Green News

Environmental Alerts

The North Carolina Conservation Network is offering text alerts when a critical environmental bill is up for a vote in North Carolina. You can join their text alert group by texting PROTECTNC to 313131.

Earth Day Festival

Wilmington’s annual Earth Day Festival is on Saturday, April 23, 2022 from noon to 6 p.m. in Long Leaf Park. This year’s theme is “Love Your Mother.” The event will feature environmental information and activities with 70 exhibitors. This free family fun-filled afternoon offers live music, food trucks, raffle prizes and a Kid Zone for children to make art, with an accompanying children’s parade. On-site free parking and trolley shuttles from satellite locations are planned. For more information or to volunteer, email wilmingtonearthday@gmail.com. Learn more at https://www.wilmingtonearthday. com/ or https://www.facebook.com/ WilmingtonEarthDayAlliance/.

Wilmington Vegfest Returns in 2022

Wilmington Vegfest is back and is moving to a new venue. The new location is the Legion Sport Complex and the event will be hosted outside, rain or shine, on the backfield. Organizers anticipate at least 50 vendors and food trucks, live music, a family fun zone and more. The date will be April 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission will range from free to $20. More details can be found on vegfestexpos.com.

Environmental Film Festival March 17–27

The DC Environmental Film Festival will be all virtual in 2022. The festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and is the largest green film festival in the world. Each March in Washington, D.C., the festival presents more than 100 films to audiences of more than 20,000. Since 1993 their mission has been to celebrate Earth and inspire understanding and stewardship of the environment through the power of film.

Passes for all films are available for sale at https://dceff.org.

Streambank Restoration Workshop

Sedimentation is the number one pollutant of our North Carolina waterways. It causes damage to stream ecology, harms aquatic plants, and can destroy fish spawning beds. One source of sedimentation is erosion.

On February 28, 2022 at 9 a.m. there will be a streambank repair workshop at Lake Forest Academy, sponsored by North Carolina Wildlife Federation and run by NC State Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and NC State Extension. Pre-registration is required and is free for Island Wildlife–Cape Fear Region volunteers. If you’re pursuing certification as an environmental educator and attending this as an Island Wildlife–Cape Fear Region and North Carolina Wildlife Federation volunteer, you will receive Criteria II credit from N.C. Office of Environmental Education. (This workshop is also for professionals pursuing professional Streambank Repair certification, for a fee.)

“Attendees will learn how to protect and improve the natural environment of streams by stabilizing the stream bank and other eroding areas. NC State University and other local experts will provide practical, cost-effective solutions using natural materials and native plants to create a healthy streamside.” See https://bit. ly/33pd4Kc for details.

Master Gardener of the Year

Sherrel Bunn was selected as the “Master Gardener of the Year”(2021) for New Hanover County. The awards ceremony in January 2022 (via zoom) recognized many of the New Hanover County Master Gardeners, and the more than 8,300 volunteer hours they have given to the community in 2021.