Basic Chainsaw Safety & Maintenance
2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | FIND Outdoors, 49 Pisgah Hwy, Suite 4, Pisgah Forest, NC, 28768, United States
FIND Outdoors is excited to host a chainsaw safety course, presented by STIHL. Attendees will learn:

The operator’s PPE (What to wear, what not to wear, OSHA requirements and further recommendations)
Chainsaw features and functions. (Safety features, how to use, when to use, etc)
Basic Operation (How to start, how to hold, how to make basic cuts, reactive forces)
Basic Maintenance (Chain sharpening, chain replacement, air filters, fuel filters, spark plugs)

Wildflower Walk
2025-04-27 13:30 - 14:30 | Gorges State Park, 976 Grassy Ridge Road, Sapphire, NC, 28774, United States
Join a ranger on a hike on Raymond Fisher Pond Trail to find and identify spring ephemeral wildflowers of Gorges State Park. Be prepared for a 1.6 mile hike and dress for the weather.
Meet at Rainbow Falls Trailhead.

Carnivorous Plant Hike
2025-05-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Carolina Beach State Park, 1010 State Park Road, Carolina Beach, NC, 28428, United States
Join park staff on a guided hike through the captivating ecosystems where carnivorous plants, including Venus flytraps, thrive in their natural environment. As you explore the terrain, we will share insights into the unique adaptations that allow these plants to trap and digest insects. You’ll have the chance to observe the flytraps, along with other fascinating species like sundews and pitcher plants. This immersive experience offers a deeper understanding of these extraordinary plants and the delicate ecosystem they inhabit.

Living With Fire in North Carolina: Webinar
2025-06-05 12:00 - 13:00
This webinar offered by the N.C. Tree Farm Program will address wildfire risk in the wake of Hurricane Helene and how to protect your home from wildfire. In addition, the presenters will discuss how to reduce wildfire risk, including land management options such as prescribed burning.

Forest Farming Webinar: Introduction to Pawpaw
2025-06-05 18:30 - 20:00
Discover the art and science of forest farming in this engaging session, where you will explore the cultivation of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for food, medicine, and art. This session will highlight the pawpaw—North America’s largest native fruit—covering its growth, care, and potential uses. Whether you are interested in harvesting for personal enjoyment or generating income, this introduction will provide valuable insights into agroforestry practices.

What will you learn?

Identifying pawpaws
Understanding pawpaw biology
Exploring pawpaw habitat

Forest Farming Tour
2025-07-08 09:00 - 12:30
Join experienced forest farmer Ben Kitchen for a tour of his unique operation in a rich cove forest in Cherokee County, North Carolina. With decades of experience growing wild-simulated native herbs, Ben will guide participants through his multi-aged understory plantings. Learn about his stewardship approach and sustainable management practices for forest farming in the Southern Appalachians. Participants will have the opportunity to walk and talk with Ben, and seeds and planting stock may be available for purchase.

Learn To Hunt: Deer Hunting Workshop
2025-08-02 08:00 - 17:00
Whether you are new to hunting or an experienced hunter wanting to sharpen your skills, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has class options and expert instructors to help you prepare for the season! Workshop capacities are limited, so register early. Please review each workshop’s summary when registering.

NOTE: Attendee requirements noted below MUST be completed prior to attendance and additional workshop details (including actual address) will be distributed to all qualifying registrants 3 or more days prior to the event.
While all are welcome to attend, this course was specifically developed with the following people in mind:

Individuals who have never hunted or have not actively hunted for more than 3 years.
Individuals who lack the social support to hunt (i.e. have no readily available hunting family members or friends).
Individuals whose licenses may have lapsed (inactive hunters), including those who have never harvested big game.

ATTENDEE PREREQUISITES:

Hunter Safety Certification
Valid North Carolina Hunting License
NOTE: Big game tags required for big game LTH (e.g., deer, turkey and bear)

Planting Design for Wildlife: A Landscape Architect’s Guide to Supporting Wildlife Through Intentional Planting
2025-08-07 19:00 - 20:30
Join N.C. Wildlife Federation South Wake Conservationists Chapter for a webinar exploring how intentional planting design can support wildlife while meeting human needs. Presented by registered landscape architect Sara Donohoe, this webinar focuses on integrating ecological function into planting design through creative and practical strategies.
With expertise in native and habitat-based planting design, Sara will demonstrate how techniques like site analysis, plant layering, and color blocking can be used to create vibrant, resilient landscapes. Participants will learn how thoughtful plant selection and spatial organization can provide critical resources for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife—all while enhancing the visual appeal and usability of a space.
This webinar is designed not only for landscape architects and designers, but also for gardeners, conservationists, and wildlife advocates interested in creating more ecologically supportive landscapes at any scale. Whether you’re designing a park or planting a backyard garden, this session offers practical tools and inspiring insights to help elevate the ecological impact of your work—while staying rooted in design excellence.

