We had a great year working together on local conservation of wildlife and habitat in our south Wake County region! As an all-volunteer conservation organization, we could not have achieved such impactful results this year without your support and involvement, as well as the support of our parent organization, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and the many other local partner organizations we work with.
Here are a few highlights of the many programs and activities we offer and some of the measurable impacts, thanks to the dedicated efforts of our committee leads and volunteers throughout the year:
Eco Kids – Encouraging kids to connect with nature, Eco Kids delivers special activities for kids throughout the year. 2023 programs focused on black bears, red wolves, pond exploration, moth night, nature hikes and more. Our annual Kids in Nature Day attracted approximately 900 attendees this past May, with surveys indicating 100% want to come back next year!
Gardens for Wildlife – Pollinator gardens and tree plantings are being installed at local schools and parks with educational signage (100 trees and 900 plants planted this year); Invasive plant removal workdays (five invasives workdays this year) help to restore native habitat; and litter pick-up projects, aimed at keeping plastics and waste out of our watersheds, are being delivered as well, with 1,700 pounds of trash picked up this year.
Wildlife Habitat Projects – Habitat projects, such as eastern bluebird and brown-headed nuthatch boxes, have been installed at local schools and parks, with 31 installed this year and many more and different types of habitat installations planned.
Deer Program –Working to connect local farmers, hunters and community service providers, our aim is to promote responsible management of white-tailed deer in agricultural and urban areas, reducing habitat loss and promoting public safety. Donated deer contributed 13,500 meals to local food pantries this year, plus we held 4 deer hunting workshops, 5 field experiences, and collected more than 100 chronic wasting disease samples for analysis.
Educational Programs – We hope you’ll join us at our in-person quarterly meetings at Bass Lake Park, featuring guest speakers with expertise on a variety of nature-related topics. Quarterly webinars are also offered and viewed state-wide. Guest speakers headlined four webinars plus four in-person/webcast hybrid public meetings this year.
Field Trips – Open to the public, this is your chance to explore the great outdoors! Bird-watching hikes, bald eagle observation, amphibian exploration, kayaking, and more!
Community Engagement – We also connect with the community at several public events to increase awareness of our activities, increase engagement, and educate the public on conservation topics. We exhibited at nine community events and festivals this year.
Whatever your particular area of interest, we invite you to join in as much as you can. We have fun, as we think global and act local for wildlife and habitat! Thanks for being part of South Wake Conservationists!
South Wake Conservationists 