Tag: nature

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Calendar Community Conservation Events

Save All We Can Training: Chinese Wisteria

Last fall, NC-IPC held four Save All We Can trainings, covering plant identification, tool techniques and tips for organizing events. This year, we will hold more specialized trainings. On May 3rd, Steven Feuerstein will do a training that focuses on techniques for dealing with the dreaded Chinese Wisteria, with an added focus on event management.

Chinese wisteria is a real tree killer. It’ll quickly wind its way up the trunks of trees, big and small, tightening as it grows, damaging the trunk. And it spreads out across branches and crowns, covering it with thick foliage and heavy flowers. Given enough time, it will snap 30 foot tall trees in half – and kill them.

REPLACE

And that’s not all. It sends out runners into the understory, accelerating the “takeover” of an entire forest. It grows in bush form (when there’s nothing nearby to climb), limiting mobility of animals through the woods.

REPLACE

Techniques for effectively dealing with Chinese wisteria (and other invasive vines like kudzu) differ from those used with trees and shrubs, like Chinese privet. In addition, the different forms of the plant offer a variety of opportunities for volunteers to help (for example, kids can pull up runners).

This training will cover how to deal with:

Vines growing up trees: you’ll learn how to not only save the trees in the short term, but also have the most enduring impact (because it’s gonna be growing back!).

Runners spreading into the woods: follow the leader and roll ‘em up. It’s fun, fast and has a big impact!

Bushes filling the understory: don’t try to fight your way through. Instead, follow Steven’s patented (😎) back-step technique.

In addition to tips on dealing with this species, we’ll also explore how to assess a wisteria horror-scape and plan out an event, making the best use of your volunteers.

We provide all the tools and gear used during the training. You come dressed for outdoor work (close-toed shoes, long pants, long-sleeved shirt) and with a bottle of water. All attendees are enrolled in the Dauber Exchange (and go home with a dauber).

For more information and to register: https://rewildearth.net/ords/r/rewildearth/re/about-this-event-non-modal?p66_event_id=7834

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Community Conservation Events Partner Organizations

Tri-County Conservationists coming events

Pollinator Garden Renovation in Saxapahaw, Sun Apr 19, 9-11amJoin us as we rebuild a pollinator garden at the Hawbridge Upper School in Saxapahaw. Tasks include weeding, transplanting, and dividing native perennials, and then watering and mulching. The garden is a long, curving bed at the entrance to the school. We will have some gloves and tools but please bring your own shovel or trowel if you can.Registerhere.

Invasive Removal, Carolina North, Chapel Hill, Sat Apr 25, 9-12pm

Join NCWF Tri-County Conservationists Chapter and volunteers from the Chapel of the Cross for an invasive removal workday in Chapel Hill! For decades, large Chinese privet has been growing into trees along Bolin Creek at Carolina North Forest. These privet trees have been washing seeds downstream into neighboring natural areas, spreading aggressively throughout the watershed. Come help us put a stop to that by removing privet and breaking the branches down into habitat piles for countless birds and small mammals to use.

Register here.

Brumley South Preserve Bi-Montly Restoration Maintenance Events

Join us to check on and maintain the 500 native saplings planted in the 10 Brumley Oases! Tasks may include mending fences, watering plants, and removing small invasives from inside the oases. Come for an hour or stay for two if you like.Sun Apr 26, 2-4pm Register here.Fri May 8, 5-6pm Registerhere.

Sun May 24, 2-4pm Register here.

Birding Hike at Guilford County Farm Preserve, Sun May 3, 5-8pmCome join the two NCWF chapters, Triad Wild and Tri-County Conservationists,  on a guided birding hike at Guilford County Farm Preserve, which straddles the Guilford-Alamance County border.  

Register here.

Adams Tract invasive removal, Carrboro Sun May 17, 2-4pm

Five years ago volunteers cut invasives at Adams Tract and now it’s time to head back over and continue these important efforts! This event is a collaboration between the Town of Carrboro, ReWild NC, and Tri-County Conservationists chapter. 

We will meet at the information kiosk by the main parking lot. We’ll hand out all the PPE and tools you’ll need to give our non-human friends (native species of plants and animals) a needed bit of support.

Register here.

