Digging in the Dirt: January Chapter Highlights 2024

Governors Village STEM Academy Birdhouse Installation, December 21. First-grade students assisted in the installation of two bluebird nesting boxes donated by Charlotte Wildlife Stewards. Many thanks to Robert Crow, former teacher and current volunteer, for instilling the love of nature in all the students at the school.

Swift Creek Bluffs Educational Sign Installation, December 28. The South Wake Conservationists installed a brand new educational sign at Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve in Raleigh. The preserve is managed by the Triangle Land Conservancy. One step to protect the preserve’s natural wonders involves educating visitors about the danger of invasive species. The sign provides answers to frequent questions…. what is an invasive species? How do they get to a new place? Big thanks to the Jandy Ammons Foundation for their support!

Hemlock Bluffs Educational Sign Installation, December 29. The South Wake Conservationists finished off 2023 with a sign installation at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary. The sign provides details about why composting is beneficial and how people can do it themselves! The sign pairs well with the preserve’s active effort to compost.  Big thanks to the Jandy Ammons Foundation for their support!

Native Tree Planting, January 7. Volunteers with the Charlotte Wildlife Stewards planted 60 native trees in a flood plain in partnership with Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Services. The trees planted will help improve air and water quality, reduce erosion, sequester carbon and provide critical habitat for wildlife along the stream corridor. Big thanks to the crew of nearly 40 volunteers who embraced the mud and enjoyed a fun workday in the outdoors!

Holiday Habitat Party Trash Party Finale, January 13. The Wildlife Habitat Stewards of Northeastern NC chapter partnered with Merchants Millpond State Park for their Holiday Habitat Trash Party Finale where volunteers removed 1,200 pounds of trash from the Bennetts Creek Trail. During the month-long Holiday Habitat Trash Party, local chapter members and volunteers removed a total of 2,390 pounds of trash from wildlife habitat across Northeastern NC!

Burnt Mill Creek Cleanup, January 13. Lower Cape Fear Wildlife kicked off 2024 with a cleanup at Burnt Mill Creek in Wilmington. Volunteers removed 100 pounds of trash from the riparian habitat. These cleanup efforts improve habitat conditions for a variety of native wildlife species!

Bolin Creek Invasive Removal, January 15. The Tri-County Conservationists hosted over 30 volunteers at Bolin Creek to celebrate MLK Day. The intrepid crew got super muddy and removed a huge quantity of invasive privet. Special thanks to volunteers from Chapel of the Cross and University Baptist for stepping up to the challenge. The chapter plans to return to Bolin Creek in February for a native replanting.

ecoEXPLORE Introduction to Ornithology, January 16. NCWF, Pocosin Lakes NWR and Tyrrell County Library partnered to offer an ecoEXPLORE Introduction to Ornithology program to discuss the importance of community science and this season’s Ornithology Badge. ecoEXPLORERs also built their own birds based on physical characteristics that they believed helped their birds successfully navigate their environments!

Winter Bird Walk, January 20. Wildlife enthusiasts braved the cold weather for a winter bird walk with Ornithologist Dr. Tony Lombardino. Starting with a hay ride, participants explored various microhabitats at Weddington Farms in Union County and learned about native birds in the area.

Build a Birdhouse, January 21. The Charlotte Wildlife Stewards hosted their 3rd annual Build a Birdhouse workshop. Kids of all ages worked hard to put together their own bluebird nesting box.  All in all 25 folks showed up and 18 bluebird houses were taken home. These kits were provided free of charge by the chapter. Big thanks to Sam Witten for volunteering his time to put these kits together!

Swift Creek Bluffs Trail Maintenance, January 23. The South Wake Conservationists (SWC) were joined by several conservation-minded partners to fortify a critical section of the Triangle Land Conservancy’s (TLC) Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve in Raleigh. Specifically, the group added a rock/sand mixture around the posts of stairway railings to stabilize them. The project represented the initial activity in the emerging partnership between TLC and SWC!

Birds of a Feather, January 24. NCWF, Pocosin Lakes NWR and Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft collaborated for a fun evening of learning all about local birds and creating clay pendants in their likeness. Species included a pileated woodpecker, barn owl, Northern cardinal, indigo bunting, wood duck, mallard duck and more!

Red Wolf Program & Wintering Waterfowl Tour, January 26-27. NCWF staff and chapter leaders came together for a special Red Wolf Program and Wintering Waterfowl Tour at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). NCWF’s Katerina Ramos provided an inspiring red wolf program at Columbia’s Red Wolf Center where participants also had the opportunity to view the two exhibit wolves that live on-site. On the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR, participants observed flocks of thousands of migratory tundra swans as well as other commonly found species on the refuge such as river cooters and white-tailed deer.