Festival for the Eno

I'm sure y'all know about the Eno River Association's annual fundraising concert/craft fair/minglefest at West Point Park on North Duke Street this holiday weekend.

Weather is supposed to be mild for a change, and if you're going on Sunday afternoon, stop by the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association booth to say hi.

Continue reading Festival for the Eno

Didn't see that coming

N&O:

Wake County has closed the swimming areas at Beaverdam Beach and Sandling Beach on Falls Lake because of elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

The county tests recreational lakes weekly for bacteria, including enterococci. It closes areas to swimming or any activity where someone's head may go underwater when bacteria levels exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Pop quiz - More development within 1 mile of the lake's disputed boundaries will have what effect on bacteria levels within Jordan Lake?

Continue reading Didn't see that coming

Haw River Learning Celebration

Here's a neat volunteer opportunity.

The Haw River Festival Learning Celebration is a traveling environmental education program that journeys the entire 100-mile length of the Haw River. For three weeks in September and October a crew of educators, performers and river lovers brings a hands-on Learning Celebration to nearly 1,500 fourth graders from the six counties the river connects.

Children take a field trip from school to discover the wonders of a river in their own backyard. They see turtles and snakes, learn about waste reduction and solar energy, visit with old-timers who can tell about working in the mills or catching catfish with their bare hands, and gather with performers who get everybody singing about rivers and reptiles and recycling and how together we can make a difference.

They're looking for volunteers for a day or for a week at a time. You can camp overnight for the week, or head home and sleep in your bed if you prefer. No experience is necessary. Call the Haw River Assembly at 542-5790, or send an email to arkanseno AT gmail DOT com for more info.

Continue reading Haw River Learning Celebration

Garlic mustard

Sounds good, no? And it's not unattractive as weeds go, although not quite the looker that purple loosestrife is.

And like loosestrife, it's an invasive that's capable of damaging local ecosystems. That's why the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association is looking for some help this Saturday in eradicating garlic mustard from the Ellerbe Creek watershed:

If you like exploring creeklands, comfortable in woodland environs (uneven terrain, poison ivy, ticks) and want to HELP we definitely could use you. We will meet this Sat.morning @ 10AM on Club Blvd by Club Blvd School playground (near Washington & Hwy 85 overpass. I'd suggest you wear long pants, bring water and a lite snack (fanny or small backpack good as you will need both hands for pulling and carrying out Garlic mustard). Note: location could change, will send email by Fri. night if it does.

If you want to help but can't make this Sat. please contact me: cynthie@ellerbecreek.org. If there are interested people we could also meet the folowing weekend as a group.

Give 'em a hand if you've got some free time on Saturday.

Continue reading Garlic mustard