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Community Conservation Events

Join Oak Crest’s Habitat Restoration Tour

The Oak Crest community in Chapel Hill has been actively restoring habitat by removing invasive plant species and allowing the native seed bank to restore the site naturally. The native seed bank has responded so well that the New Hope Bird Alliance awarded the site a Bird-Friendly Habitat Certification. Ongoing management is essential for this site’s success. We invite you to join us for a site tour, an overview of the restoration process, and a hands-on training session covering several methods for treating invasive Wisteria. Treatment of invasive Privet and Tree of Heaven will also be discussed. We’ll have some tools (hand pruners, loppers, daubers) and gloves to share, but feel free to bring your own if you have them. There is no physical address to the site, the posted address is across the street. The project leader will be there early. Look for a white truck.

https://rewildearth.net/ords/r/rewildearth/re/about-this-event-non-modal?p66_event_id=8354&clear=66&session=31459161833509

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Community Conservation

How Construction is Helping Bats in North Carolina

PIGEON RIVER GORGE, N.C. – Construction crews in North Carolina are lending a helping hand to bats while constructing a key bridge on a major highway.

Members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have observed roosting on the old bridge crossing the Pigeon River on Interstate 40, which has been suitable for the creatures in the past, but also dangerous. See the story:

https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/first-of-its-kind-bat-bridge-constructed-house-species

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Community Conservation Partner Organizations

2026 NC Prescribed Burner Classes: Sign Up Now!

Website: https://sites.google.com/ncsu.edu/trianglepba/home
Sign up for Listserv: https://forms.gle/icKfus8bxWnQx1pC8

Link for NC Forest Service, How to become a burn boss: https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/fire-control-and-prevention/how-become-north-carolina-certified-burner

Class fills up fast and opens March 1st online.All 2026 Certified Burner classes will be delivered through a combination of virtual classroom sessions and in-person group field activities. Topics to be covered include North Carolina’s Prescribed Burn Act, weather, fuels, topography, fire danger rating, managing smoke, firing techniques and burn plans. Participants will need suitable hardware for virtual learning environments, i.e., laptop or tablet, microphone, as well as reliable high-speed internet. A $25 fee will be collected before the course begins.

May 11-13 (registration open March 1 until full)
Oct. 12-14 (registration open August 1 until full)

Categories
Conservation

Decoding Nature: Advances in Wildlife Research

We can’t protect what we don’t understand. From decoding wolf howls to making sense of millions of citizen-science sightings, we explore the tools helping researchers understand the wild in new ways.

A podcast episode from the TED Radio Hour

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Community Conservation

Make Your Voice Heard in Durham’s UDO Planning

On behalf of the New Hope Bird Alliance (NHBA) UDO Working Group, I am writing to invite you to co‑sponsor a joint letter calling for important environmental protections in Durham’s new UDO. We believe your support would add significant weight and help ensure that decision‑makers are aware of our community’s concerns and priorities around the environment and development in Durham. The UDO timeline has been shortened, so please respond by or before October 31, 2025.

The letter is attached and also available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTIrj2cT8n6Fwu9ieIwBJxOlbZqFDc99u1DhzqXMnWLuq86PT_7-HnYtoZuP-RTNzBs6ekUktYZGhlT/pub


What co‑sponsorship entails
1. Endorsement of the letter and related policy’s content (with the opportunity to propose minor edits or annotations)
2. Inclusion of your name / logo / organization in the final signatories list

Next steps
1. If you’re willing to co‑sponsor, simply reply “Yes, we’ll join,” with specific formatting for your name / organization / position, and I’ll add your organization’s name to the list. The letter will then be sent to individual elected official on the City Council and Board of County Commissioners, and the Durham Planning & Development Department.

2. Attend a UDO engagement presentation and ask questions! Module 3 (Environmental Protections) public engagement sessions have been scheduled for 11/13 (in person) and 11/16 (virtual). We highly encourage in-person attendance to demonstrate how many people care about the impact of the UDO and its effects on our natural environment. The 11/13 meeting is 6-7:30pm at the Durham County Administration Building II (201 E Main St), Room 126. RSVPs are requested, but not required.

3. In addition to the co-sponsored letter, we hope that groups and individuals will send comments directly to Durham City Council, BoCC, Planning & Development and NewUDO@durhamnc.gov. Encourage your members to comment. The more comments, the louder our voices.

We understand you are busy. We invite you to sign up to our email list to get updates on the UDO process and environmental implications, opportunities to get involved, and more directly to your inbox.

