In This Issue
The Legacy of Hildegard Ryals
H.S. Students Restore Praire
Partner Spotlight: Transplanting Traditions
Protecting Yourself from Ticks this Season
Congratulations Matt Rutledge on becoming both Forest Certified and a Burn Boss
Green Trees of Chatham Hike
TLC Stewardship and Easement Monitoring
Youth Outreach: 2014 Research Triangle Charter Academy's Career Day
 
We're blogging on saving NC's historic ecosystems...
Old growth forests and Piedmont prairies are rapidly disappearing from what was once their historic range here in North Carolina. TLC is working hard to protect and restore both habits now and in the future. 
 
On the Trail ... 
Can you identify this bird?

Visit our Facebook page and write down your answer and upload your own photograph!
 
Check out our latest "3 Hours in the Triangle" blog post!
Spend a weekend morning ambling around Historic Yates Mill County Park - Wake County's only historically preserved mill and explore the 174-acre wildlife refuge. Then grab a great Peruvian lunch at Machupicchu in Raleigh. 

 
TLC logo banner

 
 

Happy Spring! 

 

The winter seems to have finally left the Triangle! And what a joy! Juicy foliage has popped, grasses are turning green, our spring migratory birds have arrived, and frogs are peeping in the night. 

 

We have much to share with you this month -- from a wonderful gift left by Hildegard Ryals to TLC, to volunteer crews on our lands, to health tips to protect you against ticks, to a delicious salad recipe -- TLC staff have been busy!

 

It takes a community to conserve. We are grateful that you are a part of our community. Please help us grow by sharing this eNews with your friends and family! And please consider making a special spring gift to support our work.

 

 

Best, 

 



Lisa Rainwater, PhD
Director of Communications & External Affairs
Hildegard Ryals' Tremendous Legacy to TLC and the Triangle

Hildegard Ryals with former TLC
board member, Jonathan Howes
The Triangle lost a visionary leader when Hildegard Ryals passed away in November 2012. Hildegard held the spirit of community close to her heart. Far before anyone else was talking about preserving New Hope Creek, Hildegard had a vision and passion - and what is now the New Hope Corridor arose because she had a gift for bringing disparate people and entities together for the greater good. 
 
This spring TLC received news that Hildegard, a former TLC board member and ardent champion of conservation, left a tremendous legacy gift to us - over $1 million to be used for land protection and stewardship. Not only are we deeply grateful, we are also humbled by her generosity and faith in TLC's ongoing efforts to conserve important places within our six-county region.
 
Hildegard's legacy - New Hope Creek, Leigh Farm Park, Little River Park, and many other special places in the Triangle - will continue to provide opportunities for young and old to seek adventure and comfort from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She was truly a legacy builder. 

 

Read more here. Read the April 28 article on Hildegard's gift in The News & Observer.

Raleigh High School Group Volunteers 
at Temple Flat Rock 


 

On April 1, TLC staff and a certified burn crew conducted a prescribed fire on sections of Piedmont Prairie and forest at our Temple Flat Rock Preserve. The prescribed burns are designed to restore the natural prairie habitat, create greater biodiversity, and reduce the risk of wildfire. Fire is an integral and historical part of this habitat native to North Carolina and critical to the restoration of plants and wildlife. 
 
A week after the burn, native grasses had already begun to turn the prairie green! To increase the spread of native plants, TLC's land manager, Walt Tysinger, and our easement steward, Matt Rutledge, met a group of Raleigh Charter High School students at Temple Flat Rock to plant young seedlings across the prairie. Sweetgum, which is a weedy, fast-growing tree that has choked out many Piedmont Prairies, was also removed. As a finale, students installed duck boxes and new blue bird houses, which they had built with Walt. 
It's Planting Season at TLC's Irvin Farm!


Even though April had arrived, it was a brisk morning at TLC's Irvin Farm Nature Preserve when a TLC crew went out to visit our partner, Transplanting Traditions. The weather - far colder than their native homeland - didn't deter the twenty Burmese refugee farmers, however. They had come early to get a jump start on weeding and tilling the fertile soils and watering the seedlings in our greenhouse. Laughter and chatter could be heard across the dewy fields as hoes touched the earth.  

The Karen community, living mainly in Chapel Hill, has been farming at TLC since 2010. In this short period of time, farmers have learned to grow food both native to North Carolina and their homelands of Burma and Thailand. They now sell their produce at the Carrboro and Chapel Hill Farmers Markets and operate a Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) program.
 
Irvin Farm is a wonderful example of how TLC lands connect people with nature and provide local farming opportunities to our community. Next month, we'll profile Learning Outside, our partner that provides outdoor camps to over 300 children a year. 
 
Click here for more information on Transplanting Traditions.
COMFORT: A Taste of Spring Greens
By Lisa Rainwater

It's the time of year when our farmers markets hold longer hours, and the variety of produce becomes increasingly diverse after a long winter of comforting root crops. There's no better time to taste the delicate leaves of spring greens - from romaine to butterhead to leafy varietals - or bite into a crisp asparagus spear.

This month's recipe blends the flavors and textures of spring's bounty. Toss salad ingredients in a big bowl and serve with homemade buttermilk dressing.
 
While at the farmers market picking out your greens and asparagus, make sure to stop at Pittsboro-based Chicken Bridge Bakery's stand and pick up a wonderful loaf of country bread! 

Click here for the recipe.
Protecting Yourself from Ticks this Season       
  
Spring has arrived in North Carolina. Though the flowers and the budding trees are beautiful, it is also time for an annual refresher on how to protect yourself and your family from tick bites.

