Cape Fear's Going Green • Winter 2024

Cape Fear’s

www.GoingG reenPublications.com

Going Green

your guide to local eco-friendly resources since 2007

Frogs: Gopher Frogs FrogWatch Training

www.GoingGreenPublications.com

Fighting Deforestation Sustainable Families Environmental Books

Winter 2024

Volume 16 Issue 1

Letter from the Editor I enjoy participating in environmental festivals and other eco-friendly events throughout the Cape Fear because it allows me to talk with my community. I learn what concerns you, what information you want to know, what you want us to write about. The theme evolves over time.

When I started publishing in 2007, many questions I heard dealt with green building, primarily from homeowners who wanted to incorporate eco-friendly products and services so they would have a healthy home. Some examples: LEED, lowVOC paint, non-toxic insulation, the merits of sealing one’s crawl space. Then came the real estate crash of 2008.

Next the theme shifted to food, food production and the health benefits of certain food choices. Is it worth it to buy local? Is organic healthier? How do I grow my own food?

The new theme, in the face of ever-growing information about climate change and how human efforts are degrading the quality of life on the planet, is: what can I do?

We’ve always offered stories of people who are taking action to make this a cleaner and safer planet—for everything from people, to sea turtles, to butterflies. Now, we will include more information on steps you can take to make a difference.

Your voice matters, and we’ll suggest ways you can be heard.

What can you do?

In this issue are two articles on deforestation in North Carolina, including ways you can learn more and become involved, whether by contacting decision-makers or promoting awareness within your own community.

New this issue: Beth Ackerly starts a column on “Living Sustainably for Families and Kids.“ Beth was our Spring 2023 Going Green intern and is committed to rearing her sevenyear-old daughter to be a sustainably-minded citizen.

Contents 3 The Negative Impact of Wood Pellet Production in the Southeast 6 Hey, What’s a Bulldozer Doing in that Low Impact Development?

8 Some Edible Native Plants in Coastal Southeastern NC 10 Davis Center Seed Library Serves Wilmington Residents 11 Seed Library is Alive and Growing at the Hampstead Branch of the Pender County Public LIbrary 12 Lower Cape Fear Wildlife and the Butterfly Highway 12 Pollinator Paradise Garden Celebrates 15 Years 13 YWCA Honors Winners of Women of Achievement Awards 1985–2022 14 Living Sustainably for Families with Children—Fall Edition 15 Kimberly Belfer and Marine CSI Bring Science to the Classroom 16 Volunteers Decipher Sounds in the Night...For Science 17 Green News 21 Your Ecological House™—Has the Climate Cooked Us Yet? 24 Crossword 25 The Big Read Highlights Our Relationship with Nature 27 Kids Korner—Evening Bats 28 Environmental Book Club 2024 Book Titles

❧❧❧

Front Cover: A Gopher Frog reared by NC Aquarium animal care staff is released into the breeding site from which it was collected before it emerged from its egg. See article, page 16.

Photo contributed by NC Aquarium at Ft. Fisher.

Cape Fear’s Going Green is a quarterly publication promoting eco-friendly resources and lifestyles in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin.

As always, we encourage everyone to learn about and participate in citizen science projects, which provide data of use by scientists world-wide. In this issue: FrogWatch USA!

Publisher & Editor in Chief: Valerie Robertson

We hope you will continue to be inspired.

Advisors & Editorial Contributors: Beth Ackerly, Carol Bales, Katelin Cross, William Fehr, Kirk Hewlett, Kristin Holloman-Noe, Marion Kreh, Nancy Parra-Ash, Jennifer Mackenzie, Sally Smits Masten, Rolf Nussbaumer, Robert Parr, M.D., Shannon Bradburn Pragosa, Sarah Rhue, Sheree Rhue, Maksim Safaniuk, Merlin Tuttle and Philip S. Wenz.

— Valerie L. Robertson Editor

Contributing Editor: Shelby Diehl Eugene Contributing Editor: Mary Robertson

2010 YWCA Women of Achievement Award for the Environment

This was the year publisher Valerie Robertson learned how easy it is to plant a long leaf pine tree, when she joined with members of the Cape Fear Garden Club one December morning to plant 100 young longleaf pine trees in Long Leaf Park. Trees are lost to disease and major storms, and must be replaced.

The tree pictured here is young—still in its “grass stage.” photo by Marion Kreh

2

www.goinggreenpublications.com

Sister City:Korner—Evening Eugene, Oregon (Voted 27 Kids Bats“Greenest City” 2006 by The Green Guide) Cape Fear’s Going Green Going Green Publications P. O. Box 3164 • Wilmington, NC 28406 (910) 547-4390 publisher@goinggreenpublications.com www.goinggreenpublications.com Editorial: If you have story ideas or calendar items to suggest, email us at editor@goinggreenpublications.com, or call (910) 547-4390.

Advertising information: Email advertising@goinggreenpublications.com.

Cape Fear’s Going Green is distributed for free throughout Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Onslow and Pender counties. A partial map of locations appears at https://arcg.is/1WWi0y. If you have a business and would like to receive multiple copies for the public, please contact us.

The views and opinions expressed in articles in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of this publication.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

deforestation—your voice matters

The Negative Impacts of Wood Pellet Production in the Southeast

by Shelby Diehl If you boat far enough upstream from downtown Wilmington, you’ll notice clear-cutting along the river. Most of it isn’t cut with intent to sell it as timber or pulp but rather for biomass. Biomass—a type of renewable energy—originates from plants and animals, coming in the forms of wood and wood processing waste, agricultural crops and waste materials, biogenic materials in trash and biogas from animal manure and human sewage.

In 2022, biomass accounted for almost 5% of total primary energy consumption in the United States as compared to the largest energy source—natural gas—which came in at 36%. However, despite biomass being marketed as a renewable energy source, science has shown that biomass produces higher carbon emissions than fossil fuels. The worst part? North Carolina is the epicenter of the biomass industry, resulting in residents seeing some of the worst impacts.

North Carolina has lost 120,000 acres of bottomland hardwood—deciduous and evergreen forests found in broad lowland floodplains—to biomass’ wood pellet

industry. With the North American Coastal Plain recently recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, the destruction of ecosystems threatens local communities and more than 1,500 endemic flora and fauna in the Southeast.

So, who’s to blame? There are several wood pellet manufacturers across the Southeast, but the worst of them is Enviva—the largest producer of wood pellets in the world. The company harvests most of its trees in the Southeastern United States, which happens to be one of the nation’s largest carbon sinks—spaces that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Enviva has, from its inception, touted its green credentials; however, their practices do not support these claims.

Enviva’s website states that they purchase “the parts of … wood that are generally not utilized … such as the tops and limbs of trees, crooked or diseased trees, slash, understory and thin tree lengths [which do] … not source from old growth forests, protected forests or forests where the landowner intends to convert their land to non-forest use.” A whistleblower debunked this, meaning

the company has been destroying whole trees in vital ecosystems at a time when we need intact, natural forests the most. ”There is no waste in a healthy forest ecosystem,” says Priss Endo, a member of Cape Fear Sierra Club. “Anyone who drives past a pellet plant can testify [that] there is a lot more than wood scraps from the clear-cutting process. ... The only way Enviva can get by with these false claims is by keeping the public ignorant of the real cost of burning wood as a green solution to climate change.”

“Enviva’s contracted loggers are now felling trees, chipping them on site, and delivering chips instead of whole logs to the pellet processing plant,” adds Andy Wood, Director of the Coastal Plain Conservation Group. “This obviously helps mask the wood source. ... We have verified evidence that Enviva outwardly and shamelessly lies when it says it does not use whole trees to make wood pellets. Just look at Google Earth images of their pellet plant in Faison, North Carolina to see for yourself.”

The damage caused by the wood pellet industry doesn’t stop at deforestation.

Wood pellets are transported by truck or railways to state ports, including the one in Wilmington, North Carolina. From there, pellets are loaded onto carbon-emitting ships and shipped across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom and even to Japan.

Then, they’re burned in electricity-generating power plants and thus emit that much more carbon into the atmosphere, worsening climate change.

The United Kingdom isn’t required to report smokestack carbon emissions from wood pellets because they are considered a renewable energy source by the country.

However, this lack of reporting ignores the emissions released during the life cycle of the pellets and feeds into Enviva’s desire to sacrifice irreplaceable ecosystems for profit.

Photo courtesy of Andy Wood

Google Earth aerial image of Enviva’s wood pellet plant in Faison, North Carolina, taken in April 2022, shows a ring of whole trees removed legally from area forests.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

It gets worse. A report by the Environmental Integrity Project revealed a pattern of air quality violations and noncompliance at more than half of all

(continued on page 4)

www.goinggreenpublications.com

3

deforestation—your voice matters Negative Impacts of Wood Pellet Production... (continued from page 3) wood pellet facilities, with thousands of tons of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted into the air around these plants.

“Once the plants begin operation, many people who live adjacent to the plants report new headaches, sinus drainage, scratchy eyes, increasing respiratory problems, more frequent illnesses, sleep disturbances and decreased quality of life,” says Dr. Robert Parr, a retired emergency physician. “While medical studies specific to wood pellet plants are not presently available, extensive, decades-long medical research has shown that adults and children who breathe cleaner air are healthier, live longer and have a higher quality of life than those who are forced to breathe dirty air by living near polluting industries.”

Unfortunately, wood pellet production facilities are 50% more likely to be established in environmental justice communities—regions with many low wealth BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) residents. Enviva is no exception,

with North Carolina facilities set up in Ahoskie, Hamlet, Northampton County and Sampson County. Enviva—and other wood pellet producers—take advantage of these areas because of job demand and politicians willing to overlook environmental harm.

The wood pellet industry is twice as likely to establish production plants in Black or minority neighborhoods as compared to white ones, creating a case of environmental injustice. What’s worse is that environmental justice communities often already suffer from other pollution impacts, whether that be from natural gas pipelines, industrial train stations, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) or coal plants. The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute County Health Rankings (2023) found three counties where Enviva wood pellet plants are located as some of the lowest in North Carolina for health outcomes.

Health outcomes shine a light on how long people live on average within a community and the quality of their physical and

mental health. North Carolina counties are ranked from 1 (best) to 100 (worst) and Enviva wood pellet communities rank near the bottom of the list: Richmond County 97, NorthHampton County 86 and Hertford County 84.

The State hasn’t been much help. In fact, the North Carolina Senate recently passed Senate Bill 171, which per Section 2(a) “would exempt trucks carrying ‘wood residuals’ from weight limits and would reinvent that designation to include “wood pellets.” As Emily Zucchino, Director of Community Engagement for the Dogwood Alliance, told NC Newsline, the bill “wrongly [classifies] wood pellets as wood residuals, ignoring the reality that entire forests are cut down to feed this industry.

The wood pellet industry is trying to use this bill as cover for their rampant destruction of critical forest ecosystems.”

So how can we as citizens address this issue?

“Commit to becoming an advocate to end the wood pellet scam,” Endo suggests. (continued on page 5)

Mold, Moisture, Odors, Dirty Air, Wood Rot? We are the windows to your home’s crawl space!

ntrol & ate a nspection

Healthy Home Pest Control 910-540-1030

910-540-1030 Find out more at

hhpestcontrol.com/moisture-control/ hhpestcontrol.com/moisture-control/

4

www.goinggreenpublications.com

“We wouldn't trust anyone else!”

