Study Is More About The Bees Than The Trees

Posted on July 17, 2012 by

Syrphid fly feeding on False Dandelion
Photo from Watauga County CES

Christmas tree growers might not realize that the diverse mixes of groundcovers growing underneath their trees provide important habitat for pollinators. Pollinators which are responsible for an estimated 75% of the average food products that we eat each and every day!

Dr. Jill Sidebottom, with NC State University’s Christmas Tree Program, and county agents are working on a pollinator study specifically looking at tree farms in Watauga, Ashe, Allegheny, Avery and Mitchell counties.

The study will follow these farms for an entire year, taking data on the mix of specific plants growing under the trees, what’s flowering and when, and what types of pollinators and other insects are observed. This study is unique in that the majority of the fieldwork is not actually focused on the Christmas trees… but rather what’s growing underneath them!

The best practices specific to the Christmas tree industry on pollinator protection and conservation which result from the study will help tree growers and beekeepers collaborate to sustain pollinators.

Adapted from Christmas Tree Pollinator Study, Watuga County Cooperative Extension Blog 7/9/2012

Renee Strnad Honored as Tarheel of the Week

Posted on July 17, 2012 by

Renee Strand, Extension Forestry Associate at NC State University

Photo by Corey Lowenstein – clowenst@newsobserver.com

Renee Strand, NC Project Learning Tree Coordinator and an environmental educator with Extension Forestry at NC State University, has been honored as Tarheel of the Week by North Carolina’s largest daily newspaper, the News and Observer. Over her career, Strnad has evolved a part-time job as an environmental education coordinator into a position as a highly respected and well-known leader in environmental education policy and advocacy in North Carolina. Strnad has a passion for making sure children are exposed to nature and aware of its limited resources.

According to Lisa Tolley, program manager with the state office of environmental education and public affairs, “She is one of the strongest advocates for environmental education in the state. She’s reached a lot of people, and her passion for her work is contagious.”

Read the complete article in the News and Observer>>

CNR Proud to be NCSU Earth Day Sponsor

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

NC State University is celebrating Earth Day this week and the College of Natural Resources is proud to be a 2012 sponsor and campus partner.

: Join CNR on The Brickyard – April 20th 10am – 2pm

NC State’s College of Natural Resoures – The Place for Green Careers

We are especially looking forward to tomorrow’s Brickyard Celebration from 10am to 2pm. CNR has 10 student organizations, academic programs, and research groups joining the long list of exhibitors planning to be there.

The weather is predicted to be fine, so come join us! Make some new friends, play some games, learn about our degrees/research/service and our commitment to living and working sustainably on the Earth! #PackEarthDay

Dr. Kays and Smithsonian WILD Win Outreach Achievement Award

Posted on April 18, 2012 by

Smithsonian WILD, an outreach project stemming from a collaboration between the Smithsonian and NC State researcher/Nature Research Center Biodiversity Lab director Roland Kays has just won a 2012 Outreach Achievement Award from the Smithsonian.

This Temminck's Tragopan was photographed in China utilizing motion-activated camera-traps.

The Smithsonian WILD site makes over 200,000 camera trap photos collected by researchers around the world available to the public in a fun interactive way.

The website had 565,826 visits since launching last year, and with a 36% returning visitor rate, which is quite high. Visitors are from 189 countries, from Vatican City and Burkina Faso to Russia.

The photos are also all available through Flickr, which has registered another 187,048 visitors over the last year. The team now has an NSF grant to make the site interactive by adding new photos collected by other researchers as well as citizen scientists as part of the eMammal project.

Dr. Roland Kays

Dr. Kays is recently joined the NC State College of Natural Resources‘ forestry & environmental resources faculty and is excited about having students working with him in his lab at the exciting new Nature Research Center in downtown Raleigh, NC. The NRC’s grand opening is scheduled for April 20-21, 2012.

More about NC State/Nature Research Center Partnership>>>
More about Smithsonian WILD>>>
More about the Nature Research Center>>>

Nature Provides a Cheaper Alternative for Fun

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

Malls and beaches have always been popular destinations for fun, but as these institutions of money-spending fall in popularity due to financially difficult times, attendance only rises at natural alternatives.

“We have seen a steady increase in attendance,” Charlie Peek, public information officer for the N.C. State Park System said, “Most parks don’t charge admission and are inexpensive alternatives for recreation.”

Yu-Fai Leung, associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at N.C. State, agrees adding that this is a nation-wide trend.
Read the complete article by Frances Ellis in The Technician>>