Once again this year the Blue Ridge Naturalist Network will be holding a plant swap fundraiser on May 8th from 9 am to 1 pm, hosted by Charlotte Caplan. Our first plant swap in 2019 was highly successful, raising hundreds of dollars to supplement our annual budget. Basically the idea is that folks can bring in plants from their garden (natives preferred) and exchange them for other plants. Or they can simply buy plants at a nominal price of $4 each if they wish to take away more than they brought. We make money by providing a start-up selection of plants donated by BRNN members.
If you missed this event you can find the recording here .
Gary Kauffman
Gary Kauffman will discuss the highlights of Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Land Management Plan. The Nantahala and Pisgah NFs have not had a complete forest plan revision since 1987. For the past 8 years, plan team members have been drafting plan components and meeting with interested private and governmental parties. In late January of this year, the final revision was released. Gary will be discussing some of the highlights, with an emphasis on ecological implications.
Gary Kauffman has been the botanist/ecologist program manager for the National Forests in NC since April of 2007. The National Forests in NC cover 1.3 million acres across 4 forests, the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in the mountains, the Uwharrie NF in the Piedmont, and the Croatan NF in the Coastal Plain. His duties include planning revision at the forest level which we will be discussing today, restoration of rare plant populations and rare plant communities, coordination of invasive plant programs, and environmental compliance for forest projects.
Gary has been with the USFS since 1992 previously filling the Nantahala NF botanist position from 1992 to 2000. Gary has a master’s degree in botany/mycology. He is originally from Ohio having moved and lived in western NC for the past 35 years.
Thom Green, Outreach Manager for North Carolina Restoration Initiative (HRI) will discuss the importance of hemlock trees in our Western North Carolina ecosystems, how the hemlock woolly adelgid is threatening them, and what is being done by HRI and others to combat the pest.
Thom moved to North Carolina in 2014 to earn an MS in biology with a focus on forest ecology from Western Carolina University. He has been with HRI since 2017 managing the adelgid in North Carolina’s remaining hemlock stands and educating landowners and the general public about what they can do for the hemlocks.
The Blue Ridge Naturalist Network is an outgrowth of the Blue Ridge Naturalist Program through the N C Arboretum. Our interest is in the natural world and environmental issues, with a foundation based in science.
