Last Saturday, the Museum of Life and Science, in partnership with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, hosted a public moth night on the museum grounds. I helped to organize this event, and was joined by NCBP members Carol Tingley and Tom Howard. The event was in conjunction with the 2023 Durham BioBlitz, and attendees were encouraged to submit their sightings through iNaturalist.
This report identifies twenty-six sites in Durham County that provide habitat for a high diversity of animal species, support populations of rare animals, or serve as critical corridors for animal movements. Twenty-four of the sites - comprising over 25,000 acres - are publicly or institutionally owned and are managed as natural areas, forest lands, or wildlife habitat. These include one state park, three city parks, two dedicated State Nature Preserves, nine registered Natural Heritage Areas, and two extensive areas of state gamelands.
The NCBP announces the completion of the report for the 2021-2022 survey of the New Hope Creek floodplain in Durham County. This multi-taxa survey assessed the current status of biodiversity in the study area, and the report recommends measures to preserve the integrity of this rich ecosystem.