The Dirt Blog

Keeping Pace with PINES Students

January 4, 2024

TLC’s Pathways Into Natural Environments and Science team has been in full force getting ready for the upcoming spring program, which begins this February. Read more to catch up with two program alums and learn about PINES’ latest award.

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Learning about Land with Blakely

December 27, 2023

By Blakely Durham, Education and Outreach Intern Fall 2023   It’s hard to imagine now, but prairies used to dominate the Piedmont. These areas were characterized by disturbance from grazing bison and frequent fires. Fires were initially the result of lightning but were then incorporated into the land management practices of Indigenous peoples.     Fire […]

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A Wild and Working Decade: 10 Years with Sandy Sweitzer

December 4, 2023

Simply stated, Executive Director Sandy Sweitzer has delivered a decade of stellar service to TLC. She joined us in the summer of 2013 as Director of Development, a role she had deep background in and in which she immediately elevated our fundraising. In less than two years’ time, with the resignation of the then current […]

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Highlights from “Barrier Breakers” Field Trip for TLC Staff

December 4, 2023

TLC staff recently took a field trip to the American Tobacco Campus in Durham to see the “Barrier Breakers” exhibit brought to the Triangle by Resilient Ventures. Curated by the negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the exhibit highlights baseball’s integration pioneers along with obstacles players of color faced and how they overcame them.

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Celebrating TLC Staff: Matt Makes All Things Better

December 4, 2023

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.

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Celebrating TLC Staff: Bo and the TLC Brand

December 4, 2023

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.

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