2025 Habitat Summit
2025-08-08 08:30 - 17:00 | The Charles Mack Citizen Center, 215 N Main St #2527, Mooresville, NC, 28155, United States
The Habitat Summit aims to provide practical land management advice to biologists, foresters, land managers conservation professionals, and landowners. This event hosts nationally recognized speakers with top-notch presentations on emerging research and applicable land management techniques.
The presenters come with a diversity of expertise covering a variety of topics in land management. The 2025 keynote speaker will be Dr. Marcus Lashley from the University of Florida. Concurrent sessions include presenters from Mississippi State University, Auburn University, N.C. State University, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Clemson University, N.C. State Parks and many more.

Storm to Stove: A Workshop for Timber and Firewood Processing After Hurricane Helene
2025-08-08 08:30 - 2025-08-09 16:00 | Hinton Center, 2330 Hinton Center Road, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Though Hurricane Helene imposed widescale destruction on the mountains of North Carolina, opportunities are available to make the most out of the devastation. Two options you can pursue are to generate firewood and sawtimber. This two-day technical workshop at the Hinton Center in Hayesville will cover best practices for processing storm-damaged timber into firewood and other wood products. Experts will present on post-storm timber recovery, chainsaw safety, wood extraction methods, sawmilling, firewood production, drying, storage and safety. Hands-on demonstrations and technical discussions will provide practical insights into equipment, safety protocols and efficiency in wood utilization—from storm to stove. Whether you’re a landowner, forester or firewood professional, this workshop offers essential knowledge for maximizing wood resources.

Wood Utilization and Fire Protection Workshop
2025-08-11 08:00 - 16:00 | Asheville Botanical Gardens, 151 WT Weaver Boulevard, Asheville, 28804
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, recovery occurs as opportunities are explored and future preparations from the experience are planned. This one-day workshop at the Asheville Botanical Gardens will cover best practices for processing storm-damaged timber into useful wood products. Experts will present key topics including post-storm timber recovery, wood extraction methods, sawmilling, drying, storage and safety. Hands-on demonstrations and technical discussions will provide practical insights into equipment, safety protocols and efficiency in wood utilization. We will also examine the wildfire potential resulting from all the downed trees.
Whether you’re a landowner, forester, or interested in new business opportunities, this workshop offers essential knowledge for maximizing wood resources. In the afternoon, we will visit a field site to observe a portable sawmill and its operation.

Birds in Forested Wetlands
2025-08-13 19:00 - 20:30
Forested wetlands exist in two main ways – those that contain still water, and those where waters flow through. And in some cases, a forest may experience both during a given year. In this presentation, John A. Gerwin, Research Scientist and Educator of Ornithology, will showcase the natural histories of some of the avian denizens that occur in these forests. He will also discuss some of the research he and his former students conducted along the Great Pee Dee and Roanoke rivers, with Swainson’s and Prothonotary warblers among others.

Treestand Safety
2025-08-30 09:00 - 17:00 | Sta 18 Grays Creek Fire Department, 6975 Fire Department Road, Hope Mills, NC, 28348, United States
Learn how to safely set-up and use all types of tree stands: ladder, lock-on, climber, free-standing, and associated climbing equipment and harnesses. We will also discuss alternatives to tree stands such as ground blinds and use of box stands. Class will include practical exercise to erect and take down a ladder stand and discussion on proper use of fall arrest systems and associated straps and lines, and recovery from a fall to re-board the stand.

Pollinator Habitat: Blooms and Beyond
2025-09-11 09:00 - 14:00
Join biologists from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the N.C. Wildlife Federation in Mocksville to explore pollinator habitat and learn what native insects need as they prepare for the winter. Lunch will be provided.
Topics include:

Importance of pollinators to the ecosystem and our daily lives
Pollinator life cycles and habitat needs
How to improve pollinator habitat on your property
Pollinator capture techniques and identification
Invasive plant control

Hemlock Hike at Gorges State Park
2025-09-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Gorges State Park, 976 Grassy Ridge Road, Sapphire, NC, 28774, United States
Join state park staff as they hike along one of the Hemlock Conservation Areas in the beautiful Gorges State Park! Learn about the importance of hemlocks, what is threatening them and what you can do to help.
The 2.8 mile (total) out and back hike will explore only a small section of the park, but includes a dense patch of hemlocks crowded around a tranquil stream before climbing to a ridge that exhibits an entirely different environment than the trail’s streamside beginnings. There are a few steep sections, but this hike is only of moderate difficulty as it follows old logging roads and has less than 500 feet of total elevation gain. The hike will start out with exploring the streamside area and its many hemlocks, diving into details on hemlocks and their conservation then head up the Auger Hole and Heath Pine Ridge trails.
Gorges State Park is located about 5 miles southwest of Rosman, NC and is near the NC-SC border.
The back-up weather date for this hike will be on September 21st at 10:00 a.m.

