N.C. Tree Farm Program, Inc.

Pittsboro Pesticide Safety School
2024-03-19 - 2024-03-20 | Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, 1192 U.S. 64 Business, Pittsboro, NC, 27312, United States
This 1.5-day school is in person. School hours are 8:30 AM-5:00 PM on day one and 8:30-11:30 AM on day two. Only one category session may be chosen since the sessions happen at the same time.
For Pesticide Safety School details and additional info, please visit here: https://pesticidesafety.ces.ncsu.edu/event/2220596832/pittsboro-pesticide-safety-school/

Pittsboro Pesticide Safety School Online Registration Link

Carolina Bay Hike
2024-03-16 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Jones Lake State Park, 4117 N Carolina 242, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
Discover the secrets of the bay forest at Jones Lake State Park by joining a park ranger for an invigorating hike. Learn about the flora and fauna of the forest while understanding the significance of Carolina bays.
Bring bug spray, water, and hiking shoes.
No registration required. Meet at the park visitor center.

Women’s Chainsaw Operation Workshop
2024-03-16 09:00 - 16:00 | 608 Water Tank Rd., Fleetwood, NC 28626
Fleetwood, NC
Join Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, the Forest Stewards Guild and the Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm for a hands-on workshop all about chainsaw operating basics! This is a safe space to learn a new skill or deepen your existing saw knowledge. Our programming is offered to marginalized genders including women-identifying individuals, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, and those who are comfortable in a space that centers the experiences of women forest stewards.
This workshop will cover the following topics:

Chainsaw safety and sawing form
Using a saw for land management and wildfire risk reduction around the home
Starting the saw, maintenance, and cleaning
Cutting wood cookies, limbing, and bucking

Guide to Herbicide Application Windows During a Southern Pine Rotation to Improve Productivity
2024-03-13 13:00 - 14:00
Pine stands play an important economic role across the southeastern United States and are responsible for bringing in tens of billions of dollars every year through timber and pulpwood products. Increasing and maximizing pine productivity is therefore crucial. The use of herbicides is one way to increase productivity by managing competition from herbaceous species and promoting desired species. But what specific herbicide should be used, when should they be used, and how do you use herbicides properly for the most effective outcome in pine stands? In this webinar, Dr. David Clabo is going to answer all this and more as he covers herbicide use in pine stands from site preparation through midrotation.

NC Arbor Day Celebration
2024-03-12 - 2024-03-17
Join us in celebrating Arbor Day all week long, Sunday, March 12 through Friday, March 17! We’re teaming up with the NC Forest Service, NC Forestry Association, NC Project Learning Tree, and NC Urban Forest Council on Facebook and X (formally Twitter) to give you all the tree-loving resources you need. Each day we’ve selected a different theme highlighting key parts of trees and forestry:

Monday – Introduction to Arbor Day
Tuesday – Human Health Benefits from Trees
Wednesday – Environmental Benefits
Thursday – Economic Benefits
Friday – Celebrate Trees! Plant a Tree!

Bears
2024-03-09 14:00 - 15:00 | Jones Lake State Park, 4117 N Carolina 242, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
Join a park ranger for a discussion on Jones Lake State Park’s largest mammal: the black bear. Learn about the biology and habits of the king of the forest.
No registration required. Participants should meet at the visitor center at 2 p.m.

Carnivorous Plant Hike
2024-03-09 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-03-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Carolina Beach State Park, 1010 State Park Road, Carolina Beach, NC, 28428, United States
Join a park ranger at the Flytrap Trail for a hike along the trails. We will learn about different habitats that exist within Carolina Beach State Park and how each habitat affects the plants and animals that call the park home.
No registration required. Meet at the Flytrap Trail parking area at the end of Nature Trail Lane. The trail is wheelchair accessible.

Turtle Talk: Native Turtles of Wake County
2024-03-07 19:00 - 20:30
From the VIPs (Very Important Pond-dwellers) to the troublemaking invasive species, join the South Wake Conservationists as they navigate through the shell-tastic landscape that is Wake County. Don’t miss the conservation scoop on how to ensure a bright future for these slow and steady locals. It’s a shell of a ride you won’t want to miss!

