor practical application. We are asking a small $15 registration fee to cover the cost of refreshments for attendees, as well as great take-home resources.
If you belong to an HOA or know of anyone who could benefit from learning more about the importance of controlling invasive plants, please share this opportunity with them.
We hope you can join us! Learn more and register here: https://www.keepdurhambeautiful.org/events/2025/invasive-removal-workshop
Get ready for the Second Annual Durham Garden Tour, happening on April 26-27! Tour ten unique gardens in Durham featuring examples of creative and sustainable practices. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Keep Durham Beautiful.
Earlybird ticket pricing ends on April 19. Don’t miss out on the chance to purchase your tickets for only $25! We also have group ticket discounts. Beginning April 20, ticket prices will increase to $30. Buy your tickets at www.durhamgardentour.org.
To make it easier for you to plan your visit, we’ve also uploaded information on our website about the gardens and plants featured on the tour. You can check out all the details in advance and start dreaming about which gardens you’re most excited to visit!
As a reminder, youth under 18 can attend for free when accompanied by a ticket holder. Ticket holders will receive a link to the full program with garden addresses and can pick up their program during the week before the event.
Garden Tour Dates:
- Saturday, April 26: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Sunday, April 27: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Volunteer! We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help during the event. Volunteers get snacks and drinks during their shifts and free entry for the tour before or after their shift (on both days of the weekend). Sign up here!
In partnership with the U.S. Botanic Garden, Colorado State University is at the forefront of promoting sustainable landscaping practices to a national audience through the Landscape for Life program. Share this free educational offering with your colleagues and volunteers and join us next week for a free webinar on ‘Creating a Sustainable Landscape Anywhere’ in celebration of Earth Day.
🏡Register for our upcoming free webinar on April 24th 12-1PM EST
🌿Check out their website to learn more about program options
🌳Earn a certificate through their online courses
Questions? Contact Deryn.Davidson@colostate.edu
NATURE WALK at Hillsborough NC Eno Riverwalk on Sunday May 4, 2025 at 9 am. Tim Logue and Brian Mayell will describe the impressive work of a Tree Board volunteer restoration group that is removing non-native invasive plants from the river floodplain and planting natives. Dr. Bill Dunson will discuss the historic and current ecology of the area, identify plants and animals, and describe the difficulties of dealing with the major problem of deer herbivory and plant competition. Meet at 9 am at the pedestrian bridge entrance on the riverwalk just below the Weaver St Market and the Hillsborough public parking garage, accessed from the west end of Nash and Kollock St. We will walk for up to 1.5 hours on wooden, paved and hard ground surfaces for up to 0.5 mile. No charge and no reservations necessary. For further information contact Bill at wdunson@comcast.net Sponsored by the Eno River Association.