Aunt Kerry's Pet Stop, Wilmington

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

deforestation—your voice matters Negative Impacts of Wood Pellet Production... (continued from page 4) “Present a program to community groups [and] organizations concerned with resource destruction, environmental injustice and climate change. ... Attend Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) hearings and listening sessions.

Testify on the fallacy of wood pellets as sustainable energy. ... Educate local officials, state legislators [and] Congressmen/ Women about the pellet industry.”

“Public engagement in the fight to halt the wood pellet to electricity scheme is underway with organizations around the world,” adds Wood. “Southern Forests Conservation Coalition (SFCC) is helping lead the fight in North Carolina. ... SFCC is part of the bigger anti-wood pellet campaign that includes colleagues across the U.S., Europe (Biofuelwatch), Asia (Mighty Earth), South America, Africa, New Zealand and Australia.”

Learn more about the wood pellet industry

To get involved with local groups advocating for the end of the wood pellet industry, visit: southernforestsconservation.org and dogwoodalliance.org.

Recommended reporting: WHQR’s “CoastLine,” Dec. 15, 2023: Rachel Lewis Hilburn interviews environmental journalist and WFU Professor Justin Catanoso. whqr.org/show/coastline/2023-12-05/ coastline-justin-catanoso-on-envivacrisis-wood-pellet-industry-why-environmental-reporting-doesnt-alwayshave-two-equal-sides Justin Catanoso on Enviva’s financial woes, Nov. 20, 2023. news.mongabay.com/2023/11/envivathe-worlds-largest-biomass-energycompany-is-near-collapse/

Deforestation with the intention of reforestation isn’t a solution to the wood pellet industry, especially when saplings don’t absorb as much emissions as mature trees, which each take in about 50 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. So, the next time you find yourself with the chance to take a stand against a wood pellet producer, take to the podium. You never know who or what forest could benefit from the power your words carry.

Sources: dogwoodalliance.org envivabiomass.com ncnewsline.com/2023/06/27/senate-bill171-carves-out-exemption-for-wood-pelletindustry-up-for-a-vote-today/ news.mongabay.com/2022/12/ envivas-biomass-lies-whistleblower-account/ sierraclub.org/north-carolina/blog/2022/08/ ncs-wood-pellet-industry-anything-climatesolution eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energyfacts/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20 petroleum’s%20share%20of,economy%20 recovered%20from%20the%20pandemic. climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-many-newtrees-would-we-need-offset-our-carbonemissions countyhealthrankings.org/explore-healthrankings/north-carolina?year=2023&measur e=Health+Outcomes

Shelby Diehl is a senior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington pursuing a Bachelor of Science in environmental science with a concentration in conservation and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing with a certificate in publishing.

Recommended videos:

Burning the Future How are people who live near wood pellet production facilities affected by the industry? This short video was made on a Cape Fear River boat trip on September 30, 2023 in which local experts briefed citizens about the biodiversity destruction, public health risks and environmental injustice that Enviva is inflicting on rural North Carolina.

Southern Forests Conservation Coalition 2023 • 5 minutes vimeo.com/871598479/4e8d5d1038

The Green Energy Scandal BBC investigates British power company Drax and their wood pellet operations in British Columbia.

Joe Crowley, BBC Panorama 2022 • 29 minutes vimeo.com/795555785/c6e9420ff6 Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

photo courtesy of Dr. Robert Parr

The environmental harm caused by the use of wood pellets doesn’t start with the actual burning of the pellets for fuel: production of wood pellets introduces environmental harm at every step, from harvesting and processing to transport and storage. This graphic illustrates the dangerous compounds released during each step of the process: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx), greenhouse gases (GHG) and organic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).

www.goinggreenpublications.com

5

deforestation—your voice matters

Hey, What’s a Bulldozer Doing in that Low Impact Development?

by Jennifer Mackenzie The Oxford Dictionary defines low-impact as: “[An activity, industry, or product] affecting or altering the environment as little as possible. For example, ‘bring a portable stove for low-impact camping.’” The Cambridge Dictionary defines low-impact as: “not having a large effect or influence.” Collins Dictionary states: “Low-impact projects, developments, and activities such as vacations, are designed to cause minimum harm to the environment.”

You get the gist of what low-impact means, right? It surely sounds commendable. So how does Low Impact Development (LID) benefit our local area?

Andy Wood, conservation biologist and Coastal Plain Conservation Group Director, sheds some light on how he sees LID in the residential building process: “Technically, Low Impact Development relates directly to stormwater management, and nothing else.

People hear a subdivision is going to be a ‘Low Impact Development’ and they relax—but then they see that every tree and every shrub has been ripped out, and every creature living at or above ground level has either been run off or run over.”

All of a sudden it sounds alarmingly like our Oxford Dictionary campers tipped over their eco-stove and burned down the forest. Can this really be how it works?

Let’s look at a local example of Low Impact Development: Clayton Properties Group, Inc. (Mungo Homes) is in the process of building 137 houses on 64 acres of forestland adjacent to Abbey Nature Preserve in Pender County. The development will be known as “Indigo at Abbey Preserve.”

In 2023, Pender Planning Director Daniel Adams told Port City Daily, “The developer has proposed to design this project to meet the standards of Low

Photo by Maksim Safaniuk | Shutterstock

Bulldozers and other heavy equipment such as this excavator with grapple are used to clear forest for new development.

Impact Development as prescribed in Article 7.14 of the County’s development code, which is the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).”

Article 7.14 of the UDO states, “In an effort to balance development needs with natural resource protection and enhancement, additional design and dimensional flexibility are offered to projects designed utilizing Low Impact Development stormwater management techniques.”

What “additional design and dimensional flexibility” translates to is a 25% reduction in lot size, from 12,000 square feet as designated by the land’s current zoning of Residential Performance (RP) to 9,000 square feet. That’s a significantly higher density awarded to meet “development needs.”

Adams told Port City Daily, “The design engineer will have to certify that the project meets the LID standards in our ordinance.”

However, Ryke Longest, the CoDirector of the Environmental Law at Duke

University School of Law, cautions against sole sign-off: “Let’s be clear: when an engineer signs off, they are certifying that the plans are safe. Their license is on the line in terms of safety. But to prove that a project meets all the requirements of an ordinance, you would need something more than a set of sealed plans. Compliance with a legal ordinance is not just the practice of engineering. The notion that because somebody seals something, that that protects you from having to enforce an ordinance or check behind it makes zero sense as a matter of logic.”

To put it another way, who will certify a balance between development and natural resource protection has been met—and specifically, which natural resources are we talking about?

Per the August 19 article in Port City Daily, Adams indicated “He’d be hesitant to use the term ‘clear-cut,’ but confirmed Mungo Homes will be clearing the land to develop the site.” (continued on page 7)

6

www.goinggreenpublications.com

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

gardening deforestation—your voice matters What’s a Bulldozer ... (continued 6) Sowing theDoing Seeds forfromapage Better Tomorrow The simple answer is, the 64 acres Inconveniently foristhe

by Shannon Bradburn idea of what a garden andCounty, how to the of mature forestland to be clear-cut (or UDO is not thehave onlyall document maintain it. We seen the created wayward Brie Arthur, author of The Foodscape cleared, if you prefer) will no longer be a to guide Pender Countybyinlumber.

Low Impact raised beds surrounded That is Revolution: Finding a Better Way to Make forest. There’s really no way around that Development.

In 2010-2011 the County not foodscaping—that is really just frustraSpace for Food and Beauty in Your Garden, fact. A forest therefore, by logical conclu- tion published Low Impact waiting“Implementing to happen. spoke at the New Hanover County sion, cannot be something the County Development in Pender County, North Arboretum on February 5. She came Foodscaping is taking the space you defines as a natural resource, as it certainly Carolina.” The 22-page document bearing some startling news: most of the already have and utilizing it. Let’s say you is not about to defines Low Impact food we eat has to travel halfway around have some shrubs in your front yard with enjoy protecDevelopment as the the world before it ever reaches our mulch in between. If you remove that tion—quite the practice of protecting or grocery store. The transport of foodcan insist unnecessary space and instead “You, cost the public, that the mulch opposite. restoring natural hydrolalone is over five tons of greenhouse gases plant a nice ground-covering edible—such ogy so that the overall County consult with independent Forests are is about annually, which 11% of the total as strawberries—you are not only saving integrity of a watershed one of Earth’s greenhouse gases produced for us to eatecologists money on mulch, you are adding a very hydrologists and is protected, and it states greatest natural three meals a day. pretty ground cover with a nice flower the principles of LID only to rewrite the Low Impact resources. They to your yard. Oh, and let’s not forget the What can we do? We have to eat, allow minimal land clearpurify the air we yummy strawberries that you will now and ideally we eat three times a day. sections of Development its UDO.” ing and minimal creation breathe, filter our have.

Well, that is where Brie Arthur comes in. of impervious surfaces, as groundwater, Foodscaping is the practice of planting Brie Arthur opposed discussesto the practicality conventional prevent soil eroedible plants with your native plants and ofdevelopment, utilizing space.

She expxlains which allows for that the the sion, provide a home to countless species ornamentals. This creates a more diverse most underutilized space in any yard removal of all or most trees and native of flora and fauna and mitigate flooding. ecosystem where the plants are less likely orvegetation garden is the edge.

This is your and creates excessiveideal imperThey do all this while acting as a buffer to be affected by disease and pests. You place to help with pest management and vious surfaces. against climate change. also gain more from your garden than just contribute to reducing your carbon footSo what exactly is the Mungo County may believe the watershed —though we cannot overprettyThe flowers print. Edge plants include garlic, arugula, Homes Development—Low Impact or will the be just fine, since developer has look importance ofthe pollinators.

But, potatoes, and much more. You can plant Conventional? Wood answers plainly: agreed to use stormwater guess what?

Pollinators likemanagement edible plant these in the space between a walkway and techniques “The more developer willorput in acontrol grass flowers too. to reduce the negative effects grass—no edging weed from the excessive impervious surfaces swale to collect stormwater, run that for your walkway. You can plant these Foodscaping is a concept that can be that will be created. However, the forest stormwater acrossgarage, a band or of grass beside your house, whereinto your completed virtually anywhere. If you live already is a huge biotic water pump and a retention orthe a detention pond and say garden meets lawn space.

Not only in a place with an HOA you typically are this one has for decades protected Scotts are it meets LID standards, but it is absolute edge plants easy to grow, they also not allowed to have a “vegetable garden” Hill neighborhoods and their septic tanks are hogwash.

If itfor involves a 50-tonmoles, bull- and deterrents deer, rabbits, in your front yard. This is because most from flooding. dozer, it can’t beprotecting called low your impact.” voles.

You will be other people in the U.S. have a very outdated Not only does the forest canopy At some point there will be another intercept part of every rain, causing water named storm, and a whole lot of water to evaporate back into the atmosphere, will be looking for a place to go. Will a but its complex and extensive root system man-made pond be sufficient to take soaks up to 8,500 cubic yards of water per over the task of a centuries-old forest? square mile.