Unveiling the secrets of Wake County’s turtles is Sarah Goldsmith. Drawing from her background in environmental education and her role at Wake County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces, Sarah brings a perfect blend of expertise and enthusiasm to the world of turtles. Join us for an immersive exploration into the lives of these shelled wonders that call Wake County home.
REGISTER

Heirs Property Summit
2024-03-06 09:00 - 15:00 | Halifax County Cooperative Extension Center, 359 Ferrell Lane, Halifax, NC, United States
N.C. A&T and N.C. State Cooperative Extension are working together to educate the public about heirs property! We are hosting six heirs property summits across the state. Join us for hands-on training sessions that will provide valuable materials and guidance to avoid involuntary property loss, and protect and preserve family land for generations to come.
Attend our hands-on, practical workshop about heirs property! Learn about the origin and history of heirs property and estate planning and legal strategies to secure their land. Come to connect with resources and other technical assistance including some potential opportunities to listen from a panel who are dealing with heir’s issues.
Using an heirs property curriculum developed by Alcorn State University and SRDC in Mississippi, and utilizing the resources obtained through Train-the-trainer training by HPP project partners we are committed to delivering these educational training and materials for North Carolinians.
Registration is Free, lunch included

Silvopasture Producers Share Their Stories and Answer Questions: A Webinar Panel Discussion
2024-03-05 13:00 - 14:00
Learn from the experiences of various silvopasture producers in this final webinar of the 6-part series. This panel discussion will be a question-and-answer format, where participants can ask their burning questions. Each producer in this series will have presented their story in an earlier webinar, and in this webinar discussion, follow up with your questions. This is the sixth webinar in a 6-part series targeted towards landowners, farmers, producers and natural resource professionals.

Webinar: Native Plants and Pollinators--Creating Pollinator and Insect Friendly Habitat
2024-03-05 11:00 - 12:00
Join the Lower Cape Fear Wildlife Chapter as they welcome Amy Mead for a lunch & learn webinar. Amy is an Extension Agent, Natural Resource & Environmental Education for New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender County. Amy provides research based solutions and advice for stormwater issues to help manage and improve our coastal water quality through workshops, classes, and site visits. Areas of interest include retrofits, restoration, and installation of stormwater control measures, erosion control, native plants, pollinator gardening, and stream bank and habitat restoration. This is a great opportunity to learn and ask questions!
REGISTER

Exploring Succession and Estate Planning: A Panel Discussion
2024-02-27 08:00 - 17:00 | virtual via Zoom
During Exploring Succession and Estate Planning: A Panel Discussion, participants will learn about the issues associated with heirs’ properties and land succession planning (also called estate or legacy planning). Participants will learn some strategies for succession planning and successfully transitioning landownership to maintain forest health landownership and minimize family conflict.
Join a two-hour webinar to gain insights into challenges related to heir’s properties and land succession planning. There will be three short presentations introducing concepts associated with succession planning followed by time for participants to ask questions to the panel of experts.
*Including NCSU Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Dr. Kurt Smith.
Participants are encouraged to submit questions ahead of time for experts to answer; questions will also be taken during the webinar.
Registration is FREE. However, registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar. Registrants will also receive access to the webinar recording.

F.L.A.M.E. Week Friends and Family Day
2024-02-10 10:00 - 13:00 | Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest, 4803 Sweet Home Church Road, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest is hosting a fun and free event for all ages. For kids enrolled in the ecoEXPLORE program, a bird identification hike celebrating the February Ornithology badge will advance your skills for bird watching. We’ll have a presentation from Longleaf Alliance staff at 11:15 a.m. for those interested in learning more about longleaf ecosystems and how they flourish thanks to fire. Want to snap a selfie with Smokey Bear or Burner Bob? Join them for a picnic and story time at 12:15 p.m.! There will also be stations for crafts, games and much more! Prizes too! Bring a bagged lunch, water bottle and a lawn chair for the picnic. Participants in the ecoEXPLORE program from 10-11 a.m. must register in advance.
For more information, call the TCESF office at 910-588-4161.

