On Wednesday, October 23, Triangle Land Conservancy and partner organizations welcomed over 200 community members to our annual Wild Ideas event held at the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. Centering each Wild Ideas around a public benefit of conservation, this year’s event – titled Habitats: Our Home – focused on what we as a community can do to protect local wildlife and natural spaces together.
“Since 2015, TLC’s Wild Ideas has always been a fun and free public event that provides an engaging venue for experts and the community to share their innovative ideas to improve lives through environmental action,” said TLC Director of Advancement Christine Wilson. “We hope that TLC’s 18th Wild Ideas, second post-pandemic, inspired attendees to advocate for careful protection of our region’s natural areas and forests to support healthy ecosystems and provide habitat for native plants and animals.”
Local experts share their passion for wildlife habitats
Habitats: Our Home saw the return of TLC’s speaker series format, where speakers are limited to eight minutes and deliver fast-paced and dynamic talks to engage audiences.
NC Botanical Garden Conservation Ecologist Brandon Wheeler opened the event with his presentation on rare plants of the Triangle. Entertaining the audience with various scientific plant names, he demonstrated how NCBG’s work to protect and care for native plants is vital in the face of an ever-growing Triangle region. This talk was then followed by former TLC Conservation Planner Chloe Ochocki who shared how through carbon sequestration, habitat corridors, temperature reduction, and flood mitigation, you can quantify the climate benefits of protecting habitats.
Reema Garabadu, Eno River Association’s Land Conservation Manager, shared her journey towards finding beauty in soil and discovering her role in the conservation field – as well as highlighting the importance of women in conservation as role models for younger generations.
Lastly, NC State professor, Dr. Clyde Sorenson, presented his ongoing research on the elusive blue ghost firefly and how the public can become citizen scientists in the Carolina Ghost Hunt. Each of these talks were seamlessly woven together by event emcee and current TLC Board member, Lysandra Weber.
Discovering local actions to support habitats
Following the speaker series, everyone gathered for the Community Partner Expo, where attendees had the opportunity to meet with and learn from over fifteen local community organizations already doing great work to support our local environment. From interacting with awe-inspiring birds of prey to getting excited about the next North Carolina Wildflower of the Year, there was something for all nature enthusiasts to connect and get inspired by.
“Wild Ideas is one of my favorite events that TLC hosts as it gives us the best opportunity to connect with so many community members, new and familiar, and we can provide a platform for partners to share their work and how they impact the Triangle as well,” said Kayla Ebert, TLC Senior Education Manager. “Picking this year’s theme was difficult, but it only felt right when talking with our wonderful speakers that we chose a theme that shares how we both contribute to and are a part of our ecological community and habitats.”
Through Wild Ideas TLC hopes that people find optimism for the future and feel motivated to connect with and support our community through nature. Whether you already are a dedicated volunteer at a local organization, work in an environmental career, or just love to spend time in outdoor spaces, there are countless opportunities in the Triangle to make an impact for the habitats we all call home.
Special thanks to all our community partners who attended and tabled at Wild Ideas! For more information about each of them and how you can get involved, click the links below:
Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