Advertise here for $50! (910) 547-4390 Herbalism Classes & Workshops Homegrown Herbal Extracts

greenspots Congratulations Old Books on Front Street

40 Years of connecting good people Kathryn Sisler Waple (908) 670-1590 B+O: design studio, PLLC architecture /with landscape goodarchitecture books graycatbotanicals.com mail: 1319-CC Military Cutoff Rd., PMB 221 tel: 910.821.0084 www.b-and-o.net

Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24 8Cape www.goinggreenpublications.com

plants, using “The notion that because somebody less chemical repellents, and seals something, that that protects providing food youand from having to enforce an for you yourordinance family andor check behind it, makes neighbors.

zero sense as a matter of logic.”

—Ryke Longest Co-Directornotofonly Environmental Foodscaping offers you aLaw way to reduce the transport costSchool of food, also Duke University ofitLaw

provides you with an easy way to teach children about gardening. We, as a society, What musta the do, andis have reached pointCounty where gardening what can you do? no longer a task that is passed down from PendertoCounty must Most amend Article generation generation. children 7.14 to reflect the principles of true do not know where their food comesLow Impact Development.

This section from.

Actually, most college studentsshould do define which natural resources the County not know where their food comes from. willdo protect, and which natural Nor they know the first thingresources about it will not protect.

Anything less specific planting. If edible plants are integrated is unacceptable.

Vague statements into areas where children and otherssuch as, “In an effort to balance development public have readily available access—like needs with natural resource protection parks, schools, churches, government and enhancement” are, by hard default, would be very for weightthe buildings—it ed in favor of the developer. next generation not to soak up a little bit of knowledge about growing You, the public, can insisttheir that own the food.

Butconsult this willwith onlyindependent become a reality if County hydrolowe as the general gardening public make gists, ecologists and arborists to rewrite foodscaping a social norm. the Low Impact Development sections of its UDO. Go to Planning Board Meetings— Learn more about Brie Arthur at www. held the first Tuesday evening of every briegrows.com. month. Sign up for Public Comments.

Shannon Bradburn is a senior at UNCW who Express your views. Your voice will make a loves to hike, study plants, and play outside. difference.

Jennifer Mackenzie a freelance writer We welcome guestis contributors. specializing in medicine and guidelines. science. She is a Write for our contributor current resident of Scotts Hill. editor@ goinggreenpublications.com.

Greenspots North Carolina

Native Plant Society

Come for a nature walk www.ncwildflower.org Southeast Coast Chapter

www.goinggreenpublications.com

7

gardening

Some Edible Native Plants in Coastal Southeastern NC This is the thirteenth in Carol Bales’ series of native plant articles highlighting common native plants that would enhance any coastal North Carolina

of four sepals that curl around a central stem. Although they look ripe when they turn orange, they are unpleasantly hard and astringent until they are fully ripe. The fruit can be used to make a delicious sweet bread, which tastes wonderful with shelled black walnuts mixed in.

by Carol Bales In October 2023, Duane Truscott, Andy Mettven and Native Plant Society co-chair Charley Winterbauer led a nature walk in Leland’s Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve. As the expert botanists led the group—which included me—the trio pointed out over a hundred native trees, shrubs and plants.

We saw many plants that were new to us.

To confirm the identity of select plants and to warn participants of toxic substances, Duane and Andy carefully tasted recognizable mushrooms and tree leaves. These ranged from a snow-white Death Angel mushroom to Ladies Tresses, a beautiful tiny wetland orchid.

Let’s look at a handful of native species inspired by this nature walk—ones that you might plant in your own garden.

Native Persimmon There are a handful of varieties of the permission, but only one is native to the dry woodlands of coastal North Carolina: Diospyros virginiana. The native persimmon is a deciduous tree that grows from 12–70

Black walnut The black walnut (Juglans nigra) is a member of the Juglandaceae family and is native to the moist hardwood forests of southeastern North Carolina. This deciduous tree grows very tall—up to 100 feet!— and has leaflets that are arranged like a feather, drooping downward and clinging to the branches.

contributed photo

The Asian persimmons we are accustomed to seeing in grocery stores are larger and less flavorful than the American persimmons shown here.

feet tall. The tree bark is very rough and the leaves range from 2-6” long, with beautiful golden yellow to orange fall foliage.

The crown of the tree tends to be spherical at maturity as well.

The tree bears fruit about the size of large grapes that often last on the branch well into November. The fruit has a “crown”

The tree produces a huge number of nuts when mature, leading to its characteristic invasive self-sowing fruits. When peeled, the fruit is the size of a quarter but the shells are very hard, requiring a nutcracker to open. However, when peeled and shelled, they provide a tasty feast for people and squirrels!

Some people hate that these trees leave black stains on clothing, shoes and walkways, but for some, this tree is a catch.

In fact, black walnut has been used for centuries in woodworking, as it has a beautiful sheen when polished. (continued on page 9)

Vegfest

8

www.goinggreenpublications.com

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

green walls gardening Green Wall – continued Edible Native Plants ... (continued from page 8)

Sassafras Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is a member of the laurel family and grows in old homesteads, along stretches of country road and on heirloom properties throughout Southeastern North Carolina. This tree grows anywhere from 30 to 60 feet tall with leaves that grow in three different ways: an oval shape, a mitten shape and as a three-lobed leaf.

space. One of the tenants will be the Wilmington-based software company Untappd, creator of the popular beer app.

It’s Mott’s hope that, through the success of this green wall, they will grow in popularity in our area. And that way, more building occupants will enjoy the health and aesthetic benefits of systems like these in the near future.

Although Steve Mott has once again proclaimed himself to be retired, you may be able to reach him through his website, www. mottlandscaping.com.

This plant was used in antiquity as a brewed medicinal tea, a remedy for arthritis, anxiety and depression. Native Americans also used it as a remedy for various maladies such as cancer. But wait before you try it! Recent animal research photo by Valerie Robertson shows that the plant carries a substance Each plant in the wall lives in its original pot, which is placed directly in its called safrole, a volatile oil that is toxic. tray. The plants will grow towards the light, so maintenance of the wall will During lab trials, it caused cancer in the include a monthly task of removing each pot by hand, turning it 180 degrees, rats studied.

As ain result, and putting it back place.the substance has been banned for over 50 years by the U.S. photo © [William Fehr] Adobe Stock 463113991 Food andCity Drug (FDA).

Now Sassafras from the ofAdministration Wilmington Tree Commission for Outstanding is easy to identify because of the distinctive three-lobed shape of most of its leaves. On any plant,Center some of the leaves may have only two lobes and be shaped like a mitten. This photo was herbalists stock sassafras extract without Function Design at the New Hanover Regionalgiven Medical in October as the leaves were just starting to turn colors. safrole.

Betty Cameron Women’s and Children’s Centertaken (a rooftop garden thatThere can beare visited patients andmedicitheir families). manyby edible and/or Carol is a New Hanover master gardener who nal native plants one can by walking What was it about thisfind project that pulled loves Mottto out of retireresearch native plants. She has lived What trees best support our through forests and parks.

If you ment fornative what was obviously going to involvein a Wilmington lot of time and for 17 years after 25 years in wildlife? want effort?to use a plant you’ve found in your Austin, Texas. She and her husband Nathan Entomologist Doug Tallamy and his grad cooking, consult expert Or, of thehave been transforming their yard and For one thing,anthe sheerbotanist. complexity project was enticstudents have done extensive research better yet, new use tried and true and recipes found gardens contain ing. It was and different challenging.

“I had totolearn an many native trees, shrubs on what species of insect are supported in our lot. lovely old recipe books. and perennials, some of which she shares by various kinds of tree. Learn more by awful I mean I’d done this kind of work forever, but still this with friends reading his books Bringing Nature Home is a new system I haven’t used... Also just the logistics of it,and youneighbors. They manage photo

by Valerie Robertson the seed swap during and Nature’s Best Hope.

Watch any of his know. Building something inside here is like building a ship in a A scissor lift was used to allow placement of the plants. videos online—the insect photos are sale and plant festibottle. It was complex enough to be interesting.”

The lift only reached 22 feet, so Mott had to place amazing—and you might decide to plant a val events at the New ladderan onoak! top of platform shown at theCarolina top of this Even more important, though, this project was an opportu(Orthe something else North Hanover County photo,insects in orderlove.) to reach the last several feet of wall. nity for him to prove that such a complicated project could be Arboretum. very successful. And he was concerned that if a green wall were attempted but were not a success, that might be the end of using green wall technology in Wilmington. But he was confident Herbs • Vegetables he could make it work. “If it’s successful and it gets some of the Natives notoriety I think it’s going to get, you’ll see a lot of them, maybe Butterfly & Bee Plants not this big. This is a major undertaking in anybody’s book.” He believes that the success of his green wall will encourage others.

Mott plans to put together information on the newly completed green wall, enough so that people will have documentation on how it was created. What he’d really like is to put together a class to teach what he’s learned to people who are eager to learn. photo © [Kirk Hewlett] Adobe Stock 487997193 Cluster of unpeeled black peelAs is floors removed, the familiar Who will get to visitwalnuts. the wallWhen everythe day? of the store-bought shape isthe revealed.

Note thebe leaves are out arranged along the building arenut finished, building will rented as office stems like a large feather.

SpringFear’s 2017Going Green • Winter 2023–24 Cape

340 Goodman Road, Leland

910-253-5964

Year-Round • M-Sat 8-5 Year-Round 9-4 web page: LocalHarvest.org www.sheltonherbfarm.com www.sheltonherbfarmnc.com A Century Farm & Bird Friendly Business Cape Fear’s Going Green www.goinggreenpublications.com

5 9

gardening news

Davis Center Seed Library Serves Wilmington Residents

by Beth Ackerly

young plants were available. Silky camellias are native to North Carolina—and getting more native plants in the hands of local gardeners is another aspect that Houtz says the library plans to focus on in the future. Another perk the library also hopes to include for members in 2024 will be receiving a jar of honey from local beekeepers.

For residents of Wilmington who are looking to start a garden in their home, the Davis Center Seed Library could be a great place to start.

The Derick G.S. Davis Center, located at Maides Park in Wilmington, houses this free program that currently serves over 200 members and welcomes more. Each member can check out up to three packets of seeds at a time. At the end of the growing season, members can bring the seeds they harvest from the plants they’ve grown to give back to the library for other members to use. The library’s helpful brochures, located on-site, can guide first-time growers through the seed harvesting process.

Aside from the seeds that other customers have saved and brought back, the library also has a large collection of seeds donated by the Sandia Seed Company, from produce like pumpkins and carrots to flowers like morning glories and marigolds.

The Davis Center’s recreation coordinator, Blair Houtz, also says that the program is working on more perks for their members. Last year, members received silky camellias from Grizz’s Native Plant Nursery in Leland—both seeds and some

The seed library also has several helpful guides on nutrition and portion sizes, as well as guides for plant identification, composting, and container gardening. Visitors to the Davis Center can also enjoy athletics, a picnic area and a playground, which is set to be renovated in 2024 to become an inclusive playground with accessible swings and playground equipment. photo by Beth Ackerly

The David Center Seed Library stores an array of seeds available for Wilmington residents who wish to “borrow” seeds. Each “library cardholder” may check out up to three packets of seeds per visit. At the end of the growing season, harvest the seeds and return a portion of them to the library staff, who will put them into circulaton for others to take home.

