Digging in the Dirt: December Chapter & Planting Highlights
December chapter and planting highlights
North Carolina Wildlife Federation staff and Community Wildlife Chapter volunteers did a whole lot of planting, wildlife educating, bird watching, habitat restoring and more in December to promote healthy wildlife habitat and get people outside.
In total, 100-plus volunteers removed over 1K pounds of trash and planted over 200 native plant species!
Thanks to partners such as the Duke Energy Foundation and Burt’s Bees for helping make these habitat restorations, educational programs and nature outings possible. Explore our Events Calendar to discover where NCWF and our Community Wildlife Chapters are hosting in-person and virtual events near you. Check out a few highlights below from our conservation outreach team.
Garden Workday at Yates Mill, Nov 29. The South Wake Conservationists picked up their gardening tools and returned to Yates Mill Park for a workday filled with invasive plant removal and seed spreading. The garden is officially ready for the winter and ready to spring to life once the warm weather returns.
Planting a Demonstration Garden, Dec 1. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation partnered with the City of Charlotte and provided an opportunity for volunteers to learn about the importance of native plants and gardening for wildlife. A crew of 22 planted over 100 pollinator plants that will serve as a valuable habitat and food source for wildlife.
Red Wolf Film Screening and Panel Discussion, Dec 1. The South Wake Conservationists hosted a live screening of two documentaries focused on promoting red wolf recovery and outreach. The films were followed by an interactive panel discussion about red wolves, the challenges they face to survive as a species, and efforts underway to protect them.
Island Wildlife & Island Women Monthly Cleanup, Dec 3. Island Wildlife and Island Women joined forces to remove litter from Carolina Beach following the annual holiday parade. 25 volunteers collected nearly 70 pounds of litter which included cigarette butts, plastic cups and bottles, plastic dental pics and a single plastic toy dinosaur.
Guided Bird Tour at the Art Park, Dec 3. Chapter members in the Raleigh area picked up their binoculars and joined Ranger Chantal Taunton for a guided bird walk around the North Carolina Museum of Art. Participants observed nearly 30 bird species with highlights including golden-crowned kinglets, cedar waxwings, yellow-rumped warblers and a red-tailed hawk.
Mountains to Sea Trail Cleanup at Falls Lake, Dec 4. Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation partnered together for a litter sweep workday along the shores of Falls Lake. The crew of 32 removed a whopping 1,080 pounds of garbage! These efforts are critical in keeping waterways litter-free and ecologically viable.
Live Staking Workshop in Charlotte, Dec 4. The Charlotte Wildlife Stewards hosted a habitat restoration project at Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary. In addition to removing over 100 pounds of garbage, the crew planted live stakes along the creek bank of Edwards Branch in Charlotte. These live stake clippings from native trees and shrubs root and grow into new plants that help stabilize the soil and reestablish riparian buffers.
Native Plant Thrill at the Mill, Dec 6. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation and the South Wake Conservationists teamed up with Wake County Parks & Recreation staff to establish another garden at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh. The team planted 40 native plants including species such as rattlesnake master, stokes aster, ironweed, brown-eyed susan and more!
Lincoln Heights Garden Workday, Dec 9. The South Wake Conservationists visited their pollinator garden at Lincoln Heights Elementary School to trim back dead growth, remove stubborn weeds and distribute seeds. The garden is now ready to launch back into vigorous growth in a few months!
Climate Change Gardening for the South, Dec 9. Island Wildlife hosted renown gardening author Barbara J. Sullivan at the New Hanover Arboretum in Wilmington. Participants gained valuable insight into how they can adapt to the shifting climate and successfully grow beautiful gardens that contribute to solutions for our shared environment.
Native Pollinator Garden Planting, Dec 10. Triad Wild! partnered with the Rotary Club of Greensboro, the City of Greensboro and the Downtown Greenway to add native plants to Woven Works Park in downtown Greensboro.
Drink & Draw, Dec 14. Island Wildlife and Luna Creative hosted a drink and draw event at Bull City Ciderworks in Wilmington. Participants colored within and outside the lines while gathering valuable information about pollinators and Island Wildlife.