Save Our Sandhills and Palustris, Mar. 24

PALUSTRIS SCHEDULE

Save Our Sandhills: Learning from the Past for a Better Future

Saturday, March 24, 2012

9:00 am  -- 5:30 pm

Southern Pines Civic Club, downtown

There is a “web of connection” throughout life, a web between past and present, a web between plant life and animal life to create an ecosystem, a web between mankind and nature. Save Our Sandhills celebrates those webs that create sense from chaos, thereby making our lives more meaningful and enjoyable.

9am –5:30pm: Enjoy a celebration of North Carolina’s natural landscapes through the photographic display by David Blevins. Items will be offered for sale.  Blevins’ website is www.blevinsphoto.com.

9:30am – 11am: Wild North Carolina: Author Michael Schafal, a community ecologist for the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program) and nature photographer David Blevins, also a forest ecologist, will discuss their book Wild North Carolina, illuminating our state’s natural communities and highlighting the reasons plant and animals are found where they are, with a special focus on the Sandhills. Autographed books will be offered for sale.

11am – 12:30pm: “Eating Wild”: Terry Sharpe, a wildlife biologist and forester who spent 30 years working with the NC Wildlife Commission, will describe the joys of reconnecting with a more natural way of life. Considering the great outdoors to be one big dinner plate, he will discuss favorites on his menu, provide guidelines on finding and preparing them, and bring samples to taste.

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Traditional bluegrass music by Joe and Abby and Friends. Refreshments will be served.

1:30pm – 3pm: Looking for Longleaf: Lawrence Earley, former editor of Wildlife in North Carolina magazine, and a writer and photographer, will discuss his book Looking for Longleaf. Having the ability to bring the past to life, he will explain how the longleaf pine ecosystem was exploited, the problems with regeneration of the pines, and the renewed commitment needed to help this biodiverse ecosystem thrive. Autographed books will be offered for sale.

3pm – 4:30pm: “Photographing Nature”: David Blevins, a nature photographer and forest ecologist, will describe how patterns in landscapes help people to see familiar places in a new way and new places with a sense of familiarity.

4:30pm – 5:30pm: Traditional bluegrass music by Joe and Abby and Friends. Refreshments will be served.  Refreshments courtesy of The Fresh Market and Nature’s Own, both of Southern Pines

Jan. 27 lecture, Endangered and Rare Species, Ft. Bragg, Camp McCall

SAVE OUR SANDHILLS SPEAKER DISCUSSES ENDANGERED AND RARE FLORA AND FAUNA ON FORT BRAGG AND CAMP MACKALL

On January 27, Save Our Sandhills will host Beth Evans, a Certified Wildlife Biologist, to speak about Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall’s commitment to endangered species. Both military installations are located within the rare longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystem. Less than 3% of the original 92 million acres of this ecosystem still exist. This ecosystem, dependent on fire maintenance, supports a wealth of flora and fauna populations, many of which are endangered or rare.
Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall contain 23 vegetative community types with over 1,200 plant species, approximately 200 bird species, 51 reptiles, 44 amphibians, 41 mammal species, and over 50 known aquatic species. Among these species, 5 are federally endangered; namely, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Saint Francis Satyr Butterfly, American Chaffseed, Rough-leaved Loosestrife, and Michaux Sumac. Overall, 48 species are considered rare. A few rare species of flora, such as the Sandhills Lily and Sandhills Pixie Moss are on the Army’s Species at Risk list, and could potentially impact military training if they become federally listed. Some rare fauna species, such as the Gopher frog, Eastern Salamander, Northern Pine Snake, Southeastern Bat, and Rafinesque Big-eared Bat are also being studied for their survival and management requirements.
Of the 5 federally endangered species, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW), listed in 1970, was declining through loss of habitat by fire suppression, forest management practices, and urban development. In 1990 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a Jeopardy Biological Opinion and recommended specific military training restrictions, monitoring, surveys, and habitat restoration in order to stem the decline. In 1992 Fort Bragg biologists began monitoring the RCW population, provided cavity enhancement, worked on habitat restoration, and placed protective measures around cavity trees. And in 2005, Fort Bragg succeeded in reaching its goal of 350 breeding pairs with assistance from the Sandhills Conservation Partnership and was able to reduce training restrictions by 50%. The Saint Francis Satyr Butterfly, listed in 1995, was thought to be extinct. It has been rediscovered, however, and is being studied by Fort Bragg biologists and university researchers in order to understand its survival requirements and to manage its habitat. The 3 federally listed plants, American Chaffseed (listed in 1992), Rough-leaved Loosestrife (listed in 1987), and Michaux’s Sumac (listed in 1989), are found in open uplands and in wetland ecotones. The areas in which these plants are found are monitored and managed by midstory removal and frequent fire.
Beth Evans will identify these 5 federally endangered species, and will discuss their life histories and their management requirements. She will also highlight a few other rare species in our globally rare longleaf pine ecosystem of the Sandhills. Evans received a B.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Vermont in 1990. Subsequently, she served as a Research Assistant at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida, surveying RCW cavity trees and becoming a member of one of the first teams to initiate banding of these endangered birds. Evans has been with the Fort Bragg Military Installation since 1993, working her way up from Biological Science Technician to Certified Wildlife Biologist. She monitors and surveys Fort Bragg’s endangered and rare flora and fauna species, and is involved with all aspects of protection and habitat restoration. Nevertheless, the majority of her work pertains to the RCW. Evans also participates in the NC Sandhills Conservation Partnership and the NC Chapter of the Wildlife Society, and conducts educational presentations to military personnel and the general public.