Want to be represented in Going Green Call (910) 547-4390 for Advertising Rates and Editorial Guidelines

Tidal Creek Co-op 5329 Oleander Dr. www.thewilmingtonfarmersmarket.com thewilmingtonfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Every Saturday 8-1 Year Round

10 www.goinggreenpublications.com

Local Farmers Local Food SNAP/EBT/P-EBT Accepted

For more information, residents can visit the Davis Center in person at 1101 Manly Avenue in Wilmington or online at wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/ parks-recreation/community-centers/ maides-park-1756.

Beth Ackerly is a current graduate student at UNCW, pursuing both her M.S. in Environmental Science and Education, and her graduate certificate in GIS. She enjoys hiking, writing, music and spending time with her seven-year-old daughter, Luna.

Need Gardening Advice?

North Carolina State Extension is the largest outreach program at NC State University. Based in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, they reach millions of North Carolina citizens each year through local centers in the state’s 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Visit ces.ncsu.edu/ to find information to help with your gardening success.

Online help is available from the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, a tool containing detailed descriptions and photographs of 4,704 plants that grow in and around North Carolina. Visit plants.ces.ncsu.edu/ to learn about individual plants you may be considering for your garden.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

gardening news

Seed Library Is Alive and Growing at the Hampstead Branch of the Pender County Public Library

by Nancy Parra-Ash

other seed enthusiasts, or perhaps donate them to the seed library, the Hampstead Branch will hold a Seed Swap on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 4p.m. The event is open to the public.

In May of this year, the Hampstead Branch of the Pender County Public Library planted a seed in their local community.

It started a seed library by repurposing an old card catalog cabinet to function as a seed dispenser.

Lastly, if you have an appetite for not only growing edible gardens but horticulture in general as well as volunteering in your community, the NC Cooperative Extension in Pender County started a 17-week Master Gardener Training course on January 10th, 2024. Classes are held from 9 a.m.–noon on Wednesdays at the Cooperative Extension Pender County Center in Burgaw.

The goal of the seed library, as stated in their brochure, is to help promote community, improve local sustainable food sources and enhance food security.

“A community becomes stronger when they have the knowledge and resources to feed themselves and beautify their homes,” stated Karen Burkett, manager of the Hampstead Branch.

Through a $1,000 grant received from the Pender County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association (PCEMGVA) and contributions made

by The Topsail Township Friends of the Library, library staff was able to purchase a variety of seed packets and other items needed to start this project. And because of these donations, seeds are available to the public free of charge.

Volunteers such as Meg McGrew, owner of Elegant Envelopes in Wilmington, donated her time by adding a personal touch to each seed drawer with a hand written label describing its contents.

A seed library is an organized collection of seeds from which an individual, in this case a library cardholder, may check out a small amount of seeds to take home.

A Pender County Library card is free and open to anyone who lives, owns property, or works in the state of North Carolina.

Individuals can select up to 5 packets of seeds from the seed library drawers, take the packets to the check out desk, and a small portion of those seeds is placed in a small envelope for the patron to plant at home.

From vegetables, to flowers, to herbs and native plant seeds, visitors can chose from a wide array of seasonal crops to start in their own backyards. Next to the seed Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

photo by Nancy Parra-Ash

This old card catalog cabinet has been repurposed to serve as a seed dispenser in the Hampstead Branch of the Pender County Public Library.

library card catalog, there is a planting chart from the NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Handbook to give individuals an idea of what to plant, where, and when. The Hampstead Branch also offers a wide variety of books to get readers acquainted with the art of growing their own food.

Seed donations are always appreciated. New seed packets, leftover or saved seeds all help the library maintain the collection for future seed users in the community.

“We have had 362 packets checked out since we launched May 13, 2023. Several members of the public have donated seeds back. We are very pleased with the enthusiastic response from the public,” said Karen Burkett.

To encourage the community to collect seeds for themselves, trade them with

“The Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program in Pender County is a wonderful program to learn about gardening and give back to the community,” Tiffanee Boone, Pender County Horticulture and Local Foods Agent said. “There is no other feeling in the world when you see seeds that you put hard work into start to sprout from the soil! I can’t even describe how exciting it is! Propagation is a main part of our program and I encourage you to apply by December 1st if you are interested in joining this wonderful group of people.”

For more information visit: pender. ces.ncsu.edu/2023/01/nc-state-extensionmaster-gardener-pender-county-initialcertification-training/.

If you need further assistance, please contact Tiffanee Boone at tjconrad@ncsu. edu or call (910) 259-1235.

Nancy Parra-Ash is the owner of Ash’s Japanese Maple Nursery along with her husband Thomas. She has been a Pender Master Gardener Volunteer for the last 15 years and loves to garden and write about plants.

Send us your green news!

E-mail us at editor@goinggreenpublications.com. www.goinggreenpublications.com

11

beneficial insects

Lower Cape Fear Wildlife and the Butterfly Highway

By Lora Sharkey

To recognize and communicate the chapter’s mission to promote and conserve coastal southeastern North Carolina, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s (NCWF) chapter, Island Wildlife, has recently renamed itself to Lower Cape Fear Wildlife. In addition to its new name, the chapter is dedicating more time to educating the public about the Butterfly Highway Initiative.

The Butterfly Highway is a gateway program for individuals to reverse the impacts of habitat loss by growing native

wildflowers on their property. Without food and host plants at regular intervals along migration routes, pollinators such as butterflies and moths are at risk. In addition to a beautiful array of butterflies, North Carolina is home to more than 500 species of native bees, which also benefit from the Butterfly Highway. Lower Cape Fear Wildlife supports this program by giving away native wildflower seed packets at environmental events. Each seed packet contains a mixture of seven native plant seeds specifically chosen for their nutritional value to pollinators and their ability to survive in poor soil.

While Lower Cape Fear Wildlife is in the process of updating their website domain names to reflect the name change, you can still find the chapter’s webpage by searching “Lower Cape Fear Wildlife.”

Interested in keeping up with their social media? Follow the chapter at facebook. com/islandwildlifecb/. Either platform is a convenient way to learn the latest news and planned events. Registered members of the NC Wildlife Federation can receive regular email notices of all NCFW chapter events, including those of Lower Cape Fear Wildlife.

Environmental presentations are offered for free in Southport under the NatureFest brand, typically the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Indian Trail Meeting Hall, located at 113 W. Moore Street in Southport. To learn more visit facebook.com/southportnaturefest/ or contact this author, Lora Sharkey, at lsharkey63@gmail.com or call (703) 946-5333.

Pollinator Paradise Garden Celebrates 15 Years The year 2023 marked the fifteenyear anniversary of North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pollinator Paradise Demonstration Garden at Chatham Mills in Pittsboro.

The Demonstration Garden was created with three main goals in mind: 1) to demonstrate how to design, install and maintain a pollinator garden; 2) to showcase plants native to North Carolina; and 3) to encourage the use of organic gardening practices in pollinator habitat. It was created by Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos of the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, and public and private tours are available. The garden

features over 225 species of perennials, trees, shrubs, vines and grasses, 85% of which are native to North Carolina.

“I had no idea when we planted this garden in 2008 of the impact it would have on me, our community, and our pollinators!” said Roos. “I’m so thankful to the many volunteers who have helped me along the way.”

Lora Sharkey is Treasurer of Lower Cape Fear Wildlife.

You can read all about it and see some fun “before” and “after” photos on Roos’ Growing Small Farms website: growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu.

The garden is at the Chatham Mills complex in Pittsboro and is open seven days a week.

Address: 480 Hillsboro St. Pittsboro, NC 27312.

B+O: design studio, PLLC

May 1, 2024

is the deadline for the Summer issue of Going Green. Call (910) 547-4390 for Advertising Rates or Editorial Guidelines.

architecture / landscape architecture

mail: 1319-CC Military Cutoff Rd., PMB 221 tel: 910.821.0084 www.b-and-o.net

12 www.goinggreenpublications.com

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

awards

YWCA Honors Winners of Women of Achievement Awards 1985–2022 From 1985 through 2022 the YWCA Lower Cape Fear honored many area women for their contributions with Women of Achievement Awards. The award was granted to women in several categories as well as special awards for young leaders and unsung heros.

An award category for Women of Achievement in the Environment was added as a new category in 2008. Below are the winners of the Women of Achievement Award for the Environment for all years this category was open.

• 2018 Bonnie Monteleone • 2017 Dru Harrison • 2016 Elissa Riley • 2015 Kay Lynn Plummer-Hernandez • 2013 Cheryl Moody • 2012 Elise Rocks • 2011 Margaret Shelton • 2010 Valerie Robertson • 2009 Rebecca Westbrooks • 2008 Marilyn Meares The awards program was originally organized as a fundraiser for the YWCA, and at the time was the only local organization recognizing women’s achievements.

In 2023, after 38 years, the program was retired, in part because there are now other groups celebrating the achievements of women, and because the event had run its course as an effective YWCA fundraiser.

From the YWCA website, “The Women of Achievement Awards celebrated the incredible contributions of nearly 500 women whose work supports our community and the YWCA’s mission. We are proud of the legacy that this event built, and we will continue the essence of these awards in our work. As we shift our focus, we will explore new opportunities and new ways to celebrate our community as we continue to move forward with courage and commitment.”

The YWCA hosted a celebration in September 2023 at Wrightsville Manor to honor the legacy of women’s contribuCape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

contributed photo

Counter-clockwise from bottom left: Valerie Robertson, Bonnie Monteleone, Katy Hovermale and Debbie Winterbauer enjoy the garden at Wrightsville Manor at the Women of Achievement Legacy Event.

tions to our community and the award that recognized their achievements. All winners in all categories were invited to Unforgettable Moments: Celebrating the Legacy of YWCA’s Women of Achievement Awards. Frances Weller returned after a hiatus of some years to resume her emcee role for the evening.

Many thanks to James E. Moore Insurance Agency, Inc. in Wilmington for

the company’s generous sponsorship of the awards over the years.

YWCA Lower Cape Fear, the oldest and largest women’s movement providing services for women and their families, is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Learn more at ywca-lowercapefear.org/what-were-doing/ initiatives/woa/.

Wild

Bird &

Garden

www.goinggreenpublications.com

13

sustainable living

Living Sustainably for Families with Children—Fall Edition

By Beth Ackerly Parenting children today can be difficult and stressful for many reasons—not least of all knowing that our kids will be facing a lot of environmental changes in the future. As an environmentalist and the parent of a seven-year-old daughter, I’ve come to terms with the fact that it can be hard to navigate both raising my child and living sustainably—the two don’t often overlap. But our children are the future stewards of our environment, and with that in mind, I’ve committed to raising my daughter to respect the environment and “go green” as much as possible.

For the next four issues of Cape Fear’s Going Green, I’ll be presenting seasonal suggestions and activities that are both eco- and kid friendly. I hope you’ll use these tips to enjoy a fun, healthy and sustainable fall.