Hot Topics in Pond Management
2025-09-18 12:00 - 13:00
Dive into the Hot Topics in Pond Management webinar to learn essential strategies for a healthy aquatic ecosystem, covering everything from managing aquatic plants and algae blooms to understanding wildlife management, aeration benefits, and general pond maintenance. Discover how to effectively deal with sediment, leaves, and muck, address turbidity, prevent fish kills, and properly use chemicals and dyes for optimal pond health.

Virginia-North Carolina Woods & Wildlife Conference
2025-09-20 08:30 - 16:00 | Northampton County Cultural Arts, 127 West Jefferson Street, Jackson, NC, 27845, United States
This one-day event will consist of concurrent sessions and a tour of the nearby Roseburg Forest Products mill.

Landowner Forestry Workshop
2025-09-30 10:00 - 14:00 | Bullock Fire Department, 8677 U.S. Hwy. 15, Oxford, NC, 27565, United States
This free workshop will focus on forest management, timber evaluation and landowner resources. Hear from a professional forester, USDA representative, an agriculture mediation specialist and an attorney. The workshop includes a field tour of a local Tree Farm. Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required.

Hemlock Treatment Demonstration
2025-10-01 13:00 - 16:00 | Corneille Bryan Native Gardens, 194 Stuart Circle, Lake Junaluska, NC, 28745, United States
The Hemlock Restoration Initiative is hosting a demonstration of chemical treatment methods to control the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Hemlock trees in western North Carolina are an important and irreplaceable component of our forests. These trees have been suffering for over two decades from hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive insect that can kill the tree in as little as four years.
Hemlock management is simpler and less expensive than ever before. This hands-off demonstration will be useful for landowners, natural resource managers and tree care professionals. We will use the trees on-site to practice assessing hemlock health to determine the best treatment options, and staff will demonstrate the chemical treatment methods used on national forest and state lands. These methods are available to all private landowners in North Carolina without obtaining a license or certification. We will also discuss applicator and environmental safety, special considerations and guidance for hiring a tree care professional.

Bradford Pear Bounty: Asheville
2025-10-04 09:00 - 11:00
This program encourages homeowners to remove their landscape Bradford pear or other planted cultivars of Pyrus calleryana (e.g., Chanticleer, Cleveland Select, Aristocrat) and replace them with free, native trees. Homeowners who want to participate in this event must pre-register and bring proof of tree removal to the event. Replacement trees are in 3-gallon containers, and there are many native species to choose from. Up to 5 pear trees can be removed for up to 5 free replacements. First come first serve for tree species selection.
This exchange is free and open to the public, pre-registration is required to ensure tree pick-up runs smoothly.

Piedmont Forest Landowners’ Summit
2025-10-07 08:30 - 16:30 | Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, 1192 U.S. 64 Business, Pittsboro, NC, 27312, United States
N.C. State Extension Forestry and the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension encourage forest landowners in the Piedmont region to save the date for our upcoming Piedmont Forest Landowners’ Summit.
Topics include:

Timber Harvesting
Forest Markets
Intro to Agroforestry and Forest Farming
Forestry Invasives
Prescribed Burning
Forest Pests
Early Successional Habitat to Benefit Wildlife
Enhancing Bird Habitat in Forests

Bradford Pear Bounty: Fayetteville
2025-10-11 09:00 - 11:00
This program encourages homeowners to remove their landscape Bradford pear or other planted cultivars of Pyrus calleryana (e.g., Chanticleer, Cleveland Select, Aristocrat) and replace them with free, native trees. Homeowners who want to participate in this event must pre-register and bring proof of tree removal to the event. Replacement trees are in 3-gallon containers and there are many native species to choose from. Up to 5 pear trees can be removed for up to 5 free replacements. First come first serve for tree species selection.
This exchange is free and open to the public, pre-registration is required to ensure tree pick-up runs smoothly.

Bradford Pear Bounty: Goldsboro
2025-10-18 09:00 - 11:00

Forest Landowner Conference
2025-10-22 - 2025-10-23 | Rocky Mount Event Center, 285 NE Main Street, Rocky Mount, NC, United States
This conference is held annually to educate landowners on sustainable forestry practices, on programs and technical assistance available through state and federal forestry and natural resource agencies, on the local timber industry and emerging markets and on strategies for estate planning including wills and trusts.

