Category: Retrospective

Photos and description of past events.

An Invasive Removal Is A Great Way To Spend the Fall Solstice this 9/23/26!

September 23, 2026

Despite threat of rain, 10 volunteers of The Audubon Society and South Wake Conservationists, along with 4 employees for the town of Fuquay-Varina, participated in an invasive removal at Carol H. Johnson Environmental Education Park in Fuquay-Varina. Fortunately, the 60-degree temperature was perfect to remove it. Our main mission was to remove Japanese Stilt Grass … More An Invasive Removal Is A Great Way To Spend the Fall Solstice this 9/23/26!

What a day at Inwood Wildlife Garden!

September 20, 2026

Despite the intense humidity and drought-hardened soil, volunteers tackled three major projects at Inwood Wildlife Gardens: building a hibernaculum, planting native species around “Brass Frog Pond,” and mulching the pollinator garden path. The ground was so tough that even the tractor’s bucket needed help from volunteers wielding pickaxes! By day’s end, we had installed 125 native … More What a day at Inwood Wildlife Garden!

Double Header at Walnut Creek Wetland Center! With two events within seven days SWC helped remove close to 800 pounds of trash with The Big Sweep on 9/5/26 and pulled approximately 2500 square feet of Japanese Hops on 9/13/26. Well done team!

September 16, 2026

The Big Sweep event was on 9/5/26. As usual Big Sweep does a great job getting volunteers and organizing teams, with plenty of bags, vests and pickers. During Walnut Creek Center’s Mud Day festival volunteers from Carolina Wetlands removed over 222 pounds so all effforts were to areas around the Raleigh Greenway. The weather was … More Double Header at Walnut Creek Wetland Center! With two events within seven days SWC helped remove close to 800 pounds of trash with The Big Sweep on 9/5/26 and pulled approximately 2500 square feet of Japanese Hops on 9/13/26. Well done team!

The day was hot, but the energy was high, literally! September 11, 2026.

September 13, 2026

Even with 97 degree heat, we were at maximum capacity on the rooftop of Southeast Elementary when 20 eager 4th grade gardeners, and 22 excited and veteran 5th grade gardeners, arrived to be guided by our five intrepid South Wake Conservationists leaders in two separate gardening sessions.  The students were attentive, well behaved and worked … More The day was hot, but the energy was high, literally! September 11, 2026.

Mud Day Madness

August 17, 2026

This was our fourth year in a row as an exhibitor at Mud Day at the Walnut Creek Wetland Center in Raleigh. This is always a fun event, and though our exhibit was far enough away from the mud slide to not get splashed, we did get some collateral mud from muddy visitors to our exhibit. A … More Mud Day Madness

Invasive removal at Annie Jones Trail in Cary, NC

August 10, 2026

Great kick off for The Invasive Removal Coalition of Cary’s first event at the Annie Jones Trail in Cary. Approximately 16 volunteers from multiple conservation groups showed up. Six of those were with SWC, other groups that participated were SWANEC and Rewild Cary. The Coalition provided quality snacks and beverages. The mission was to primarily … More Invasive removal at Annie Jones Trail in Cary, NC

SWC Volunteers Pull Together at Bass Lake!

August 2, 2026

Our SWC volunteers are a determined group. Despite what felt like 100% humidity, our team of eleven spent the morning pulling weeds like nutsedge, black nightshade, crabgrass, stilt grass, and vinca, then spreading fresh mulch throughout the Bass Lake shade garden. This summer’s extreme heat, drought, and a few very hungry deer have taken a … More SWC Volunteers Pull Together at Bass Lake!