So much waste can be created with our kids’ school lunches, but we can avoid that waste with a few simple swaps.

Buying bulk (when we can) cuts down on food packaging, cost and emissions from unnecessary grocery store trips. I purchased bamboo utensil sets, which can be taken to school or work, and brought home to be washed. I also switched to reusable food wraps (look for ones made of beeswax) and reusable storage bags and containers. It should never be necessary to buy single-use plastic bags again.

Some of our local markets close for the winter season, so fall may be your last chance to visit them for a while. We minimize waste and pollution by buying locally, and taking your child to the farmer’s market is a perfect way to help teach them where our food comes from.

At home, there are plenty of ecofriendly activities to keep us busy during the fall. Although we keep a compost pile in our yard year-round, this is the time of year that we really start building it up to create the soil we’ll use for our spring garden. We don’t use any fancy bins or equipment to make a compost pile—we simply start our pile in the corner of our yard, add water and turn it with a pitchfork every couple of days. This can be labor-intensive, 14 www.goinggreenpublications.com

so my daughter can’t fully participate, but she enjoys helping me and learning what items can be composted—though she’s sometimes more interested in how many worms she can find in the pile!

Speaking of the yard, it wouldn’t be fall without raking leaves into a pile and jumping in them. However, when you’re done, leave the leaves there! They’re a wonderful natural mulch that is rich in organic matter and can protect winter plants. Just make sure you mow the leaves a few times without your collection attachment on so that the layer is thin and lets light through as too thick of a layer can have the opposite effect.2 Consider visiting a thrift or consignment shop for fall kids’ clothing and even Halloween costumes. While you’re at it, take some time to go through your and your kids’ summer wardrobe—chances are, they’ve outgrown a lot! Consider donating those warm-weather clothes to a locally-owned shelter or thrift store that benefits our community. It also reduces textile waste, which is a large and growing problem. We also visit the library once a week—I can’t remember the last time we purchased a new book.

When it comes to decorating for the fall holidays, say no to faux décor from the craft store. At our house, we like to get creative with real materials. We decorate with pumpkins, hay bales, pinecones and gourds. Our decorations might not be picture-perfect, but we enjoy our family time making them together. It barely costs us anything, and we can compost or reuse a good bit of what we make after the season is done. We like to use the whole pumpkin too—roasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt are a delicious fall snack. In the U.S., most pumpkins end up in the landfill after Halloween instead of being eaten or composted,1 so we feel good about not contributing to that waste.

Finally, just getting out into nature with our kids can be a wonderful bonding experience, and there’s no better time to do it than in the fall. The Cape Fear area has so many beautiful natural areas, like Abbey Nature Preserve, Pages Creek and

photo by Beth Ackerly

Seven-year-old Luna examines worms she found in the compost pile in her home garden.

Carolina Beach State Park. Take your child out for a walk and talk with them about the plants and animals they see, and the changes they’re observing in nature. I ask my daughter to describe what she can see, hear and smell in the different natural areas we visit, and to point out any changes she notices since the last time we’ve been there. I’ve also begun to teach her how to identify several plants that are native to our area, and she’s excited when she can do so.

Even when you can’t get out of the house, you can still open the windows, unplug, and enjoy the beautiful cooler weather before winter comes. Happy fall!

Sources:

1 https://www.sciencealert.com/an-astonish-

ing-number-of-pumpkins-are-wasted-forhalloween-each-year 2 https://www.hortmag.com/smartgardening/a-warning-when-using-fallenleaves-as-mulch

Beth Ackerly is a current graduate student at UNCW, pursuing both her M.S. in Environmental Science and Education, and her graduate certificate in GIS. She enjoys hiking, writing, music and spending time with her seven-year-old daughter, Luna.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

education

Kimberly Belfer and Marine CSI Bring Science to the Classroom

By Beth Ackerly With limited funding and technology for field trips, how can we ensure that children are getting quality, hands-on experiences with science? That’s a problem Kimberly Belfer wanted to solve when she founded Marine CSI: Coastal Science Investigations five years ago.

Belfer grew up loving science and says she owes much of that to her father. He was an artist, but also loved science, so growing up she always had hands-on tools to help her learn, such as a telescope or a chemistry set. In high school, she had the opportunity to attend a specialty marine and environmental science program. That catalyst jump-started her career in science, and she went on to earn her B.S. in marine biology and M.S. in conservation biology in college.

Earlier in her career, Belfer was involved with nonprofits and informal education, and was able to take kids to the field. When living in New Jersey, she worked to develop a hands-on program for an organization where she was able to go into schools and bring science to the

contributed photo

Kimberly Belfer shares her love of science with children through the Marine CSI program she founded five years ago.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

classroom. She is proud to say that all the programs she helped create are still in place today. That gave her the confidence to realize that if she could create programming for another organization, she could do it for herself.

Belfer moved to Wilmington permanently in 2018 and founded Marine CSI shortly after. Marine CSI’s educational program, Watershed Walkabout, brings field trips to classrooms in New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Onslow counties.

Their programs focus on three concepts: marine biology, marine ecology and marine conservation. There are a variety of lessons available, each tailor-made for a specific grade level. Younger students might learn to identify sand critters and craft their own to take home, while high schoolers might create a model of a barrier island to learn how they change with the seasons and tides.

Empowering others is at the center of what Belfer does. Not only does she want to help children care for the environment, but she also wants to empower teachers to be better equipped to teach about marine science themselves. She’s put together workshops for teachers, providing lesson plans and curriculum for them to utilize. She’s even created a series of books, Explore Your Watershed, which include activities, a nature journal and an adventure guide and are ideal for smaller groups, homeschoolers or even Girl Scout troops. All of this lends itself to Belfer’s goal, “to take my love of marine science and share it.”

Running a small business has not been without its challenges, though. Hurricane Florence hit just a few months after the business was founded, and COVID closed schools two years later. But she was still able to schedule programming with several schools, which helped her keep the faith. When schools began to reopen, she says, there was a need for kids to have hands-on activities after being virtual for so long. Marine CSI began to schedule programming regularly and was able to

contributed photo

Kimberly Belfer.

visit ten new schools in the 2022–2023 school year.

So, what’s next? Belfer says that she’s in the process of putting together a preschool program called Young Ecologists that she hopes to debut in spring 2024.

Recently though, she’s learned to pace herself and take time for herself as well. Every Wednesday, she volunteers at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, which she finds rewarding. She also hopes to continue to present at the annual Femme in STEM event at the Fort Fisher Aquarium, which she’s done for the past two years. She loves seeing the representation of women in STEM, and being able to connect with girls who are interested in the field.

“If I can do it, they can too,” she says.

You can learn more about Kimberly Belfer and Marine CSI at https://www. teachmarinecsi.com.

Beth Ackerly is a current graduate student at UNCW, pursuing both her M.S. in Environmental Science and Education, and her graduate certificate in GIS. She enjoys hiking, writing, music and spending time with her seven-year-old daughter, Luna. www.goinggreenpublications.com

15

citizen science

Volunteers Decipher Sounds in the Night…For Science

by Kristin Holloman-Noe Sheep in a dark water-filled ditch, chickens clucking in the night, referee whistles in the rain and ducks walking in wet Crocs…just a few of the sounds reported from rainy spring and summer evenings in eastern North Carolina. As silly as they may sound, these descriptions are great tools used for identifying Eastern Narrow-Mouthed Toads, Southern Leopard Frogs, Southern Toads and Squirrel Treefrogs respectively. Volunteers for FrogWatch USA use these unique and peculiar associations to distinguish individual frog and toad species by breeding calls.

Of the 30 species of anuran (tail-less amphibian) species of North Carolina, 26 may be found in the southeast region of the state. FrogWatch USA volunteers monitor the range, migrations, and populations of these anuran species as Citizen Scientists. The data they collect can be used to inform research projects across the country. From medical research to land management, and studies of environmental health, a few nights per year listening to the songs of frogs and toads is time well spent for conservation impact.

Amphibian species are declining at an annual rate of approximately 3.7% in the US according to USGS (United States Geological Survey). There are currently four North Carolina species listed as endangered and two are of special concern.

Primary causes of decline include the loss of habitat to development and sea level rise, disease, invasive species like fire ants and the Cane Toad or Cuban Treefrog in Florida, pollutants, including insecticides, and other impacts from a changing climate such as drought or excessive rainfall.

One species listed as endangered in North Carolina is especially impacted by fluctuations in rainfall and the loss of habitat. The Carolina Gopher Frog (Lithobates capito) is endemic to longleaf pine savannas, an endangered ecosystem, and requires shallow breeding ponds too temporary for fish populations to establish.

Only seven breeding sites remain for the Carolina Gopher Frog in North Carolina and drought conditions in 2022 greatly impacted breeding success.

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is one agency partnering with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to head-start

Gopher Frogs. A small percentage of egg masses are collected from nearby breeding sites and monitored by Aquarium animal care staff through hatching and metamorphosis from tadpole to froglet. Then individuals are returned to the breeding site from which they were collected. After a disappointing yield of egg masses in 2022, the Aquarium cared for 28 masses in 2023 and released 512 individuals.

With head-starting efforts and call monitoring efforts like that provided by FrogWatch USA volunteers, the ultimate goal is that species like the Carolina Gopher Frog will re-establish in the full range that it historically inhabited.

FrogWatch USA was established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1998 and the local chapter is led by the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Volunteer recruitment for the NC Aquarium Chapter is ongoing. Every year, new volunteer trainings are held at the Aquarium and at partnering locations throughout New Hanover, Brunswick and now Pender counties. The full list of trainings for 2024 can be found on the Aquarium website, reservations.ncaquariums.com/fortfisher.

Community trainings are offered in two parts. On the first day, volunteers learn FrogWatch basics, protocol and are introduced to frog and toad calls for local species. On the second day of training, volunteers complete a knowledge assessment and practice what they’ve learned in a mock listening session.

The FrogWatch USA season begins in February with a kick-off social to catch up with FrogWatch friends and to refresh call identification skills. The season ends in August with a season wrap-up party and a summary of the season’s findings.

In between, volunteers complete a series of listening sessions on their own and are encouraged to participate in social listening sessions at partner sites.

photo contributed by NC Aquarium at Ft. Fisher

A quarterly newsletter keeps everyone up to date and offers education, entertainment, and encouragement.

NC Aquarium animal care staff support populations of Gopher Frogs: they retrieve frog egg masses so they can monitor and care for them until they hatch and the tadpoles grow into frogs. This frog is being released back into the breeding grounds from which it came.

Scott Gallagher, a Castle Hayne resident, joined FrogWatch in 2023

16 www.goinggreenpublications.com

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

(continued on page 17)

green news

2024 Solar + Schools Application is Open NC Greenpower is pleased to announce the 2024 Solar+ Schools grant!

The application is open now and will be available through February 29, 2024.

raise $3,500 to cover any operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. The school or PTA will need to raise the funds and then retain them for future O&M use.

The NC GreenPower Solar+ Schools program launched in 2015. Every year, the nonprofit provide grants for solar educational projects for K–12 schools across North Carolina, complete with a weather station, data monitoring and STEM curriculum from NEED.org with training for teachers.