Get more information about the new UDO on the Engage Durham website.


Thank you for considering this request. Your voice would be an important addition to this collaborative effort. We look forward to partnering with you.

Warm regards,

Astrid Cook Dail– 
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Categories
Community

Join the Discussion: New UDO Drafts and Standards

ENGAGEMENT ON THE NEXT SECTION OF NEW UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE (UDO) CONTENT IS BEGINNING!  

We invite you to an upcoming engagement opportunity to learn more and share your feedback on Module 3 of the new UDO. This will include the proposed environmental protection, subdivision, and infrastructure standards, including required street designs.  
*Engagement materials for module 3 will be posted when available.  

Code Connect – virtual session with Code Studio

  • Tuesday, October 21, 2025 from 6-7PM on Zoom 
  • Code Studio will walk through the proposed Module 3 content on Environmental Protection, Subdivisions, and Infrastructure. This session will include a Q&A.
  • Registration is required for this virtual session.

Attend a Meeting

Staff will provide an overview of draft Module 3 content, Environmental Protection, Subdivisions, and Infrastructure, including how the drafts differ from current regulations and how they implement the vision in the Comprehensive Plan. 

In Person Meeting

Virtual Meeting

Office Hours – Drop in with questions for Staff

Planning staff is hosting open Office Hours at the Durham County Main Library in the Cafe Space where you are invited to bring your questions and talk directly with staff about this project. If you have specific questions related to your property or neighborhood or a topic you’re passionate about, Office Hours are a great opportunity! 

  • Tuesday, October 28, 2025 3-6PM 
  • Thursday, November 6, 2025 3-6PM 
  • Thursday, November 20, 2025 10AM-1PM 
  • Tuesday, November 25, 2025 3-6PM 

*Office hours will continue on the first and third Thursdays at the Main Library after November.

Project Background

In the fall of 2024, Planning staff shared initial drafts of New Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) content and sought your questions and feedback. These initial drafts included: 

  • 22 new zoning districts that will replace the existing zoning districts, 
  • a new zoning map applying those districts to properties throughout the city and county, and  
  • a new list of permitted uses, saying what types of activities will be allowed in each new district. 

In the spring of this year, staff shared drafts of proposed “development standards” that will work in conjunction with these new zoning districts. Development standards are rules that apply across zoning districts and include standards for lighting, landscaping, parking, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, transitions and buffers, and signs. 

After the current engagement on Module 3 content, a full revised draft of the New UDO will be released for community feedback. This document is anticipated to be released this winter and will contain all of the content previously released in Modules 1, 2, and 3, plus new administrative standards that will detail processes, definitions, and more. 

To learn more about previous draft sections, you can also find video recordings and recordings which describe the content from each module released so far in detail. 

For more information, visit engagedurham.com/newUDO 

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Community Partner Organizations

Part-Time Educator Role Available at NC Botanical Gardens

Join NC Botanical Gardens Youth Education team. They are seeking a creative, energetic, and self-motivated educator who is passionate about nature-based learning. In this role, you’ll:

  • Work as part of a team to prepare and teach engaging, high-quality environmental education programs for children (PreK–5) and families.
  • Help create and maintain teaching resources, educational exhibits, and self-guided interpretive activities.
  • Assist with the care and upkeep of outdoor nature play and learning spaces.
  • Support program-related administrative tasks.

This is a part-time (30 hours/week, increasing to 40 hours/week during summer camp season), 11-month position. Pay is $20/hour.

Learn more and apply by October 16: https://lnkd.in/etgxRmBt

Categories
Community Conservation Partner Organizations

Stop Stormwater Sweeping Trash into the Haw River

2024 Master Naturalist, Halle Amick decided she was going to help prevent trash from flowing into the Haw River.

This morning a driver in front of me threw a plastic cup out of their window 🤯 That cup joins the rest of the roadside trash, it’s swept along by stormwater, destined for our rivers.

Approximately 75% of the trash in the Haw River is the result of stormwater runoff. Given our recent heavy rains there’s a lot of trash washing from our roadsides into our creeks, flowing into our rivers, and ultimately reaching the ocean.

Halle, part of a team of volunteers, works to prevent others’ carelessness from polluting our rivers. You can read more about her good work with the Haw River Assembly and what you could do to help.

Trapping a river of trash