Brown-headed nuthatch populations are declining in North Carolina due to habitat loss from development and deforestation. They are now listed as a species of greatest conservation need by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Join NCWF Charlotte Wildlife Stewards Chapter and build a brown-headed nuthatch house to help conserve this species. All supplies will be provided. Please, only one birdhouse per family. Capacity is limited—registration is required.

Consider donating so we can continue to help conserve these beautiful birds!

Rob Van Epps is an amateur naturalist and wildlife photographer who lives in Davidson, NC. He routinely leads local bird, butterfly, salamander, and general nature walks in the area. In 2013, he found a fledgling application called iNaturalist, joined as an early adopter, and has been obsessed ever since!

iNaturalist has grown exponentially since 2013 and is now the largest community science site in the world with over 210 million observations from nearly 3.4 million observers.  What is iNaturalist and how does it work?  Rob will discuss how to use iNaturalist, including some lesser known aspects, while walking through the actual site in his presentation.  And, of course, every nature presentation wouldn’t be complete without some cool local wildlife photos. Rob will show off some local salamander images to get you excited for his upcoming Salamander Stroll at West Branch Nature Preserve on February 15.

Join NCWF Charlotte Wildlife Stewards Chapter and Naturalist Rob Van Epps for a salamander stroll at West Branch Nature Preserve. West Branch Nature Preserve is home to one of the healthiest wetlands in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding area. West Branch provides critical breeding grounds for many species of amphibians including frogs, toads, and salamanders.

Each February, species like the Spotted Salamander emerge from the leaves and soil in the surrounding woods and return to the wetland pools to breed and lay eggs. In addition to supporting amphibians, the wetlands at West Branch provide critical habitat for all sorts of wildlife. You won’t want to miss this nature outing!

Go clean and green by joining NCW Charlotte Wildlife Stewards in a trash cleanup along a stretch of Tyvola Road from City Park Drive to South Tryon Street. Trash is harmful to wildlife and pollutes our streams, rivers, and oceans. Did you know that every 25 pounds of trash collected turns into a native tree planted by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation? That’s the green part! All tools and equipment will be provided.

The Red Wolf is the most endangered species of canid in the entire world with less than 300 individuals in existence. The only wild population exists in Eastern North Carolina with less than 19 Red Wolves. Red Wolf Recovery has a long-standing history and complicated management. Join in as Katerina Ramos, Red Wolf Education and Outreach Coordinator, speaks on the history, biology, and current management of the species including ways you can support their recovery. This program is a collaboration between the NCWF chapters of HAWK (Matthews, NC) and Charlotte Wildlife Stewards.