Join us for an informative and interesting evening; refreshments will be served Thursday, January 27 at 7 PM in the Southern Pines Civic Club, corner of Ashe and Pennsylvania.

Must Watch Video re: Slow Food, Terra Madre Conference

http://www.slowfood.com/dossier2010/eng
And Sandhills Farm2Table reps will be there in October, very exciting!  Let's help them when they bring those excellent ideas and motivations back home.  Slow Food for all, sustainable farming methods for all, cleaner air and water for all, community-building for all!  Congratulations to Jan and Fenton, buen viaje, Amigos!

SOS, Apr.29, Wildlife Friendly Developments Program

SAVE OUR SANDHILLS HOSTS EXPERT ON NEW

WILDLIFE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR NORTH CAROLINA DEVELOPMENTS
On April 29, Save Our Sandhills hosts guest speaker Vann Stancil to discuss the newly created Wildlife Friendly Development Certification program developed through a partnership of the following groups – the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF), the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (NC-ASLA). The program offers certification for developments that go above and beyond requirements to ensure that wildlife habitat is protected and impacts on the environment are minimized.

Why this concerted effort of wildlife biologists, conservationists, landscape design professionals, and developers? Over the past 20 years, North Carolina has lost 2.4 million acres of forests and agricultural lands. Realizing that the state’s precious open space has been dwindling for years, North Carolina began a mission on January 1, 1999, to save a million acres from development. Called the Million Acre Initiative, it was unable to achieve its 10-year goal, coming up 350,000 acres short.

In the same ten years, North Carolina lost more acres to development than any other state in the Union.  If the projected population increase of 50% by 2030 is accurate, North Carolina is expected to lose another 2 million acres in the next 30 years.

Given these sobering statistics, Wildlife Friendly Development Certification was created, complementing the green building standards that are becoming a more normal component of building practices in North Carolina. Sustainable practices are critical to our environment. This voluntary program, a smart growth habitat initiative, works with a developer to identify important natural resources on the development site that need protection, and it awards points for using techniques that minimize environmental impacts. Bog turtles, hooded warblers, bobwhite quail, and American shad are as carefully considered as architectural styles and street grids. Prior to construction, developers complete an inventory of conditions on site, including types of wildlife habitat, wetland and stream delineations, and any existing manmade barriers to wildlife movement. These questions get asked:
* Where are possible wildlife corridors?
* How can wildlife passages be provided so that animals can safely navigate roads?
* Where are opportunities to remove invasive vegetation?
* How can wildlife habitat be maximized and impact on species minimized?

Throughout the stages of construction, developments are evaluated using a suite of criteria that offer points for the developer. The developer must earn a sufficient number of points to be certified. Even after construction, the homeowners’ maintenance can affect the status of the certified Wildlife Friendly Development.
Vann Stancil has been a Special Project Coordinator with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries. Prior to this, Stancil worked for Progress Energy doing aquatic monitoring work on lakes and rivers associated with its power plants in the Carolinas. He has a B.S. from North Carolina State University in Fisheries and Wildlife Science and an M.S. from Virginia Tech in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences.
Join us for an informative, interesting evening; refreshments will be served. Thursday, April 29 at 7 P.M. Southern Pines Civic Club, corner of Ashe Street and Pennsylvania.

