Posts by Bates Whitaker
Holding Onto Hope: Celebrating NCWF’s 61st Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards
The work of conservation rarely offers easy wins. It asks for patience, resilience, and a willingness to keep going – even when the path forward feels uncertain. In his remarks,…
Read MoreA Dangerous Shift: Redefining “Harm” Puts Endangered Wildlife at Risk
In the early 1970s, conservation in the United States was falling short. Recognizing the urgency, President Richard Nixon called on Congress to take action. The result was the Endangered Species…
Read MoreThe Ritual of Stewardship – Dave Myers and NCWF Lake Norman Wildlife Chapter’s Work for Wildlife
You can learn a lot about a conservationist by asking where their connection to wildlife and habitat first began. Often, it starts with something simple – a fascination with animals…
Read MoreNCWF In The Field – March, 2026
North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Community Wildlife Chapters connected 1,413 people to nature through 65 different wildlife and habitat projects and activities, including: Planting 4,777 native trees and plants –…
Read MoreA Legacy of Land and Water: Katherine Skinner Inducted into North Carolina’s Conservation Hall of Fame
Each year, NCWF recognizes conservation champions across North Carolina for their dedication to protecting, conserving, and restoring the state’s wildlife and habitats. The Conservation Hall of Fame is reserved for…
Read MoreTrees for Wildlife: Planting Roots in Western North Carolina
Valle Crucis Community Park is nestled along the Watauga River in the High Country of the North Carolina mountains. The park’s 28 acres feature riparian forest, wetland, and meadow habitat…
Read MoreMasters of Disguise – Mimicry, Masquerade, and More Wildlife Camouflage Tactics
Maybe you’re lucky enough to have walked through a patch of woods and flushed an unseen covey of quail just a foot in front of you, or nearly stepped on…
Read MoreGame Species and Red Wolves: A Path to Coexistence on Private Lands – Guest Blog
Guest blog written by Luke Lolies, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service In Hyde County, North Carolina, private landowner Jeff Akin is proving that conservation and hunting…
Read MoreIt’s Not a Swine Time in North Carolina – The History and Ecological Impact of Feral Swine
The story of feral swine is one of scarcity and abundance – of animals once prized and welcomed as livestock, but now an ecological menace. It’s a story bound up…
Read MoreBeware: North Carolina is allowing its fish population to collapse | Opinion
Written by Tim Gestwicki, NCWF CEO, Published in The News & Observer The Fisheries Reform Act of 1997 (“FRA”) was enacted to rebuild our depleted marine fisheries. In the 29…
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