conservation

Every time you take a walk at Johnston Mill, White Pines, Horton Grove, or Brumley, you are seeing work from Matt Rutledge. Incredibly kind and generous, Matt teaches me the names of all the trees. Matt has walked hundreds of miles monitoring easements, led volunteer workdays, and created and rerouted numerous trails. He has also planted thousands of seeds and hundreds of plant plugs over the years to set the stage for improved habitats on TLC lands.

For many TLC members and enthusiasts, Robert “Bo” Howes is Triangle Land Conservancy. Always quick to remind us that our work can’t be summarized in merely “bucks and acres,” Bo is responsible for thousands of acres conserved and millions of dollars raised. Yet, his investment in the human side of TLC may be his biggest impact of all as Bo is incredibly generous with the wisdom he’s gained from his 15 years of experience.

One of TLC’s greatest unsung heroes is Leigh Ann Hammerbacher. Her steady perseverance and deep knowledge of conservation in North Carolina allows her to weave strategies out of red tape and chisel masterpieces out of apparent stonewalls. We are immensely grateful for all of Leigh Ann’s accomplishments during the past 16 years!

In June, TLC permanently conserved 248 acres of undeveloped, forested land located between Fearrington Village and Jordan Lake. This beautiful property contains wetlands, streams, and steep slopes that are unusual for the area and critical to the region. The property directly abuts the B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake, one of the largest sources of […]

By Laura Warman, Grants Manager “Oh the cuckoo, she’s a pretty bird. She warbles as she flies.  She never says cuckoo, ‘till the fourth day of July”.  Cuckoos and their calls are the subject of a surprising number of songs, poems and stories, and they feature heavily in different mythologies (from ancient Greece to the […]

One of TLC’s most popular public properties, Brumley Nature Preserve is home to 673 acres of mature hardwood, young pine, and alluvial forests that surround streams, wetlands, and ponds. It is also home to thriving populations of invasive species under its forest canopy. From Japanese stiltgrass to tree of heaven, these invaders and others continue […]

In May, our Pathways Into Nature and Environmental Science (PINES) program wrapped up their semester with our largest cohort of students yet! This year TLC was able to expand the program by welcoming 10 students from Knightdale High School to join us in exploring the outdoors, careers in conservation, and create community around learning and […]

By Laura Warman, Grants Manager You might remember hearing about spotted lanternflies (SLF, Lycorma delicatula) in the news (or on this blog!) last year. These planthoppers feed on the sap of many species of plants and can have very negative effects both on crops and natural systems. Not only is their feeding detrimental to their […]

By Laura Warman, Grants Manager As we near summer and start spending more time out on the trails and in the garden, it’s a great time to be on the lookout for invasive species. As a quick reminder – native species can also be unruly, aggressive, and unpleasant for us but they evolved here and […]

TLC is excited to announce the protection of 17 acres along Middle Creek in Johnston County!  This purchase marks the first time since the Bailey & Sarah Williamson Preserve that Johnston County has directly funded a TLC project. Last year, Johnston County committed $625,000 to local land-protection efforts, which has allowed TLC and partners to […]