Save Our Biodiversity, SOS

SAVE OUR SANDHILLS HOSTS EXPERT ON
IMPERILED INSECTS AND THEIR HABITATS

On January 28, 2010, Save Our Sandhills will host guest speaker Dr. Stephen Hall to give a talk on “Insects and Habitats That Are of Special Conservation Concern in the North Carolina Sandhills.” Dr. Hall, an Invertebrate Zoologist with the NC Natural Heritage Program, conducts studies of insects associated with specialized habitats.
The importance of this topic is two-fold. First of all, scientists are trying to determine whether certain insects are facing extinction. They are trying to give as much weight to preserving rare and threatened insects as they do to vertebrates and plants. Secondly, they are trying to gauge the ecological integrity of the habitats of specific insects. For example, they have found a high degree of ecological integrity in some longleaf-wiregrass woodlands, and a strikingly low degree of integrity in some wetland habitats. Integrity of habitat is important to healthy interrelationships between insects and their host plants. Each species of insect, plant or animal plays an essential role in its ecosystem. Destruction of habitat is cause for alarm. When plants and insects disappear, the food source of birds and other animals is compromised and can even lead to the extinction of local wildlife populations.
Dr. Hall, who received a B.A. in Zoology from Pomona College and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of North Carolina, has been the Invertebrate Zoologist for the NC Natural Heritage Program since. 1990. He has extensively surveyed insect populations and their habitats in the Coastal Plain. In the Sandhills, he conducted a survey that resulted in the Saint Francis’ Satyr butterfly being listed as a Federal Endangered Species. With regard to this project, he worked at Fort Bragg with both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army to determine how best to protect and manage its populations. For several years, he also worked at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, preparing an inventory of the Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, and skippers) at the park.
Join us for an informative and interesting evening; refreshments follow. We will meet on Thursday, January 28 at 7 P.M. in the Southern Pines Civic Club at the corner of Ashe Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

http://allalongtheedge.blogspot.com/2010/01/fantastic-mr-fox.html

Ethics at the Table

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8470945.stm

Bees Dying, Lack of Biodiversity

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8467746.stm

SOS, Jan. 28, Inperiled Insects and Their Habitats in the Sandhills

SAVE OUR SANDHILLS HOSTS EXPERT ON


IMPERILED INSECTS AND THEIR HABITATS
On January 28, 2010, Save Our Sandhills will host guest speaker Dr. Stephen Hall to give a talk on “Insects and Habitats That Are of Special Conservation Concern in the North Carolina Sandhills.” Dr. Hall, an Invertebrate Zoologist with the NC Natural Heritage Program, conducts studies of insects associated with specialized habitats.

The importance of this topic is two-fold. First of all, scientists are trying to determine whether certain insects are facing extinction. They are trying to give as much weight to preserving rare and threatened insects as they do to vertebrates and plants. Secondly, they are trying to gauge the ecological integrity of the habitats of specific insects. For example, they have found a high degree of ecological integrity in some longleaf-wiregrass woodlands, and a strikingly low degree of integrity in some wetland habitats. Integrity of habitat is important to healthy interrelationships between insects and their host plants. Each species of insect, plant or animal plays an essential role in its ecosystem. Destruction of habitat is cause for alarm. When plants and insects disappear, the food source of birds and other animals is compromised and can even lead to the extinction of local wildlife populations.

Dr. Hall, who received a B.A. in Zoology from Pomona College and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of North Carolina, has been the Invertebrate Zoologist for the NC Natural Heritage Program since. 1990. He has extensively surveyed insect populations and their habitats in the Coastal Plain. In the Sandhills, he conducted a survey that resulted in the Saint Francis’ Satyr butterfly being listed as a Federal Endangered Species. With regard to this project, he worked at Fort Bragg with both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army to determine how best to protect and manage its populations. For several years, he also worked at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, preparing an inventory of the Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, and skippers) at the park.

Join us for an informative and interesting evening; refreshments follow. We will meet on Thursday, January 28 at 7 P.M. in the Southern Pines Civic Club at the corner of Ashe Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

Noxious Side Effects, Monsanto GM Corn

http://www.truthout.org/1215091

Excellent Planning Site with Videos

http://www.livinginthefuture.org/

Real Dirt, Fri. Nov. 20

Documentary Night at Raven’s Wing Healing Center
325 N. Page St., Sou. Pines

Friday November 20th, 2009
Center opens at 6:30pm
Documentary starts at 7:00pm

The Real Dirt on Farmer John

Filmmaker Taggart Siegel paints a fascinating portrait of a man who refused to yield. By transforming his farm into an experimental haven in the late 1960s, John Peterson attracted hundreds of artists, hippies and other political radicals. But when the agriculture crisis of the late 1980s led to the farm's eventual collapse -- and his neighbors publicly branded him a devil worshipper -- most locals thought he'd call it quits. They were wrong.