"Aldo Leopold and the Land Ethic: The Archival Record and Resources to Dig Deeper into the Making of A Sand County Almanac
2025-12-04 13:00 - 14:00
While Aldo Leopold’s impact on the conservation movement is broad and deep, he is best known as the author of the now classic book A Sand County Almanac. Translated into sixteen languages, it is one of the foundational texts for those around the world who care about people and places. But becoming a classic doesn’t happen overnight; it requires great writing, and often a few twists of fate. Buddy will introduce Leopold’s writing and publishing journey as well as the online archival resources at the University of Wisconsin and elsewhere available to do your own deep dive into the making of an American classic.
Buddy Huffaker has served as Executive Director at the Aldo Leopold Foundation since 1999. During his tenure the foundation has grown the Leopold Community by protecting the Leopold Shack & Farm (the inspiration and setting for much of the A Sand County Almanac) as a National Historic Landmark, constructing the LEED Platinum Aldo Leopold Legacy Center out of trees planted by the Leopold family, producing the Emmy Award–winning documentary GreenFire, and supporting ten different foreign translations of A Sand County Almanac. The foundation continues the Leopold family’s commitment to stewardship through the restoration and management of the 4,400-acre Leopold-Pines Conservation Area and by using this experience to inform and inspire other landowners to adopt and implement their own land ethic.

Regenerative Forestry for Wildlife Habitat Workshop
2025-12-05 17:00 - 2025-12-06 15:30 | Gratitude Farm and Retreat, LLC, 3183 Fishing Creek Road, Enfield, NC, 27823, United States
Join Gratitude Farm and Retreat for a workshop on regenerative forestry for wildlife habitat. The workshop includes student’s story, hands-on walking tour with a wildlife conservation biologist and an immersive project to put knowledge to practice. The event includes a meet-and-greet dinner on Friday and a farm-to-table lunch on Saturday. Dry camping is available at Gratitude Farm and Retreat. For more information, contact call 307-690-4828 or email gratitudefarmretreat@gmail.com. Preregistration is required.

Bald Eagle Festival
2026-02-07 08:00 - 12:00 | Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, 280 State Park Road, Apex, NC, 27523, United States
Join NC State Parks and the US Army Corps of Engineers to celebrate one of Jordan Lake’s greatest treasures: Bald Eagles! If you’ve ever been curious about our nesting population or had no idea Bald Eagles lived so close to you until you read this post, please come join us on January 31st, 2026 to learn everything there is to know about Bald Eagles. There will be informational booths, activities and games, and most importantly, no admission fee. That’s right. it’s free! This festival will also be kicking off the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and what better way to commemorate that than by learning all about our national bird. The festival will be held at the Jordan Lake Dam, so please check their website and facebook page for the most up to date information.

All About Bears
2026-02-07 14:00 - 15:00
Join a park ranger for a discussion on Jones Lake’s largest mammal……the black bear. Learn about the biology and habits of the king of the forest. Participants should meet at the Jones Lake State Park Visitor Center at 2 pm. This program is free to the public. If you have any questions, please call the park office (910) 588-4550.

Beginner Bird Walk
2026-02-09 09:00 - 10:30 | Pilot Mountain State Park, 1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle, NC, 27043, United States
Join Ranger Gracie at the Pilot Creek access for a beginner-friendly bird walk to discover the birds that call Pilot Mountain State Park home during the winter months. We’ll take a leisurely walk along park trails while learning how to spot and identify common winter birds by sight and sound. This program is perfect for first-time birders and for all ages. No experience or equipment needed, but if you have binoculars, bring them! Please RSVP for directions and updates!

An Overview of Timber Taxes webinar
2026-02-11 13:00 - 14:00 | online
Dr. Yanshu Li (Associate Professor and Forest Economics and Taxation Outreach Specialist – University of Georgia) will give an overview of timber taxes including tax considerations of natural disaster related timber damage and recovery efforts.
Timber taxes encompass the federal and state tax rules that apply when you own, manage, or sell timber or timberland. Understanding both the forestry specific provisions and the general tax rules that affect your management activities can significantly reduce your overall tax liability through strategic planning. But tax planning becomes even more critical when a natural disaster strikes. Storms, wildfires, and other catastrophic events can damage or destroy timber, and the tax implications of that loss can be complex. In this webinar, Dr. Yanshu Li will provide an overview of timber taxation, with a special focus on how natural disaster related timber damage, losses, and recovery efforts are treated under current tax law.
