Digging in the Dirt: May 2024 Chapter Highlights

May 7, ecoEXPLORE Herpetology & Soil Badges: NCWF, Pocosin Lakes NWR and Tyrrell County Library hosted this month’s ecoEXPLORE program where the herpetology and soil mission badges were introduced to youth participants. ecoEXPLORERs completed a soil comparison activity outside of the library to learn about the mini ecosystems within our soil.

May 8, Basket Weaving with Pocosin Arts: NCWF, Pocosin Lakes NWR and Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft partnered for a basket weaving program using foraged cattails and talking about invasive plant species in our wetlands habitats.

May 18, Gardening with Native Plants on Ocracoke Island: NCWF and Wildlife Habitat Stewards of NE NC presented at the Ocracoke Community Library on the benefits of planting native species of plants for wildlife and habitat. Following the presentation, community volunteers planted 55 native plants at the site of the British Cemetery memorial garden on the island.

May 24, Butterfly Highway Program at Dismal Swamp Welcome Center: For National Travel & Tourism Week, the Wildlife Habitat Stewards of Northeastern NC enjoyed conversations with travelers visiting the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center pollinator pitstop regarding the importance of planting for wildlife while sharing garden stories, tips sheets and pollinator seed packets. Information on local state parks and national wildlife refuges was provided to those wanting to learn more about regional wildlife as well.

May 25, Wetland Plants Inc Tour & Nature Walk: NCWF’s Wildlife Habitat Stewards of Northeastern NC and Wetland Plants Inc hosted a tour of the nursery’s facilities and learned about the importance and process of native wetland plant seed propagation for reproduction. Participants also enjoyed exploring the grounds for signs of wildlife that call the nursery home!

May 3 – Duke Occupational Therapy (OTD) Scholarship Day: Students from Duke University partnered with NCWF to study why volunteers participate in NCWF Chapter events. The students found that volunteers are motivated by a variety of factors including a desire to protect habitat, a sense of belonging alongside people who share the same values, an opportunity to inspire future generations and the ability to participate in a wide range of activities.

May 4, South Wake Conservationists Kids in Nature Day: NCWF’s South Wake Conservationists hosted their third annual Kids in Nature Day at Lake Benson Park in Garner with more hands-on exhibits and activities than ever before. Ranger Rick was there to greet them, as kids went off down the trails to have fun and learn about everything from reptiles, amphibians, bears, wolves, birds, bees and other pollinators, fish, arachnids, crustaceans, and macroinvertebrates to native plants, trees, and soil.

May 11 – Lake Waccamaw Mural Unveiling: NCWF’s Southeastern Swamp Stewards hosted an educational event all about mollusks at the Lake Waccamaw State Park Annual Fatmucket Run. The mural dedication ceremony inside the Lake Waccamaw State Park Visitor Center was deeply meaningful, honoring the story mural crafted by the exceptionally talented Bess Hinson Taylor who serves as a Swamp Steward Chapter Leader. It was dedicated in memory of Ranger Emily Perry and blessed by Chief Michael Jacobs of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe.

May 18 – Wildlife Community Garden Grand Opening: NCWF’s South Wake Conservationists helped facilitate the grand opening of the Simple Gifts Community Garden in Apex, NC. The new garden is a Certified Wildlife Habitat and Butterfly Highway Pitstop. In addition to 48 thirty-foot rows of organic crops, there are two 200′ rows of a large variety of pollinator plants and herbs. SWC held a native plant sale there last fall, and a number of those plants also made it into these pollinator beds. SWC also installed two bluebird houses on the property, as well as an eight-gourd purple martin housing array

May 19 – Purple Martin Nest Check: NCWF’s South Wake Conservationists visited the Sugg Farm Purple Martin colony site. Courtney Rousseau, founder and current president of the North Carolina Purple Martin Society (NCPMS) shared the history of the colony site, the martins’ life cycle, and performed a nest check.

May 22 – Haw River Planting: NCWF’s Tri-County Conservationists hosted a planting alongside the Friends of Lower Haw River State Natural Area. The volunteer crew planted over 100 native plants including purple coneflower, New England aster, stokes aster, yucca, goldenrod, ironweed, spiked wild indigo, cardinal flower and more! For wildlife and habitat!

May 28 – Bolin Creek Sapling Protection: NCWF’s Tri-County Conservationists constructed cages at Bolin Creek in Chapel Hill to protect the native plants that were installed earlier in 2024.

May 7, My What Big Eyes You Have!: The Habitat and Wildlife Keepers hosted Dr. Erika Niland for an engaging presentation on the importance of dragonflies and damselflies, the ecological jewels of the insect world. Participants got up close and personal with Wingate University’s collection of preserved dragonflies. All were collected on the Wingate campus!

May 18, Guided Bird Walk: Birders of all ages joined the Concord Wildlife Alliance and NCWF Staff for a guided bird walk along the Moss Creek section of the Hector Henry Greenway in Concord. Participants strolled through critical bottomland habitat and were fortunate to see a pair of breeding prothonotary warblers. In total 12 folks participated in the walk and nearly 20 species of birds were identified!