Prescribed Fire: Burning for the Birds
2024-02-09 12:00 - 17:00 | Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest, 4803 Sweet Home Church Road, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
Interested in learning how you can utilize prescribed fire as a management tool on your property to increase the presence of birds? Want to create suitable habitat for bobwhite quail or wild turkey? Have you read a lot (or a little!) about the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and want to know more about them? This event is for you! Participants will hear from the experts about these birds and how fire helps build their preferred living spaces. Landowners will also gain information on programs available to assist with prescribed burning on their lands. The event will conclude with a short tour to observe a red-cockaded woodpecker cavity tree cluster near roosting time. Lunch for this event will be provided with support from the N.C. Prescribed Fire Council.
Register by January 31.

Snakes!
2024-02-08 18:30 - 20:00
Snakes are commonly feared and misunderstood, leading to many misconceptions about these creatures. However, with a little bit of knowledge, you can begin to see how truly amazing these animals are and learn how to interact with them safely. Join us this month as we discuss the various snake species found in our area, their behaviors, myths and misconceptions about venomous snakes, and even a meet and greet with a live snake!
Our guest speaker is Grover Barfield, Director of the Carolinas Reptile Rescue and Education Center (CRREC), a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the need to conserve the reptiles of North Carolina. CRREC rescues, rehabilitates, and releases nuisance and injured reptiles mainly in Gaston, NC, and surrounding counties. Since 2003, CRREC has provided educational programs on snakes of the Carolinas to schools, civic organizations, Scout troops, museums, local parks, state parks, and other government and non-government organizations and agencies.

Project Learning Tree: Nature of Fire Workshop
2024-02-08 - 2024-02-09 | Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest, 4803 Sweet Home Church Road, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
Join N.C. Forest Service staff as they facilitate a two-day exploration through the Nature of Fire activity collection. Participants will assess successional stages following disturbance in ecosystems, examine how fire is being used to restore historical ecosystems, investigate the fire triangle and fire movement, explore carbon outputs from wildland fires and how these relationships affect climate, and observe the effects of fire at the workshop site.
Register by January 31. For more information on workshop registration and logistics, call Ranger Monique McKoy at 910-588-4161.

Forest Health and Fire Workshop
2024-02-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Jones Lake State Park, 4117 N Carolina 242, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
Wildfires and prescribed burning can play a pivotal role in forest health. Workshop participants will learn from N.C. Forest Service Forest Health Branch staff and guest speakers about how fire affects the health of a forest and the trees within it. Forest Health staff will also share current information on native and invasive forest pests that threaten the health of our forests in southeastern North Carolina. After breaking for lunch, workshop participants will be able to tour local forested areas with staff to investigate how fire and the absence of fire can influence forest structure and composition in the Coastal Plain.
Forestry CFEs and Pesticide License CEUs pending.
Pre-registration required.

Heirs Property Summit
2024-02-07 09:00 - 15:00 | Stokes County Cooperative Extension Center, 700 Main Street, Danbury, NC, United States

Fire Weather and Stories From the Fireline: Webinar
2024-02-06 10:00 - 12:00
Weather plays a key role in wildfire and how our firefighters attack, control and contain the fire. Participants will hear a comprehensive year-in-review on fire weather along with current and future conditions for 2024 from N.C. Forest Service Fire Environment Staff Forester Jamie Dunbar. Participants will also get to listen to a few stories of past fires and how weather played a critical role in firefighter response and fire containment.

Wildland Urban Interface Workday
2024-02-05 09:00 - 15:00 | Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest, 4803 Sweet Home Church Road, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337, United States
North Carolina ranks fourth in the U.S. for the total number of homes, an estimated 2.1 million, within the wildland urban interface. Join N.C. Forest Service staff to learn some simple steps you can take to protect your home and property from approaching wildfires. Participants will then put techniques learned into practice by assisting staff with “firescaping” the newly installed Defensible Space Model Ranger Station at the Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest fire control exhibit. Register by January 31.

Hunter Education Certification
2024-02-04 09:00 - 15:00 | Southmont Volunteer Fire Department, 11030 NC Hwy 8, Lexington, NC, United States
This course meets the hunter education requirement for all first-time hunting license buyers in North Carolina. Certification is accepted in every state and province in North America.
Courses are provided free of charge in all 100 counties throughout the year.
Pre-registration is required for courses.
Students must bring a pen or pencil to class.
DO NOT BRING FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION INTO THE CLASSROOM. If you carry personal protection firearms, you should secure these in your vehicle before entering the classroom.