Need help convincing your school leadership? Download “Why your school should apply for an NC GreenPower Solar+ Schools grant”

NC GreenPower Solar+ Schools will be installing fully-funded 20-kW solar PV systems to be designed as roof-mounted arrays. The solar system must be installed in a prominent, visible location at the school (e.g., front of the school, carpool line). Any North Carolina K–12 public school in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 county, as defined by the NC Department of Commerce, may apply.

Estimates are there will be funding for up to nine school grants in 2024. The total number of awards will depend on donations made to the program. NC GreenPower’s grant will pay for all of the project’s construction. Schools should

Prior to starting your application, please review the Application Information PDF and Application Questions PDF to see all questions that will be on the application. See our FAQ section for answers to common questions. If you have a question that has not been answered, please contact us at solarschools@ncgreenpower. org using the subject line “Solar+ Schools question—[insert school name].”

The 2024 application period closes Thursday, February 29, 2024, 11:59 PM EST.

We wouldn’t be here without our advertisers, and you could become one of them!

Volunteers Decipher Sounds ... (continued from page 16) and became one of the chapter’s most engaged volunteers.

“I have always been fascinated with frogs and toads (and most other critters).

I have raised tadpoles and released frogs and toads starting at age seven,” said Gallagher. “Fast forward about 60 years and I still enjoy them. I moved to North Carolina less than two years ago from New Jersey. New Jersey had 16 species collectively... but North Carolina has 31—so about twice the amount of fun.

Last year when I had the opportunity to get trained and join FrogWatch, I ‘jumped’ at the chance. Not only is it enjoyable on a personal level but the ability to contribute data from a citizen science perspective is important. Anuran populations need to be monitored because these are indicator species and can be a window into the overall health of an ecosystem. We are losing wetlands and green areas at an Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

alarming pace in coastal North Carolina and as they disappear, so might the frogs and toads.”

To become a FrogWatch USA volunteer with the NC Aquarium Chapter, register for a 2024 training on the Aquarium website: reservations.ncaquariums.com/fortfisher or send questions to kristin.hollomannoe@ncaquariums.com.

Kristin Holloman-Noe (she/her) is the Education Outreach Coordinator for the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher as well as Chapter Coordinator for the NC Aquarium Chapter of FrogWatch USA. She spends her days traveling all over the state of North Carolina with Aquarium Ambassador Animals, sharing her love and fascination for all things wild in nature. Her favorite anuran call is that of North Carolina’s state frog, the Pine Barrens Treefrog, which she describes as a duck at a rave.

You can download our

2024 Ad Rates

directly from our website: goinggreenpublications.com

There’s no better way to reach consumers interested in sustainable lifestyles!

Contact us today to learn more: (910)547-4390 or advertising@goinggreenpublications.com.

Where to Find Cape Fear’s Going Green Read It Online ALL our current and back issues are now available online! Go to our home page, www.goinggreenpublications. com, and click on any of the covers to pull up the issue. Select the green “VIEW ARCHIVE” button to view our entire catalog of issues.

In the Community Pick up a free copy at one of the locations listed below or at in-person meetings of environmental groups as they return to meeting live.

Arboretum/New Hanover County Extension Service, Aunt Kerry’s Pet Stop, Lovey’s Market, Old Books on Front Street, Pomegranate Books, Tidal Creek Co-op, UNCW, Shelton Herb Farm, area public library branches and many area Food Lion and Harris Teeter locations. See https://arcg.is/1WWi0y for online map.

Subscribe For the price of postage and packaging, you can receive the next four issues in your own mailbox. Mail a check payable to “Going Green Publications” in the amount of $24 to P. O. Box 3164, Wilmington, NC 28406.

Back issues of Cape Fear’s Going Green are available by calling us at (910) 547-4390.

Sign up for our email list to be alerted when each new issue becomes available, by emailing publisher@goinggreenpublications.com.

www.goinggreenpublications.com

17

historic preservation Historic Wilmington Foundation 2023 Preservation Award Winners

Seventeen honors were presented during the Historic Wilmington Foundation’s annual Preservation Awards Ceremony on May 31, 2023. Each year, Historic Wilmington Foundation (HWF) honors the very special people preserving the region’s history through exemplary service.

“From podcasts to bottle shops, this year’s Preservation Award winners depict a vibrant preservation community in the Lower Cape Fear,” says Travis Gilbert, HWF Executive Director. “We thank this year’s award recipients for their dedication to historic preservation.”

Here are the 2023 Preservation Award recipients: Adaptive Reuse—A building that is pre-

served through a new use that maximizes the retention of distinctive materials, features, spaces and spatial relationships.

420 N. 3rd Street (Eagle’s Dare): Joseph Apkarian; Nigel White & Billy Forbis, Rumble Williams Construction; Rob Romero, Romero Architecture; Morgan Dail, Deeply Rooted

Interiors; Kyle Huffines, Boneyard Garage 921 Princess Street (Bottle Works): Andy Hewitt and Sandy Thorpe, Parastream Development; Coast Capital Partners; BHM Architecture; DSA Engineering; Monteith Construction 600 S. 17th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 (Fermental Beer & Wine): Kristen & Steve Gibbs; John Riggs; Jay Dilley, Real Properties

1614 Dock Street: Landon Biehl & Matt Rhoney, New Wave Homes, LLC 418 S. 5th Avenue: Karen & Michael Strittmatter

Rehabilitation—A building that is repaired

2024 Cedar Hill Rd NE, Leland (Reaves Chapel): Coastal Land Trust; Cedar Hill/West Bank Heritage Foundation; Balding Design Build

and/or altered while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. Features may include, but are not limited to, porch columns, siding, balustrades, windows and stairs.

415 Orange Street: Marcia & Sean Frelke 1407 Live Oak Parkway: Bruce Cassidy 100 S. 3rd Street (Graystone Inn): Urban Building Corp; Element Outdoor Living; Dogwood Repairs and Renovations, LLC; Hipp Architecture & Development, PC; Illuminate Electrical Services 614 Queen Street: Shameem & John Ravelli 319 N. 7th Street: Tori & Phil Fish, Bellewood Group

Restoration—A building that accurately

reflects the form, features, and character of the building as it appeared at a particular period of time by replacing missing elements, removing later elements and limiting modern upgrades required to make the property functional.

Award of Merit—Awards of Merit honor

an entity or endeavor that promotes historic preservation in the Lower Cape Fear that is not a piece of built history.

John McCarthy, master plasterer Carl Marshburn, founder, Cape Fear Riverboats, Inc. Cape Fear Unearthed: StarNews Media; John Staton; Hunter Ingram John N. Smith Cemetery: John N. Smith Cemetery Restoration and Preservation, Inc.; Owen Gidlow, Registered Land Surveyor (continued on page 19)

pomegranate books “A good little bookstore… is a laboratory for our coming together.”

Ross Gay

GGGGG

.

“I love walking into a bookstore.

It's like all my friends are sitting on shelves, waving their pages at me.”

Tahereh Mafi

ZOLA a waterways and ocean friendly, plastic free business roasting organic, shade grown and small farm coffee lots

4418 PARK AVE 910.452.1107 bring this ad for a free cookie with coffee bag purchase

18 www.goinggreenpublications.com

LOCAL

We are here when you need us

Most of our business comes from referrals

910.409.5533

www.CapeFearSolarSystems.com

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

awards Women’s Impact Network 2024 Grant Cycle to Focus on Environment The Women’s Impact Network of New Hanover County (WIN) has launched its 2024 grant cycle, which focuses on projects targeting the environment. Nonprofit organizations that serve New Hanover County and have projects that have a strong environmental impact in the county are invited to apply for a 2024 grant.

WIN is a women’s collective giving circle composed of some 100 members who pool their donations to support com-

munity nonprofits. Founded in 2011, the organization provides grants annually to selected groups of anywhere from $2,500 to $30,000. This year the grants pool, made up of member’s contributions, is $60,000, a nearly 10 percent increase over the past several years and a 20 percent increase over 2021, reflecting the growth of the organization and member support.

Areas of giving rotate each year between four areas: Education &

Preservation Award Winners ... (continued from page 18) David Brinkley Award—This award honors

extraordinary preservation work of large scale, scope and effort.

Richard Johnson

George Edwards Award—This award

honors an extraordinary HWF staff member, intern or volunteer who demonstrates exemplary integrity and commitment on behalf of local historic preservation.

Learn more about the 2023 award winners at historicwilmington. org/2023-preservation-awards.

Founded in 1966, the Historic Wilmington Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the irreplaceable historic resources of Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear Region.

Mark Ryan & Lauren Hyduchak-Ryan, volunteers

Lifelong Learning, Health and Wellness, Environment and Arts and Culture. Since its inception, WIN has awarded more than $530,000 in grants to 33 organizations, based on their potential for making an impact and improving the quality of life in New Hanover County. Last year, with a focus on Health and Wellness, WIN awarded grants to Planned Parenthood’s Wilmington Health Center, NourishNC and NSea Swim.

To apply, nonprofits must complete a Letter of Intent by March 8th, 2024.

On March 29th, a full application will be requested from those organizations that have demonstrated worthy projects in their initial Letter of Intent. Grant recipients will be notified no later than May 13th, and awards will be presented at WIN’s Grantee Celebration May 16th.

Please visit Women’s Impact Network to learn more. Additional information may be obtained by emailing win4nhcgrants@gmail.com, and including WIN Environment in the subject line.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR ENERGY USE! About one in ten members take advantage of PrePay Power, our pay as you go payment option. Here’s why.

• Pay for power in advance of when you need it.

• No monthly bill or deposit.

• Add money to your account any time of day or night.

• Receive email alerts when your account balance reaches a certain level that you preset.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

To learn more and to sign up call (800) 842-5871 or stop by one of our offices. www.goinggreenpublications.com

19

green news Submit your events for our online calendar of green events!

Go to www.goinggreenpublications.com and fill in the form at the bottom of our calendar page.

Where to Find Cape Fear’s Going Green Read It Online ALL our current and back issues are now available online! Go to our home page, www.goinggreenpublications.com, and click on any of the covers to pull up the issue. Select the green “VIEW ARCHIVE” button to view our entire catalog of issues.

In the Community Pick up a free copy at one of the locations listed below or at in-person meetings of environmental groups as they return to meeting live.

Arboretum/New Hanover County Extension Service, Aunt Kerry’s Pet Stop, Lovey’s Market, Old Books on Front Street, Pomegranate Books, Tidal Creek Co-op, UNCW, Shelton Herb Farm, area public library branches and many area Food Lion and Harris Teeter locations. See https://arcg.is/1WWi0y for online map.

Subscribe For the price of postage and packaging, you can receive the next four issues in your own mailbox. Mail a check payable to “Going Green Publications” in the amount of $24 to P. O. Box 3164, Wilmington, NC 28406.

Back issues of Cape Fear’s Going Green are available by calling us at (910) 547-4390.

Sign up for our email list to be alerted when each new issue becomes available, by emailing publisher@goinggreenpublications.com.

Make a difference.

Donate this winter.

