Thanks to Our Volunteers! – January 2025 Community Wildlife Chapter Updates
North Carolina Wildlife Federation staff and Community Wildlife Chapter volunteers were in full swing throughout the month of January, although they took a short hiatus for the holiday they still connected people to the outdoors via webinars, native planting, litter pickups, and invasive species removals. In January, over 289 people were given the opportunity to connect with nature through one of NCWF’s opportunities. This month throughout our great state, 40 native trees and shrubs were planted, picked up 1,345 lbs of litter, and 0.5 acres of land were cleared of invasive plant species by NCWF Community Wildlife Chapters and partners.
Thanks to partners such as the Duke Energy Foundation, Jandy Ammons Foundation, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership and Burt’s Bees for helping make these habitat restoration workdays, 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.
January 1, Holiday Habitat Trash Parties: NCWF Wildlife Habitat Stewards of Northeastern NC Chapter hosted a series of “trash parties” across northeastern NC to remove litter from wildlife habitat throughout the holiday season. Volunteers from across the region helped remove over 1,345 lbs of litter during this cleanup series to benefit wildlife and habitat!
January 7, HAWK Owl Prowl: NCWF Habitat and Wildlife Keepers Chapter hosted naturalist and birder Taylor Piephoff for a winter owl prowl. Eleven brave adults showed up for a chilly nocturnal walk along Four Mile Creek Greenway in Matthews.
January 12, Pembroke Creek Park Litter Cleanup & Invasive Species Removal: NCWF Wildlife Habitat Stewards of Northeastern NC Chapter hosted a litter cleanup and invasive species removal project at Pembroke Creek Park in Edenton. Volunteers removed over 210 lbs of litter and about 50 lbs of invasive phragmites from crucial wetland habitat.
January 14, CWS Social & Trivia: NCWF Charlotte Wildlife Stewards Chapter hosted their first annual Trivia Night at Sugar Creek Brewing in South End. Over 80 folks showed up to play nature trivia and socialize with other wildlife enthusiasts. The chapter provided hors d’oeuvres and trivia prizes, and they even hosted a raffle to raise money for wildlife conservation.
January 14, ecoEXPLORE Ornithology Badge & Woodpeck Activity: NCWF, Pocosin Lakes NWR, and Tyrrell County Library teamed up to introduce this season’s ecoEXPLORE ornithology and woodpecker badges to local families. Participants learned more about making bird observations in the wild and enjoyed a fun woodpecker adaptations challenge that counts towards earning their woodpecker badge!
January 15, Clay Bear Dens w/ Pocosin Arts: In partnership with Pocosin Lakes NWR and Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft, NCWF offered an educational black bear program for families that included a hands-on bear den craft using air dry clay and foraged materials from along the Scuppernong River.
January 16, Snakes in Waxhaw: NCWF Habitat Builders Chapter hosted their first wildlife program in the Town of Waxhaw. Habitat Builders partnered with Waxhaw Parks and Recreation to offer a native snake program at their brand new Recreation Barn. Over 30 kids and adults showed up to learn all about native snakes including two live copperheads!
January 25, Eco Kids Planting Day at Crowder County Park: NCWF South Wake Conservationists Chapter held an Eco Kids Tree Planting Day at Crowder County Park in Apex. Sarah Goldsmith, an Environmental Educator at the park, began the afternoon with a tree talk that engaged and informed kids about trees. Volunteers then joined their kiddos in planting 40 native tree saplings in the park to provide food and habitat for wildlife.
January 26, Nest Box Workshop: NCWF Charlotte Wildlife Stewards hosted their annual nest box workshop. Thank you to Historic Rosedale for providing this year’s venue! Over thirty wildlife enthusiasts showed up to assemble precut brown-headed nuthatch nest box kits. Volunteers even installed a nest box on site at Historic Rosedale as part of the workshop.
January 26, Invasive Plant Removal with Keep Durham Beautiful: NCWF Durham Wildlife Stewards Chapter joined forces with Keep Durham Beautiful and the New Hope Bird Alliance for an invasive plant removal workday at Hillside Park in Durham. Volunteers rescued trees and tackled invasive glossy privet, autumn olive, Chinese privet, and English ivy in the park. It was a very successful workday, with volunteers triumphantly taking down a number of privet trees that were over 15 feet tall!
Written by:
– Page Turner, Conservation Coordinator
– Laura Frazier, Refuge Conservation Coordinator
– Natalie Bohorquez, VP of Conservation Partnerships
– Alden Picard, Conservation Coordinator
– Kara Solomon, Conservation Coordinator