Just in case you are not aware, ticks are small insects that attach to the skin of humans and other birds and animals to feed on blood. Though they are small, and the blood they take may be miniscule, ticks can pass diseases to their hosts. American dog ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the Lone Star ticks can give Southern Tick Associated Rash Infection (STARI) or a bacteria that is responsible for erhlichiosis, and the black-legged tick is a carrier for Lyme Disease.

Luckily, you can take a few simple measures that will go a long way towards preventing tick bites. Ticks are found mainly in grassy and shrubby habitats, so stay in open space or on roads or trails. Wear long pants that you can tuck into your socks or shirttails that can tuck into your waistband. Most insect repellents are effective against ticks as well as mosquitoes and black flies. If you have pets, visit your veterinarian to learn of the best preventive repellents currently on the market. To avoid camping in a tick infested area, drag a piece of white flannel cloth across the ground and then check it for ticks.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when spending time outside frequently check yourself and your family for any unwanted tick stowaways. The shorter the duration of the attachment, the less likely an infection will occur. In fact, if the tick is attached less than six hours, it is not possible to transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

If you do spot a tick and do not know how long it has been there, keep an eye out for symptoms and go to your doctor if you feel you have contracted one of the tick-borne diseases. You can read further here for a complete list of symptoms and signs, and read here to learn how to safely remove a tick.

Ticks should not keep you from enjoying the outdoors this spring, summer, and fall, but a little awareness can go a long way towards keeping you and your family happy and healthy this season!  
Congratulations to TLC's Matt Rutledge on Becoming both Forest Certified and a Burn Boss!
 
 

Our very own Easement Steward Matt Rutledge earned both his Forest Certification and Burn Boss status this past week.

In order to become a registered forester, Matt first passed a difficult examination. From there, Matt must now apply to the Board of Registered Foresters, who will judge his experience and qualifications before they make their final decision.

While Matt is well on his way to becoming a registered forester, he has already received certification as a Burn Boss for prescribed burns as part of the NC Certified burner program. To gain this designation, Matt took a class, wrote a burn plan, and act as Burn Boss on that plan, which he did last week at TLC's prescribed burn at Horton Grove.

Now that he has passed the registered forester exam and become a Burn Boss, Matt can be an even better resource for TLC and for the wider community. "I think it's important for an organization like TLC, who owns and manages a large amount of land, to have recognized land management folks on staff," Matt says.

Congratulations again Matt!  
Green Trees of Chatham Hike      
 

On Sunday, March 30th, volunteers with Grand Trees of Chatham, TLC, and interested community members enjoyed a tree identification and appreciation hike through White Pines Nature Preserve located in Sanford, NC.

Hike leader Andy Upshaw drew our attentions to native tree species and nascent woodland flowers throughout the excursion. Participants learned of tree lore and tree-bird associations. Andy affixed intrinsic and extrinsic value tags to trees along the way to make us keenly aware that trees enhance our quality of life and to tie us to time and place.

For fun and informative video clips of this outing, please check out our website and Facebook page.  Special thanks to Andy and the Garbutts for reaching out and facilitating this fantastic hike!
 
If you would like more information on TLC Outings, please contact Tonya Taylor at ttaylor@triangleland.org    
TLC Stewardship and Easement Monitoring Volunteer Opportunities! 
 

   

Monitoring easements held by TLC is an essential part of our operations. Federal and State law requires easements to be monitored and the conditions and the easement upheld. TLC is also seeking accreditation through the Land Trust Alliance, which has standards around easement monitoring and reporting. Monitoring is the only way to ensure the conservation values of the property are being maintained in accordance with the original landowner's wishes.

 

Monitoring is also a way to engage with our landowners, answer questions they may have on the easement or easement language, and provide any needed resources around land management. Meeting and talking with landowners is the best way to avoid any potential future easement violations. As a land trust, TLC acts to conserve land in perpetuity and monitoring is the main tool to ensure our eased properties meet that target.

 

TLC's Easement Steward, Matt Rutledge, is currently setting up appointments with landowners to monitor our 80 easements. He will also be monitoring 8 TLC properties. If you would like to join help him on one of the easement properties, please contact Tonya Taylor at ttaylor@triangleland.org.

 
Youth Outreach: 2014 Research Triangle Charter Academy's Career Day       
 

Friday, April 11th, Research Triangle Charter Academy held its annual career day organized by School Social Worker, Ella Batten. TLC's Community Engagement Coordinator, Tonya Taylor, gave fifteen-minute presentations to three 7th grade classes.  Eighth grader, Cameron Jackson (Beta club and honor roll student) introduced Tonya and a lively discussion of who, what, why, and where ensued concerning TLC's public benefits, goals, nature preserves, and career descriptions with approximately 75 youth. Students were enthusiastic and energized when asked about their connections to nature, their love of science, local food, and their usage of water.
 
Though the points of the presentations were to encourage students to explore various career and internship opportunities, it was refreshing to see youth engaged and tuned into their local environments on different levels from myriad angles and perspectives. Many asked discerning questions regarding the actual steps TLC takes to protect clean water and wildlife habitats. When asked would they like a field trip arranged to one of TLC's preserves, the answer was a, 'hear it down the hall' chorus of hoots, hollers, and YESes!

On that note, TLC will continue a dialogue with RTCA teachers and staff to try to get these inquisitive youth onto TLC lands.  Each class was given TLC newsletters, maps, Burt's Bees sunscreen, and lip balm to encourage them all to get out in the sun and enjoy the natural world around them.
    
 
 

 

TLC's mission is to protect important open space - stream corridors, forests, wildlife habitat, farmland and natural areas - in Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Orange and Wake Counties to help keep our region a healthy and vibrant place to live and work.

 
 
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