James Westbrook: Howell Woods, NC

Over Easter break I took the opportunity to revisit a place of my childhood, Howell Woods. This 2800 acre tract of land was donated to Johnston Community College in 1993 by Rudolph Howell and was meant to be used as an "Outdoor Classroom". Since that time the land has been transformed into an outdoor recreation area in some parts, and simply a wildlife reserve in others. They offer canoeing in small areas of water located on the property, and have set up multiple trails in the area to allow for easier touring and administration. At the entrance to Howell Woods they have a fairly large building with small samples and exhibits of the area for anyone that happens to be stopping by, but also use the area for hunter’s safety courses and other educational opportunities available to the public. I was very pleased to see that after all this time the place really hasn't changed. That's something positive we can't always say about the environment we've grown up around anymore.

Joseph Hines: visits Coco Cay, Bahamas

Over spring break I went on a Royal Caribbean Cruise throughout the bahamas. One of the locations was Coco Cay, an island 55 miles north of Nassau, is being leased by Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. The island a little less than a mile wide and only a couple hundred yards long. Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. has transformed the island into a tourist recreational area with activities on the beaches such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, parasailing, scuba diving, and jet skiing. The island also nature trails all over the island, giving tourists a chance to see a large variety of plants in a lush tropical terrain.

I had the idea to use this place for my blog post and asked someone that worked there how the island was designed to keep it from drastically effecting the surrounding water and plant life. All he could really tell me was that a company named Coastal Systems International, Inc. designed the island. Afterwards, I went online and found out that the Coastal Systems International, Inc. provided the engineering design, the project management and construction administration for the island. The website stated that the company developed a new infrastructure that would be bringing “responsible management” to protect the surrounding environment. The project was to reuse the water used in the sewage treatment process and reenforce the fuel lines on the island to protect it from any problem it could potentially have. A big issue with tourism in the Bahamas is water pollution and waste disposal, and with the changes made on Coco Cay it helps prevent such problems so that many more people in the future can enjoy the scenery and wildlife. The last picture is of a shell I found when I waded into the water, and when I looked inside it had some kind of creature living inside of it. I wanted to keep the shell but I decided that I would leave it alone and let other people enjoy it. Also, I would of felt a little bad if I had taken the little guy out of the shell.

James McCoy at Frog Fest

On Saturday, April 9th, I attended Frog Fest. Frog Fest is an annual event at Crowder Park. Crowder Park is located in Apex, North Carolina off of Ten-Ten Road. I have been going to this park regularly since its opening in 1998. Crowder Park is a 33 acre park with landscaped grounds, hardwoods and a beautiful pond. Sadly fishing is no longer permitted in the pond, but there are still some really nice fish and turtles.

Frog Fest 2011 was the 12th annual Frog Fest at Crowder District Park. The event was free and welcomed visitors of all ages. There were games, crafts, animals, entertainment and many exhibits. The event mainly focused on reptiles, amphibians and water quality. Many conservation organizations were represented at the event so that they could help educate and spread word about their organization. One organization I found particularly interesting was Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park. Sylvan Heights is a non-profit organization located in Scotland Neck, NC. The park is only 18 acres, but it provides one of the most diverse viewings of geese, swans, ducks and exotic birds in the world. I plan on visiting this park in the future.



In this picture I am next to a map that shows many of North Carolina's state parks.

What I liked about Frog Fest was that this event educated people about Crowder Park and then opened the door to other nature opportunities in the state.

I recommend attending this event next year.

- James

Tobais Palmer: The North Carolina Solar Center

Over Easter break, I went to the The North Carolina Solar Center which is located right off of Gorman beside the McKimmon Conference & training Center.The North Carolina Solar center is oringally known for focusing on solar energy. As years passed the "Solar Center" had expanded more and which now serves as a big part of the majority of energy programs.After visiting and listening to interesting facts about the solar center I never knew that the solar center was seeking to stabilize energy costs for consumers which could help reduce some of the foreign fuels and the enviromental impacts associated with fossil fuel.