Hunter Education Certification
2024-01-31 16:00 - 22:00 | Newland Town Hall, 301 Cranberry Street, Newland, NC

Heirs Property Summit
2024-01-31 09:00 - 15:00 | NC A&T University Farm Pavilion, 3020 McConnell Road, Greensboro, NC, 27401, United States

Biological Wonderland Hike
2024-01-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Carolina Beach State Park, 1010 State Park Road, Carolina Beach, NC, 28428, United States
Join a park ranger at the Flytrap Trail for a hike along the trails. We will learn about different habitats that exist within Carolina Beach State Park and how each habitat affects the plants and animals that call the park home.
Meet at the Flytrap Trail parking area at the end of Nature Trail Lane.
This is an outside program. The trail is wheelchair accessible.
No registration required.

Webinar with Tom Wessels, Forensic Forester
2024-01-27 09:00 - 10:00 | virtual via Zoom
Tom Wessels is a terrestrial ecologist and professor emeritus at Antioch University, as well as the author of Reading the Forested Landscape, Forest Forensics, The Granite Landscape, The Myth of Progress, and New England’s Roadside Ecology.
On Saturday, January 27 From 9:00 to 10:00 am using photographs submitted by participants Tom will demonstrate methods for reading forest landscapes the way we might solve a mystery.
If you have pictures of interesting things you have encountered, such as growth patterns, evidence of forest disturbance (either natural or human-made), or unique geological features, to be analyzed during the webinar send PICTURES to rircd2282@gmail.com .
For additional information and to register, please go to www.rircd.org

Keeping Forests as Forests – Incentive Programs for the North Carolina Landowner
2024-01-24 18:00 - 19:30 | virtual via Zoom
Join the Forest Stewards Guild for an evening learning about ways to keep forests as forests. We will be joined by experts on tax incentive programs, conservation easements, and carbon markets. Come prepared with questions about your land!
Review the program agenda here.
Click here to Register.

Webinar: Protecting Threatened and Endangered Species From Pesticides
2024-01-17 14:00 - 15:00
When EPA registers a pesticide or reevaluates it in registration review, the Agency has a responsibility under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to ensure that the pesticide registrations do not jeopardize the continued existence of federally threatened or endangered (listed) species or adversely modify their designated critical habitats.

Wednesday Bird Walk
2024-01-17 08:00 - 10:00 | Carolina Beach State Park, 1010 State Park Road, Carolina Beach, NC, 28428, United States
Join park staff to look for resident and visiting birds on a guided bird walk, from 8-10 a.m., at Carolina Beach State Park. No experience is necessary; all are welcome.
Plan to meet at the marina, and we will walk from there. The hike will be approximately 2 miles long over flat terrain and run for approximately 2 hours.
Bring your own binoculars, drinking water and insect repellent.
No registration required.

Tree Identification in Winter
2024-01-16 17:30 - 20:30 | Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, 1192 U.S. 64 Business, Pittsboro, NC, 27312, United States
Correct identification is a critical first step in making management decisions for any plant in the landscape or garden. Identification of tree species is of particular interest for landowners managing woodlands for wildlife or timber, for farmers with livestock browsing near potentially toxic species, and for naturalists seeking to enhance their familiarity with native trees. Many may be deterred by the esoteric terminology and specialized features used for tree identification. Fortunately, most woody plants can be readily distinguished by twig, bud, and bark characteristics, making winter a great time of year to learn the identity of trees and understory shrubs on your property. Join Matt Jones (Extension Horticulture Agent) and the Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Chatham County for a lecture and hands-on workshop on winter botany for landowners, landscapers, farmers, park managers, naturalists and anyone curious about trees. Participants will learn about the types of tree characters used for identification, as well as how to use free, online tools (such as dichotomous keys) from NC State University. Gain experience through both guided and individual practice identifying provided native tree samples.
The workshop costs $12 per person, which includes a 10x hand lens and light refreshments for all participants. Registration and fee payment is required by Jan.15th, 2024.
Read more at: https://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/tree-identification-in-winter-2023/
