Every year, the WakeNature Preserves Partnership organizes a free land managers’ workshop addressing a topic of interest to park and preserve managers. On September 15, 2017, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission hosted the WakeNature Preserve Partnership’s “Living on the Edge! Management Benefits and Techniques for Streambanks and Wildlife.” The meeting room was filled to capacity for the morning’s presentations, and the afternoon field trips allowed participants to engage the experts while looking at some of the issues around Lake Raleigh, on Centennial Campus at NC State University.
Dr. Gary Blank kicked off the day with a presentation on the Lake Raleigh Management Plan, including trail issues and streambank/floodplain challenges, as well as a history of the site. Dr. Barbara Doll followed with a stream restoration talk that provided information to managers on a range of restoration-related topics, including potential funding. Greg Batts and Vann Stancil, both with the Wildlife Resources Commission, concluded the morning session with talks on beaver ecology and management and managing water levels for ecology and erosion, respectively.
The audience divided into smaller groups for the afternoon field tours, which focused on examples of trail-building and management at Lake Raleigh, stream restoration techniques, urban stream challenges, and managing habitat for wildlife, such as wood ducks and prothonotary warblers.
Special thanks to Brooke Massa with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission for leading the workshop organization, and all the speakers who contributed their time. Please look for next year’s workshop, on a topic to be decided. If you have a topic that you would like to see addressed, please contact one of the Steering Committee members: Scott Pohlman, Meghan Teten, or Deborah Fowler.
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