Conservation

Triangle Greenways Council Buys 22 Acres In Durham County For Future Trail

Laura Candler — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:54:13 +0000

Just days after the City of Durham kicked off its trail season, the Triangle Greenways Council (TGC) has finalized a deal allowing for the creation a new greenway in Durham County. The group purchased a parcel of land along Chunky Pipe Creek, about two miles upstream from Falls Lake, Raleigh’s drinking water source (see a map here). The land has already been designated for a future greenway project in the Durham Open Space Plan.

TGC bought the land on April 10 from private owners, who will benefit from the NC Conservation Tax Credit and other federal tax deductions that incentivize conservation efforts. The purchase is the fourth parcel that TGC has bought along the creek. The City of Raleigh provided funding via the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative, a consortium of seven conservation groups that aims to protect land important to the health of drinking water sources in the Upper Neuse River Basin.

Hofmann Forest

Frank Stasio and Nicole Campbell — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:34:13 +0000

The Hofmann Forest is referred to as the "crown jewel" of forestry research in North Carolina, and it’s one of the main educational sites for forestry students.

NC Organization Helps Save Ducks In Trinidad

Laura Candler — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:09:18 +0000

In 2009, Sylvan Heights Bird Park received a call from the US Embassy in Trinidad, asking them to help restore two species of nearly-extinct native ducks, the White-Faced Whistling Duck and the Bahama Pintail. Four years later, they are celebrating the successful introduction of individuals of both species back into Trinidad, a promising sign for the health of native populations.

Stand Up That Mountain

Frank Stasio and Susan Davis — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Jay Leutze was a non-practicing lawyer writing a novel, working for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and minding his own business in his home in western North Carolina when he got a phone call from an impassioned and outraged 14 year old named Ashley. She and her aunt and uncle, Ollie and Curly, were sure that the new scar on a nearby mountain was a violation of the state's Ridge Act.

500,000th Longleaf Pine Seedling to be Planted

Isaac-Davy Aronson — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:50:00 +0000

A partnership that works to protect and restore the longleaf pine in North Carolina will plant its 500,000th seedling today. Debbie Crane of the Nature Conservancy says the tree is an iconic state symbol, but it's been in decline for decades.

Meet Stuart Pimm

Frank Stasio and Lindsay Foster Thomas — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Duke University professor Stuart Pimm’s work is more important than ever. That’s because species are going extinct faster than ever. Pimm, the Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, studies endangered species in hopes of curbing accelerated extinction rates. His work as a conservation biologist began in Hawaii in the 1970s – before the field of conservation biology even existed.

Chatham Releases First County Conservation Plan

Eric Hodge — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:25:00 +0000

Chatham county officials take a step toward protecting the area's natural resources today. The Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Chatham County is the first of its kind in North Carolina. An event being held in Pittsboro this afternoon will unveil details of the voluntary program. Leigh Ann Hammerbacher works for the Triangle Land Conservancy which contributed to the plan.

Undiscovered Species Disappearing

Eric Hodge — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:39:00 +0000

A new study from Duke University reveals that many of the world's undiscovered plant and animal species are in danger. Researchers say many of the missing species live in areas being developed or deforested. Stuart Pimm is the Doris Duke Chair of Ecology at Duke. He says a new mathematical model doubles the number of plant species believed to be under threat.

Economic Benefits of Conservation

WUNC News — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:10:00 +0000

North Carolina conservation groups say preserving land for public use has long-term economic benefits. A new report from the non-profit Trust for Public Land claims that every dollar North Carolina invests in parks, farms and wilderness has a return of 4 dollars to the local economy. The report measures the “natural goods and services” of different ecosystems in the state. An area is valued by the quality of its air and water and its ability to remove pollutants naturally—making wetlands and forests the most valuable and developed or barren land the least valuable.

Audubon Preserves Lea Island

Jeremy Loeb — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

One of the last undeveloped barrier islands in North Carolina is one step closer to permanent protection. Audubon North Carolina has purchased a 35-acre tract of land on Lea Island in Pender County. The money was made available through a private donation.