Discussion afterwards for those who would like to stay!
Homemade snacks provided!

Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the movie is scheduled to begin.

rwhealingcenter@gmail.com
www.rwnaturalhealing.com

A suggested donation of $5 is greatly appreciated!

What to Plant Where, Nov. 4, SCC

THE RIGHT PLANT FOR THE RIGHT LOCATION

November 4 at 10 AM The Sandhills Horticultural Society and the Council of Garden Clubs will sponsor a program at the Ball Visitors Center of Sandhills Community College. Noted television host of “In the Garden with Bryce Lane” will present a free lecture on “The Right Plants for the Right Location.” Contact Trisha Mabe at 910-695-3882 to register.

Bluefin Tuna Ban

Tuna ban 'justified' by science
Banning trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna is justified by the extent of their decline, scientists advising fisheries regulators suggest.

Salatin and Polyface

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091016/ts_alt_afp/usenvironmentfarmfoodorganic

Internat'l Seed Bank

Banana marks seed bank milestone
An international seed bank has hit its target of containing 10% of all the world's wild plant species, researchers announce.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/science/nature/8305456.stm

One Man One Cow One Planet

http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi1966932505/

Free Longleaf Pine Seedlings

Free Longleaf Pine seedlings, you just have to dig them up! Contact Susan Campbell susan@ncaves.com if you are interested in getting some seedlings for your property. They are in a pasture that is due to be disked this fall, and the landowner is interested in transplanting as many of the trees as possible.

Our Cultural Landscape, Oct. 28, Sou. Pines

Media Contact:
Ray Owen (910) 638-3982, E-mail: information@classicaldesignfoundation.com

Event title: “Our Cultural Landscape” with Charles Birnbaum
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 7:00-9:00 PM
Location: Sunrise Theater, 250 NW Broad St., Southern Pines, NC
Presented by: The Classical Design Foundation
Admission is free and open to the public.

Southern Pines, NC - October 28, 2009, THE CLASSICAL DESIGN FOUNDATION presents CHARLES BIRNBAUM, Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, Washington, DC. Introduction by Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest."

When a design is successful, how long is it worth keeping? When the design is a landscape of historical significance, why should we care? Understanding the value of where we live will be the subject of “Our Cultural Landscape.” This event unites two acclaimed speakers in an illustrated talk on the natural and man-made beauty that defines the singular character of the Southern Pines landscape.

Charles Birbaum is the Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, DC. Recognized for his ground-breaking achievements in preserving endangered landscapes throughout the United States, Mr. Birbaum will turn his attention to the Sandhills--from our lumber and turpentine industry past, to the development of James Boyd's Weymouth estate.

As the Vanderbilts were to Asheville or the Tufts to Pinehurst, so were the Boyds to Southern Pines. Under their influence, town founders overcame the devastations of clear-cutting that by the turn of the twentieth century had left a wasteland. With emphasis on plantings of native flora along with naturalized drought-tolerant ornamentals, Southern Pines emerged as a "garden place." A leader in this movement was Alfred Yeomans, a Boyd family relative who guided town landscape design in a patchwork of efforts spanning more than half a century.

Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest," will describe the cultural and natural history of our region's longleaf pine habitat, setting the stage for an understanding of Southern Pines as a resort named for a forest, and why residents should care to sustain our landscape heritage.

This event is presented by The Classical Design Foundation in association with The North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Preservation North Carolina, The Sandhills Council of Garden Clubs, Sandhills Natural History Society, The Southern Pines Garden Club and Sustainable Sandhills.

The Classical Design Foundation is a Southern Pines based nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. It exists for the preservation, education, and practice of classical visual design. For more information visit The Classical Design Foundation website at www.classicaldesignfoundation.org, or contact Ray Owen at (910) 638-3982, E-mail: information@classicaldesignfoundation.com. Mailing address: 115 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387.

Indigenous Foods Under Attack

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-08-globalization-threatens-indigenous-foods-says-u.n.-agency/