By: Andy Wood The biodiverse Southeastern North Carolina region is a place that supports 1,500 different plant species, arranged in a diverse array of natural habitats, but more than 70% of those habitats are now lost, mostly due to human land alteration for roads, buildings, farming, and other uses. It’s no secret this ecoregion’s land… Continue reading Observations from Howe Creek
Category: Andy Wood
A Note From Habitat Manager Andy Wood
Southeast North Carolina has long been recognized as an area of unrivaled ecological wonders. This place is home to more different kinds of plants and animals than anywhere in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, north of Florida. Now more than ever, the Northeast New Hanover Conservancy needs your financial support to maintain and preserve this special… Continue reading A Note From Habitat Manager Andy Wood
Landfall Nature Trails Update
NATURE TRAILS A winter woodland in Landfall supporting several dozen plant species along with songbirds, turtles, and amphibians. Note the storm-wrought debris that needs to be removed and mulched to reduce fire risk and create walkable trail surfaces. In recent years, our nature trails, within Landfall especially, have suffered from storm damage that accompany hurricanes.… Continue reading Landfall Nature Trails Update
Field Notes by Andy Wood
Andy Wood, NENHC Habitat Manager As mentioned in the introduction, the Northeast New Hanover Conservancy’s area of interest is a roughly 20-square mile area of, as our name implies, northeast New Hanover County, NC. The properties we manage include some of the last best examples of this region’s natural heritage. For quick orientation, southeast North… Continue reading Field Notes by Andy Wood
A CONSERVANCY CONVERSATION
A CONSERVANCY CONVERSATION By: Andy Wood, Conservation Ecologist A young Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) surveys a rainpool inside a Northeast New Hanover Conservancy property in the gated Landfall community. This sharp-eyed bird of prey eats mice, frogs, lizards, snakes, and other small animals. Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephala) were on the hawk’s menu this day.… Continue reading A CONSERVANCY CONVERSATION
CONSERVANCY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
The Northeast New Hanover Conservancy stewards some of the best remaining examples of southeastern North Carolina’s ecosystems. And the great wonder of it all is the fact that these places are located right outside people’s doors. NENHC is currently protecting more than 2,000 acres of compelling natural habitats in the northeast part of New… Continue reading CONSERVANCY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Land Management and Aquisitions
The Conservancy is negotiating a land acquisition to protect a 39-acre tract of undeveloped property inside the Landfall community. The parcel raises the Conservancy’s total protected habitat area inside Landfall to more than 400 acres. We have retained the services of Andy Wood, through his company, ANDY WOOD & ASSOCIATES, LLC, to provide environmental assessments… Continue reading Land Management and Aquisitions
Bedminster Lane Parcel Finds
On a recent visit to a Conservancy parcel on Bedminster Lane, Andy Wood found a southern dusky salamander with her eggs. Picture below, with cardinal flower growing in another area of the parcel. Southern dusky salamanders appear to be declining in North Carolina, for yet unknown reasons beyond simple habitat alteration and loss. Brush-hogging to… Continue reading Bedminster Lane Parcel Finds
Two-lined Salamander in Landfall Preserve
The Two-lined Salamander is a widespread species, but jeopardized by silty water and forest alteration. Landfall’s protected wooded wetlands are this animal’s oases, where they hide and forage among leaves and logs in and around streams and seepages. Tiny insects, mites, and worms are preferred prey. In turn, these amphibians are food for birds, small… Continue reading Two-lined Salamander in Landfall Preserve
Land Donation
The Conservancy owned .151 acres around the Landfall administration and maintenance office. The maintenance department is in need of more space so we negotiated a land trade. This trade takes the small piece we own around the building and gives it to Landfall. In trade, a 39.91 acre tract is given to us! This piece… Continue reading Land Donation