Digging in the Dirt: July Planting & Chapter Projects
July planting and chapter highlights
North Carolina Wildlife Federation staff and Community Wildlife Chapter volunteers did a whole lot of wildlife watching, fishing, native planting and trash collecting in June and July to promote healthy wildlife habitat and get people outside. Conservation Coordinator Luke Bennett shares updates below. Explore our Events Calendar to find out where NCWF and our Wildlife Community Chapters are hosting in-person and virtual events near you.
Irwin Creek and Frazier Park Trash Pickup, June 16. Charlotte Wildlife Stewards hosted 25 employees from the Moody’s office in Charlotte for a trash cleanup at Irwin Creek and Frazier Park. They collected 131 pounds of trash.
Rescued Native Plant Planting, June 21. Island Wildlife volunteers worked with Carolina Beach State Park and Friends of Pleasure Island State Park (FPISP) to plant rescued native plants in a developing carnivorous bog garden.
Masonboro Island Boat Trip, June 28. Island Wildlife hosted 89 people from the YWCA Lower Cape Fear and the Waccamaw Siouan STEM Studio for an educational boat trip with Carolina Ocean Studies. All had a great time traveling to Masonboro Island while learning about the many wonders of marine life along the North Carolina coast.
Flock of Food Truck & Flash Trash Cleanup, June 30. Island Wildlife held an educational booth at the Island Women’s Flock of Food Trucks. Afterward, they hosted a Flash Trash Cleanup.
Weeding Day at Bass Lake Park, July 9. South Wake Conservationists hosted a successful “weeding party” at Bass Lake pollinator garden. Youth volunteers from the Activate Good Organization attended the event along with South Wake chapter members and North Carolina Wildlife Federation staff.
Waterfront Litter Sweep at Falls Lake, July 15. Despite the stormy weather, South Wake Conservationists partnered with volunteers from Activate Good to conduct a litter sweep along the shores of Falls Lake. They collected 80 pounds of trash.
Family Friendly Fishing at Rob Wallace Park, July 16. Concord Wildlife Alliance hosted a family-friendly fishing event at the beautiful 1430acre Rob Wallace Park. Loaner rods and free bait were provided along with fishing advice from the park rangers.
Take a Stroll Through Bear Territory, July 16. Participants were led by NCWF’s Katerina Ramos through the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge to observe a wide variety of wildlife, including black bears and otters. Participants are looking forward to coming back to the refuge to learn about and observe more coastal wildlife species.
Moth Night, July 23. South Wake Conservationists hosted an enthusiastic group of 12 kids and 14 adults and showed them the wonders of nature after dark. Bonnie Eamick introduced the group to “mothing,” as well as the discovery of other features at night, like illuminating fluorescent caterpillars with black-light flashlights and spotting spider eye reflections with a regular flashlight. Various moths visited the two sheets we hung and illuminated with black lights, as well as caddis flies, beetles and other insects.