While I was there visiting the North Carolina Solar Center not only was I clueless about some of the things that I was trying to understand but I was also wondering like what is the mission for this and I found out that their main mission was to advance the use of renewable energy, clean transportation resources and others to help protect our enviroment.What stood out to me a little more was how wind turbines is considered as a type of wind energy. This tool was created to test the winds in North Carolina and to see how to regulate them and there has even been recent research, which wind turbine manufacturers are now starting to focus on the innovations that would allow the turbines to produce more energy in low and medium wind regimes. After visiting the North Carolina Solar Center I now have some type of clue to understand what their mission is and why they're trying to do. It would be real interesting to see how things play out as years come and go.


~Tobais Palmer~

Alexander S visits Raven's Wing farm

I visited Raven's Wing farm located in the downtown of Southern Pines. The sole owner, Maureen, transformed her backyard into great example of sustainability over the period of several years. In the beginning, the only things that grew around the house were grass and weeds. Now, every free spot is covered with some kind of vegetation. This urban farm occupies half-acre area and it produces a variety of herbs, vegetables, berries and flowers for farmer's market.


In order to achieve almost complete independence from town's utilities several projects were implemented. The farm has rain barrels, which collect water from gutters into the irrigation pond, chicken house for fresh eggs, composting piles, and beehives. Several features were made entirely from recycled materials - garden beds from small pine trunks and decorative steps from old manhole covers. It also provides habitat for a family of guineas, which control insects. Guineas also provide a secondary source of edible eggs. Other animals are present too: a variety of birds, pond fish, and four cats. The future projects include the removal of the old yard fence, so it can be substituted with trellises for climbing plants.



There are many places where you can relax too. Covered porch is an excellent place to drink tea or coffee. It provides good view of beautiful garden. Some benches and lawn chairs are positioned in strategic points under a huge walnut tree or around stone-clad pool. Narrow trails meandering through the garden are perfect for slow walks. The enjoyable visit gave me ideas on how I can improve my own backyard.

NC Birding Trail: Lake Johnson

During the weekend I went to Lake Johnson in Raleigh, which is known for the lake, boating, fishing, greenway walking trails, and picnic shelters. One thing that Lake Johnson offers that I was not aware of until I was searching the Environmental Education Center's of North Carolina website was the birding trails. Lake Johnson is officially apart of the 103 birding sites in the Piedmont area and there is a map of recommended birding trails in Lake Johnson.

My time at Lake Johnson began on the 1.9 miles of unpaved trail. I was surrounded by really tall trees and unfortunately the birds were all on the tree tops and were really difficult to see. So, I then went to the part of the lake with paved trails and I found 4 birdhouses along the trail and saw many robins and ducks.

The birds that I saw on Sunday were, Robins, Mallard Ducks, Canada Geese, Swallows, and Blue Heron. My dad bird watches and I never bird watched until now and I really enjoyed it.

-Stephanie Horvath

Aurora K visits Pisgah National Forest

Over the Easter Break, a good friend, my sister and I went to Pisgah National Forest. The Pisgah National Forest was established in 1916 and covers 1,076,711 acres across Western North Carolina and is administered by the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of Agriculture. It includes the Blue Ridge and Great Balsam Mountains which reaches elevations over 6,000 feet and include some of the tallest mountains east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell. The recreational opportunities include hiking, backpacking, and swimming. Also, the land and its resources provide for hunting, wildlife management, timber harvesting, and North Carolina Arboretum.

American forestry has roots in what is now the Pisgah National Forest. The Cradle of Forestry or Biltmore Forest School was the first school of forestry in the United States. It operated during the late 19th century and early 20th centuries and was opened and operated by George Washington Vanderbilt II, builder of the Biltmore Estate. This school along with the Biltmore Estate played a major role in the birth of the U.S Forest Service.

There are many trails offered throughout the Park, we chose to follow the Bent Creek trail and came across several beautiful waterfalls. I am so lucky to live in the Mountains and all the surrounding beauty. This is definitely a must see when visiting Asheville, NC.