N.C. Tree Farm Program, Inc.

N.C. Bradford Pear Bounty Tree Exchange: Elizabeth City
2025-04-05 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | NC
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.

Party for the Pine: The Old Tree is turning 477!
2025-04-05 10:00 - 15:00 | Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, 1024 Ft. Bragg Road, Southern Pines, NC, 28387, United States
Join the celebration for the oldest known living longleaf pine, learn how prescribed fire keeps the longleaf forest healthy and appreciate the natural beauty of the Sandhills of North Carolina.
Explore an Old Growth Forest, speak with local educators and conservationists, eat food, listen to live music, and so much more!

Birthday Cake
Guided Hikes to the Old Tree
Live Music
Live Prescribed Burn
Games
Raffles
Vendors

Hurricane Helene Forest Recovery Workshop: Hendersonville
2025-04-07 13:00 - 16:00 | Henderson County Extension Office, 100 Jackson Park Road, Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
Forest landowners suffered a tremendous loss of investment when Hurricane Helene leveled 822,000 acres of forestland. Many have been scrambling to determine what options are available to restore their forests to something desirable and manageable. In this workshop, N.C. State Extension Forestry will present information on the following topics to help landowners more successfully recover:

Taxes and Investment Decisions in the Wake of Hurricane Helene
Cost Share Opportunities and Resources Available for Recovery
Forest Management After Hurricane Helene
Fire Prevention and FireWise After Hurricane Helene

There is no cost for this event. Seating is limited to 50 attendees. All participants must register by calling the Henderson County office at 828-697-4891. For more information, please contact Western Area Forestry Agent Nathan Gatlin via email at npgatlin@ncsu.edu or by phone at 336-651-7330.

Frog Frenzy
2025-04-08 15:00 - 16:00 | Hammocks Beach State Park, 1572 Hammocks Beach Road, Swansboro, NC, 28584, United States
Batrachology or bust! It’s not easy being green, but frogs sure love it! In this program you will learn about some of the frogs we get to see and hear around the park, their life cycles, and some of their natural features that make them so unique. We will experiment with different objects to recreate our own frog sounds, their jumping habits, and so much more! Ribbit! Registration required.

Night Hike at Gorges
2025-04-10 20:00 - 21:00 | Gorges State Park, 976 Grassy Ridge Road, Sapphire, NC, 28774, United States
Learn all about the nocturnal animals in Gorges State Park! We will be exploring the trail after dark with flashlights to look for animal eye-shine and to listen for sounds in the night. Stay at the Park Visitor Center after the hike for a small campfire and smores. We will be meeting at the Outdoor Amphitheater behind the Visitor Center building.
This program is being presented in collaboration with the 2025 NC Science Festival.

Burn, Baby, Burn!
2025-04-11 15:30 - 17:00 | Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, 625 Virginia Cates Road, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join a Ranger on a one mile hike around the site of a prescribed burn at Occoneechee Mountain to learn about prescribed fire, how we use it to improve the ecosystem, and how it can make future wildfires less dangerous. Meet at the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area parking lot. Wear hiking shoes and bring water; this program may include hiking off trail.
Spaces are limited, and registration is required. To sign up, call (984) 250-1370 or click the Register button to email eno.river@ncparks.gov. Please include the number of guests in your party and a phone number where you can be reached if the event is changed or canceled.

Mushroom Science for Beginners
2025-04-11 18:00 - 19:30 | NC
Mushroom science, or mycology, is a fascinating subject with a dab of mystery, beauty, and… slime? These hardy forest dwellers aren’t animals, plants, or molds—so what are they? Whether you like mushrooms on your pizza or have been spooked by a fairy ring, kids of all ages will enjoy learning more about fungal science at this program.
Attendees should come ready for quiet observation and active analysis, and they are welcome to bring in samples of mushrooms from their own property. Place any samples in a paper bag, and do not ingest any mushrooms found, as they may be poisonous.
Please note: collecting mushrooms is prohibited in North Carolina State Parks. There will be no foray as part of this program.

Yancey and Mitchell County Post-Helene Forestry Event
2025-04-12 10:00 - 13:00 | Burnsville Town Center, 6 South Main Street,, Burnsville, NC, 28714, United States
Yancey and Mitchell County Landowners: Are you still wondering what to do with your damaged forest? Come learn from agencies, non-profits and businesses about what resources are available to landowners.
Topics Include:
• Wildfire Mitigation
• Debris Removal and Forest Mulching
• Forest Restoration
• Non-native Invasive Species Control
• Stream Restoration
• Landslide Seeding
Register for FREE, lunch included.

Spring into Mushrooms
2025-04-14 14:00 - 15:30 | Eno River State Park, 6101 Cole Mill Road, Durham, NC, 27705, United States
Join a Ranger on a one and a half mile hike along Pump Station trail to look for some of the mushrooms that may be springing up around the park. We may find a common one, or something you have never seen before, but either way, this hike will make you more of a fungi!
Meet at the upper parking lot of Pump Station access; wear hiking shoes and bring water.
Spaces are limited, and registration is required. To sign up, call (984) 250-1370 or click the Register button to email eno.river@ncparks.gov. Please include the number of guests in your party and a phone number where you can be reached if the event is changed or canceled.

Webinar: Spotted Lanternfly in North America: Insights, Impacts, and Preparing for the Future
2025-04-16 14:00 - 15:30 | NC
Learn about the biology and management of the invasive spotted lanternfly, debunk common myths and gain updates on how human-mediated transport is driving its spread. Experts will share the latest findings on cold tolerance thresholds and their role in assessing the risk of northward expansion.

Spring Migration at the Eno
2025-04-17 09:30 - 11:00 | Eno River State Park, 6101 Cole Mill Road, Durham, NC, 27705, United States
Join a Park Technician on a guided hike around the Piper Cox House and Buckquarter Creek trail during spring bird migration to look for migratory birds and year-round residents of Eno River. Meet at the Piper-Cox House parking lot, second right past the entry gate. Wear hiking shoes and dress for the weather.
Spaces are limited, so registration is required. To sign up, call (984) 250-1370 or click the Register button to email eno.river@ncparks.gov. Include the number of guests in your party and a phone number where you can be reached if there are changes to the event.

N.C. Tree Farm Program Annual Meeting
2025-04-24 08:30 - 15:00 | First Fruits Farm, 2805 E. River Road, Louisburg, NC, 27549, United States
The N.C. Tree Farm Program will hold its 2025 Annual Meeting on April 24 at First Fruits Farm in Louisburg. Register by mail or online by April 14.
The Annual Meeting includes a field tour focused on agritourism, pond management, bird and wildlife habitat, and sustained yield forest management. The awards ceremony will recognize our volunteers’ contributions, the Inspector of the Year and the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.
First Fruits Farm is a 1,000-acre farm founded by former NFL player Jason Brown. Rooted in faith and service, the farm’s mission is to fight hunger and promote health by growing and donating fresh, nutritious food to those in need. Since its inception, First Fruits Farm has provided more than 2 million pounds of produce to communities across North Carolina.
Learn more about First Fruits Farm and the Brown family in these features on CBS’s On the Road With Steve Hartman, NBC’s Today and the PBS’s Growing a Greener World

Basic Chainsaw Safety & Maintenance
2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:30 | 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.