Looking for a proven way to help neighbors in need? Consider giving to our Warms Homes, Warm Hearts utility assistance program. Each year Brunswick Electric matches donations up to $50,000, so your generosity works twice as hard. Funds are distributed through: • Brunswick Family Assistance • Columbus County Department of Aging How To Donate Make your check payable to Warm Homes, Warm Hearts and mail it to: WHWH Campaign, c/o BEMC, PO Box 826, Shallotte, NC 28459.

For more information, visit bemc.org/warm-homes-warm-hearts

your ecological house™

Has the Climate Cooked Us Yet?

“The era of global warming has ended, the era of global boiling has arrived.”

— Antonio Guterres U.N. Secretary General July 2023 Mike, a character in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises, was asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways,” he answered. “Gradually, and then suddenly.”

How did our planet so quickly “come to a boil” during this summer’s recordsmashing and unrelenting heat wave?

And does that mean we’ll be cooked, so to speak, as grueling hot summers, punctuated by ever-bigger wildfires, become “the new normal”? Have we permanently crossed that threshold?

To understand how we got here, let’s examine the probable main causes of the current “hot spell.”

An underlying cause is the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere—mostly CO2, which has now reached a concentration of 412 parts per million (ppm), well over the “safe” 350 ppm limit. This accumulation has been gradual in human time (not geologic time). But could it have finally reached a level that

thrust us into this summer’s “flash” heat wave? It’s possible, but it seems more likely to this observer that the relatively steady rise of greenhouse gases and the comparatively sudden rise in global temperatures needs more explication.

on. This warming cycle accelerates in each hemisphere as the sunlight increases in springtime, and really picks up steam, so to speak, in early summer, around the time this year’s heat wave circled the northern hemisphere.

A second contributor to the heating is El Niño, the warming phase—which arrived quickly this spring—of the massive natural cycle of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures that affects weather globally.

Many scientists predicted that this year’s abnormally strong El Niño would increase the likelihood of global temperature records being broken.

Did CO2 accumulation cause the sudden jump in this year’s temperatures? Or El Niño? Or the water-vapor warming cycle?

Or, was it a perfect storm of all three acting together?

While CO2 accumulation and El Niño have gotten most of the media’s attention, atmospheric water vapor is actually responsible for two thirds of greenhouse effect that keeps the earth warm.

Additionally, warm air holds more moisture than cool air, so today’s atmosphere, warmed by CO2, holds roughly 8% more water than it did before the industrial revolution, adding a tremendous amount of heat to the system.

Furthermore, water-vapor warming is conditioned by a feedback loop: As more surface water accumulates as water vapor in the atmosphere, it causes more heating, which produces more water vapor, and so

By the time climate scientists sort that out, next year’s “heat wave” (or “new normal summer”) could well be underway.

The El Niño is expected to return next year. And, of course, each spring the sun will strike ever-warmer water, adding ever more water vapor to the air.

So, have we crossed the threshold into a permanently hotter, increasingly dangerous future?

We don’t know. If, as predicted, the current El Niño subsides in a couple of years, its role in triggering a heating crisis like the one we’re living through might lessen, and we could have some cooler summers. But meanwhile there are ongoing fossil-fuel emissions, the huge outpouring of CO2 from each season’s massive forest fires and increasingly potent water-vapor cycles to heat things up.

The safe bet, then, is to prepare for the worst by implementing adaptive measures as soon as possible. Many short-term measures—adjusting outdoor work hours; providing shade, water and salt to the vulnerable—can be taken locally and at minimal expense.

Long term? It seems that major climate events—the “Great Arctic Ice Melt of 2012,” the “Boiling Point Summer” of 2023— might be arriving as pulsating spurts that catch us off guard. How can we prepare for that at our ecological house?

Philip S. Wenz writes about the environment and related topics.

Visit his blog at firebirdjournal.com.

Got news?

E-mail us at editor@goinggreenpublications.com.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

www.goinggreenpublications.com

21

birding 2024 Audubon Photography Awards Submit Your Bird Photos to the 2024 Audubon Photography Awards With a new Birds in Landscapes prize, there is additional opportunity for your images to shine in this year’s Audubon Photography Awards. The contest opens on January 10, 2024 and runs through 12 p.m. (noon) EST on February 28.

Winning photos and videos will be published in future issues of Audubon magazine and on audubon.org. Visit bit. ly/3U2BoJQ to learn more and to enter.

Cape Fear Raptor Center Closes The Cape Fear Raptor Center in Rocky Point is closing its doors permanently.

The center posted on its Facebook page that there was a great decline in volunteers and donations during the COVID-19, which affected the all-volunteer center drastically.

Since its beginning in 2021 the organization has helped educate people in the coastal area about raptors and the ecosystem in which they live.

The center’s ambassadors will be transferred to other area raptor educators that hold permits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Great Backyard Bird Count Join the 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February 16–19, 2024.

GBBC is a global event that gets people excited about birding in the winter by creating a winter snapshot of birds.

For four days, people unite to observe, learn about, count and celebrate birds!

In 2023, the outcome was once again incredible–approximately 334,000 people counted 7,727 species of birds in 253 countries. This year, organizers hope you’ll join them. GBBC is a great opportunity to share your local environment with the world. Learn more at birdcount.org.

WHOLE WATER SOLUTIONS

wholewatersolutions.com 910.622.5620

Quality drinking water in our community is the heart and soul of Whole Water Solutions. We provide bottled water quality drinking water at your tap affordably, so you can feel good about the water you're drinking and the plastic waste you're avoiding.

Under sink RO system with install $415.

Local Residential Reverse Osmosis You Can Count On!

22 www.goinggreenpublications.com

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

green news

Transitions Kathryn (Kat) Pohlman, MPA, LEED Green Associate, has recently started a new position as Sustainability Manager at Nashville Electric Service in Nashville, Tennessee.

After four years working at the NC Cooperative Extension, Casey Shotton has joined the UNCW Office of Sustainability as Sustainability Coordinator.

She writes: “I have always been passionate about sustainability. In my role with the NC Cooperative Extension, I developed educational programming targeted at increasing sustainability awareness. I was also the chair of the sustainability committee at the Arboretum, working, among other goals, to increase waste diversion. In this new role, I’m responsible for improving the student experience of sustainability at UNCW. I lead our team of Sustainability Peer Educators in the development of programs and initiatives with the goal of increasing student engagement with the Office of Sustainability. Our team strives to create a culture of sustainability on campus.

Shelby Diehl started a new position as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at University of North Carolina where she is researching green infrastructure for flood mitigation under the guidance of Dr. Meredith Hovis.

In September 2023 during the Fall Faculty Meeting, UNCW honored more than a dozen faculty who have made significant contributions in teaching, research and service. Amy Long, senior lecturer in the EVS Department, was a recipient of one of two Lecturer of the Year awards.

Kim Sousa ’94 of the UNCW Alumni Board of Directors presented the J. Marshall Crews Distinguished Faculty Award on behalf of the Alumni Association, to Dr. Lynn Leonard, professor in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences and associate director of the Center for Marine Science.

Kathryn Polk is starting a new parttime position as Executive Director at the North Carolina Composting Council (NCCC). Since 2007 the NCCC has been dedicated to the development and proCape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

motion of composting and compost use in all its forms in North Carolina and beyond.

Polk says, “I look forward to helping them propel their mission; it is an honor to work with such an admirable organization and group of people!”

Introducing Going Green’s New Intern

New Leadership for NC Coastal Federation North Carolina Coastal Federation Founder Todd Miller is stepping down as executive director after spending 41 years in the role, according to a Coastal Federation announcement.

On February 1, 2024, Dr. Braxton Davis will take on the position of Executive Director. Davis has worked as the Director of the Division of Coastal Management since 2011.

Miller will stay with the Coastal Federation to act as a senior advisor to Davis. Learn more about the Coastal Federation’s work to protect the coast, at nccoast.org.

Don Camacho to Head Alliance for Cape Fear Trees

Alliance for Cape Fear Trees (ACFT) has hired Dan Camacho as its new executive director. Camacho is a Wilmington resident with experience in start-up and early-stage for-profit and nonprofit organizations. He will manage the operations and supervise strategic planning, activities and events.

Camacho currently serves on the board of directors for the Bellamy Mansion Museum.

“Our city’s green infrastructure contributes in countless ways to our health and overall quality of life, and these benefits should be available to all citizens,” Camacho said in a press release. “The combination of development and storm loss threatens these essential benefits and adds urgency to our work.”

The mission of the nonprofit Alliance for Cape Fear Trees is to preserve, protect and plant trees in the greater Wilmington area. Since its beginning in 2015 the organization has planted or assisted with the planting of 3,000 trees in the city.

photo by Sheree Rhue

Sarah Rhue is Going Green’s newest intern.

Sarah Rhue is the newest intern for Going Green Publications. She is a Creative Writing major at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is working towards a certificate in publishing and is a Studio Art minor. Sarah loves nature, animals (especially her cat, Amy) and spending time listening to music when she is not writing or drawing. Sarah plans on writing at least two historical fiction series, which she also illustrates.

Share your News! in an upcoming issue of Going Green Call us at (910) 547-4390

or email editor@ goinggreenpublications.com www.goinggreenpublications.com

23

1/22/24, 8:05 AM

Crossword - Crossword Labs

All the words in the crossword can be found somewhere in the pages of this issue.

Crossword Crossword

The answer key appears on page 26.

1

2 3 4

5

6

7

8 9 10 11 12

13

14

15

Across 4. Tail-less amphibian 7. A program established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1998 11. Biofuel made from compressed wood residue 12. Not allowing fluid to pass through 13. (Of a tree or shrub) shedding its leaves annually 14. A place where young plants and trees are grown for sale or for planting elsewhere 15. Decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer

Down 1. An insect benefitting from a gateway program for individuals to reverse the impacts of habitat loss by growing native wildflowers on their property 2. A natural warming phase 3. Spaces that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 5. (An activity, industry or product) affecting or altering the environment as little as possible 6. A type of wood commonly used for reusable silverware 8. The art or practice of garden cultivation and management 9. An organized collection of seeds from which an individual may check out seeds to take home 10. An educational program founded by Kimberly Belfer

Crossword by Shelby Diehl. https://crosswordlabs.com/view/crossword-83601

24 www.goinggreenpublications.com

1/1

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

books

The Big Read Highlights Our Relationship with Nature The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read is being brought to the Cape Fear by the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) and UNCW’s Randall Library.

Please check the Big Read calendar for current information on all events.

Big Read: Cape Fear website: uncw.edu/seahawk-life/arts/nea-big-read

As part of the NEA Big Read: Cape Fear, UNCW’s Office of the Arts and Randall Library are hosting a collaborative, year-long effort to promote literacy in Wilmington and the broader Cape Fear region. Programming for the NEA Big Read: Cape Fear spans three counties and includes community book reads, discussions, family-friendly events, book clubs, teacher trainings, performances, story times and art festivals that focus their efforts on Andrew Krivak’s novel The Bear and other companion titles.

that year’s theme. Several events for people of all ages are scheduled—as of this writing there are 29 events in 2024—from readings at libraries and elementary schools to storytelling to crafting.

The NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Arts Midwest. It is being sponsored by the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County, and the Brunswick Arts Council. The program runs from October 2, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

Two of the supplemental reads chosen for the NEA Big Read: Cape Fear are Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, by Marina Richie and David Gessner’s A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World.

A comprehensive listing of all Big Read companion titles and events can be found at the Big Read: Cape Fear website listed in the box above. Note: there are companion titles and activities suitable for all ages.

Each time a Big Read program is scheduled somewhere in the country, organizers select a primary book that all participants can read, along with many supplemental suggested books along

Author Andrew Krivak may be able to join us for the last half hour of our Environmental Book Club discussion of his book, The Bear, on March 12, 2024.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

Organizers of the 2023–2024 program selected Andrew Krivak’s The Bear, a post-apocalyptic novel about the last two people on earth and how they navigate the natural world.

When the Cape Fear’s Going Green Environmental Book Club selected the books to read in its monthly 2024 discussions, it selected three of the titles from this year’s Big Read program. In all cases, the author may be available to join our discussion via Zoom. The dates of these book club discussions appear below.

See our back cover for the complete 2024 Environmental Book Club schedule, and see more detail about each of our 2024 selections by visiting madmimi.com/p/3818c71/.

Author Marina Richie will join our April 9, 2024 discussion of her book, Halcyon Journey, via Zoom.

Author David Gessner hopes to join us for our discussion of his book, A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World, on May 14, 2024, either in person or via Zoom.

www.goinggreenpublications.com

25

11. Biofuel made from compressed wood residue 7. A program established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1998 4. Tail-less amphibian

2. A natural warming phase 1. An insect benefitting from a gateway program for individuals to reverse the impacts of habitat loss by growing native wildflowers on their property

Crossword

Across

Answer Key for the Crossword on page 24.

n u r s

14

5 6 l b 7 f r o g w a t c w m i b 11 m w o o d p o a 13 c d e t

Down

1 2 b e 3 u c l 4 t a n u r a n t r i 8 h e h b ñ 9 s r o o o 10 e f r m n p e l l e t a s 12 d y i m p e r v i o u s l c i n c i d u o u s n k b l e 15 e r y t c o m p o s t a u s r r i y e

Samoan Fruit Bats Engraved on U.S. Coins

26 www.goinggreenpublications.com

Crossword - Crossword Labs

You can see how small this Evening Bat is because it’s perched on someone’s fingertips. The body of an adult Evening Bat is about 1.9 to 2.6 inches long and its wingspan measures 10 or 11 inches.

By contrast, the wingspan of the Fruit Bat on our quarters can measure 2 feet 10 inches.

The bat you see on quarters is not, however, a kind that lives in the Carolinas. Since the coin represents the National Park of American Samoa, it needed to show an image of an animal that lives there.

From 2010 through 2021 the U.S. Mint issued 56 quarters as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The reverse design of each depicts a national park or other national site for each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia. The bat on the American Samoa coin, minted in 2020, is not the Evening Bat that lives in the Carolinas; it is a fruit bat, native to American Samoa.

National Park of American Samoa is located in the Pacific Ocean some 2,600 miles southwest of Hawaii and is one of the most remote in the U.S. National Park System. The site includes sections of three islands—Tutuila, Ta’ū and Ofu. Almost all of the land area of these volcanic islands—from the mountaintops to the

coast—is tropical rainforest.

The park’s area totals 13,500 acres, 4,000 of which are underwater.

1/22/24, 8:05 AM

Observation © Katelin Cross, https://www.inaturalist. org/observations/27087085. Some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

Crossword

Have you seen a bat on one of our coins? You may not have seen a live bat in the wild, but you might have seen one on a quarter.

The design depicts a Samoan fruit bat mother hanging in a tree with her pup. The image evokes the remarkable care and energy that this species puts into their offspring. The design is intended to promote awareness of the species’ threatened status due to habitat loss and commercial hunting.

The National Park of American Samoa is the only park in the United States that is home to the Samoan fruit bat.

Kids can learn more about coins by visiting www.usmint.gov/learn/kids.

Learn more about bats of all sorts at batcon.org, the website for Bat Conservation International.

What should you do if you see a bat in need of help? Contact Coastal Carolina Wildlife Rehab at (910) 612-9127 or see batworld.org/ local-rescue. This is the only bat rehab serving Brunswick, Pender, Onslow, New Hanover and Duplin Counties.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

kids korner

Evening Bats

Evening Bats (Nycticeius humeralis) can be seen all over the Piedmont and Coastal regions of North Carolina and are native to our Cape Fear area.

meaning they regulate their own body temperature, unlike reptiles or fish. In a way, bats are like the puppies of the skies!

These bats are small and are able to squeeze into cracks of commercial buildings, residential buildings and tree caverns. For the most part these dark brown bats with black ears are very social and typically live in colonies of around 30 individuals. They are among the most abundant bats in the Cape Fear area.

Circle the Correct Answer

Even though bats do a lot of good, it is never wise to touch a bat. While fewer than 1% of all bats carry rabies, they don’t like being touched or handled.

Due to their small size a human appears large and threatening, so they don’t know whether you are trying to help them or harm them.

Bats are nocturnal, meaning they come out at night and sleep during the day.

But in many ways they are not much different from you. In fact, bats are mammals just like people! They give live birth instead of laying eggs, they have hair on their bodies, they provide milk for their young, and they are warm blooded— Kid’s Korner is brought to you by Shannon Bradburn Pragosa.

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24

Monkey

Bats have a superpower called echolocation: they use sound to locate an object. When a bat produces a noise, those sound waves bounce off the object and how the waves bounce tells the bat where the object is located.

If you decide to explore caves make sure you clean your shoes and equipment before entering any cave. The fungus that causes WNS can be transmitted when humans bring it inside a cave on their shoes or bodies.

Bird

Flying Insect

These amazing creatures have adapted to sleeping upside down! The reason they do this is because bats roost in places that are cramped, like inside trees and caves. By sleeping upside down they are in position to escape quickly if danger were to appear.

This is why in TV shows, such as Scooby-Doo, bats fly quickly out of a cave after someone has entered and startled them.

True or False?

When you see a bat colony in a place it should not be, such as a building, it is extremely important to call your local wildlife department and not an exterminator. Bats are often viewed as pests, so unfortunately deadly chemicals are used to remove them.

Natural spaces are becoming few and far between in cities like Wilmington. Protecting green spaces is of the utmost importance to help these important mammals thrive. Visiting your State and National Parks to learn about the natural world around you is a good way to learn how you can help protect the spaces that bats need for survival.

Bats have poor eyesight.

What Can You Do to Help Evening Bats?

The bat you see in Wilmington has a high likelihood of being an Evening Bat, but the chances of seeing a bat at all are slim. These helpful creatures are endangered, primarily due to humans. Habitat loss, wind turbines, house cats catching and killing bats, and the deadly fungal infection called White Nose Syndrome (WNS) kill around 450,000 each year.

photo © Merlin Tuttle | MerlinTuttle.org

Evening bat.

Answer Key

When you think of a bat you might think of something scary like a vampire or diseases like rabies. While there are Vampire Bats, they do not suck your blood. Bats do a lot to help humans and should not be an animal you are afraid of! Evening Bats eat flying insects like flies, moths and mosquitoes. In fact, a colony of 30 Evening Bats will eat 1.25 million insects in a single season!

Not only that, but some of the insects they eat carry diseases that can make humans sick. So instead of being afraid, be thankful for these flying friends of the night.

photo © Rolf Nussbaumer Photography | Alamy

An adult Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) flies away from the tree hole where it roosts during the day.

True or False?—False Circle the Answer—Monkey.

Did You Know?

Which of the following animals is in the same animal order (mammal) as bats?

www.goinggreenpublications.com

27

2024 Book Titles

Cape Fear’s Going Green

Environmental Book Club!

The second Tuesday of every month.

Come join us 6–8 p.m. at 2024 book details Old Books on Front Street • 249 No. Front Street • Wilmington Now in its thirteenth year, the Environmental Book Club is organized by Cape Fear’s Going Green and hosted by Old Books on Front Street. Our Book Club meets the second Tuesday evening of the month inside Old Books on Front Street. Social time is at 5:30, discussion begins at 6:00 and runs approximately two hours.

The bookstore closes at 8:00 p.m. There’s no longterm commitment: you can come when the book being discussed is a title that interests you! (We do hope you’ll read the book before you come, as it enriches the conversation.)

We will continue offering the hybrid Zoom + in-person gathering we started during the pandemic as long as enough people express interest in attending virtually. We do ask that you RSVP every month to let us know whether to save you a chair or send you the Zoom link. RSVP by email to Valerie_L_Robertson@msn.com or call Valerie at (910) 547-4390.

Sign up for the Going Green newsletter, and let us know if you’d also like to be on the email list for Environmental Book Club news. Email Publisher@GoingGreenPublications. com or sign up directly on our website: GoingGreenPublications. com. Questions about Book Club? Call (910) 547-4390.

28 www.goinggreenpublications.com

Old Books on Front Street offers a discount on new copies of our Book Club selections (and to anyone arriving by bicycle). Call ahead to make sure the book you want is in stock: (910) 762-6657.

NOTE: Any changes to schedule (whether for weather or any other reason) will be posted on our online calendar, so please check the day of the event to make sure: go to the online calendar at www.

GoingGreenPublications. com and click on the meeting date to pull up details. Or call us, at (910) 547-4390.

Sign up for the Environmental Book Club mailing list, and we’ll share details about this year’s books as well as tips for accessing them as audiobooks or eBooks through New Hanover County Public Library, using Hoopla or Libby.

Every fall we select the books we’ll discuss in the coming year. The three marked [Big Read] are also part of this year’s NEA Big Read, a year-long effort to promote literacy in our region. Learn more at https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/arts/ nea-big-read.

Here are two titles we thought looked very interesting, though we didn’t have room for them on the current year’s list.

Life on the Rocks: Building a Future for Coral Reefs Juli Berwald

Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki

Method to Rapidly Rewild the World Hannah Lewis (foreward by Paul Hawken)

January 9, 2024

The Insect Crisis:

The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World

Oliver Milman

February 13

A Natural History of the Future:

What the Laws of Biology Tell Us about the Destiny of the Human Species

Rob Dunn March 12

The Bear [a Big Read selection]

Andrew Krivak April 9

Halcyon Journey:

In Search of the Belted Kingfisher [Big Read]

Marina Richie

May 14

A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water [Big Read]

David Gessner

June 11

Planta Sapiens:

The New Science of Plant Intelligence

Paco Calvo

July 9

This Land Was Ours:

How Black Beaches Became White Wealth in the Coastal South

Andrew W. Kahrl

August 13

Urban Jungle:

The History and Future of Nature in the City

Ben Wilson

September 10

Eating to Extinction:

The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them

Dan Saladino

October 8

The Devil’s Element:

Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance

Dan Egan

November 12

Brave the Wild River:

The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon

Melissa L. Sevigny

December 10 (two books this month)

Around the World in 80 Trees: (The Perfect Gift for Tree Lovers)

Jonathan Drori et. al.

Facing Aridity: Poems Diana Woodcock

January 14, 2025

The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet

Leah Thomas

Cape Fear’s Going Green • Winter 2023–24