Evergreen Issue 13
Stewardship is Our Love Language
FEATURE
Loving the ourdoors isn't just for valentine's day.
We all jump at the chance to express our love on Valentine’s Day, but real relationships are nurtured every day of the year. The same goes for our connection with North Carolina’s wild spaces. now is the time to kickstart your romance with NC’s wildest terrain and nurture that relationship through solid stewardship practices.
Every time we engage with the outdoors, whether it’s hitting the slopes, casting a line, or taking a hike, we have the opportunity to show our favorite outdoor destinations a little love. Expressing your love for the outdoors can be as simple as bringing a small trash bag on your next walk along the Highlands Plateau Greenway in case you spot trash, or it can be something more formal, like volunteering at Goose Creek State Park, which encompasses a pristine cypress swamp on the Pamlico Sound.
Giving back, whether you’re participating in an organized event or simply practicing one of the Outdoor NC Leave No Trace principles while enjoying NC’s outdoors, makes you an active steward of that space and reinforces your connection with your wild surroundings. By packing out your own trash or staying on designated trails, you can own your impact, caring for the land while being considerate of others who share it. Ready to express your love? Here are three opportunities for you to solidify your connection with North Carolina’s great outdoors.
Help build the most unique long distance trail in the country
The Mountains to Sea Trail is unlike any other long trail in the country, as it travels almost 1,200 miles from the rugged mountains of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the salt-drenched beaches of the Outer Banks. The trail is still a work in progress and the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail organizes regular work days, giving you a chance to help build and maintain portions of the path. Not only will you help improve conditions of the trail today, you’ll become part of the legacy of the trail system for years to come.
Clean up Carolina
Conserving Carolina is a non-profit that has helped preserve more than 50,000 acres across the state, transitioning formerly privately owned parcels to conserved land, most of which is open to the public. Those destinations, like Hickory Nut Gorge, require maintenance to thrive, so Conserving Carolina spearheads regular work days where you and your friends can give back, participating in river cleanups in the Piedmont, or digging into trail building in the mountains. And don’t worry if you’ve never volunteered before; No experience is necessary and all skill levels and abilities are welcome.
Volunteer at one of NC’s magnificent state parks
Can’t make a specific date? Volunteer with North Carolina State Parks on your own schedule and put your own specific skills to usepreservingand sharing some of the region’s most magnificent landscapes. There are more than 40 park units in the Tarheel State, ranging from the water-centric Lake Norman State Park to the sun-soaked Carolina Beach State Park on the coast. If you volunteer, you could help construct picnic tables, plant trees or even serve as a host at a campground.
Volunteering and following solid stewardship practices, like practicing the Outdoor NC Leave No Trace principles, help you establish a connection with the natural world. And that relationship is mutually beneficial. Studies show establishing a connection with nature can help boost your mood and reduce stress.
Falling in love with the natural world can be as simple as taking a walk on a greenway and listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, or spreading a picnic blanket in a local park and watching the clouds float overhead. The important thing is to focus on the moment, enjoy your surroundings, and try to find ways you can give back to the outdoor spaces that offer you so much.
Here are just a few ideas you can take with you the next time you have a “meet-cute” with the natural world.
outdoor nc leave no trace tips for connecting with nature
Tip #1: Leave It As You Find It
Everyone loves NC’s diverse array of indigenous plants and animals, which is why it’s so important to leave the landscape as you find it. Instead of picking flowers or gathering pine cones, take photos to preserve the moment, allowing the next adventurer to experience the same beauty and connection to the outdoors that you treasure.
Tip #2: Overnight Right
Camping in the wild is a great way to solidify your connection with the outdoors. It gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the sounds of the forest at night or watch the mist rise from a meadow in the early morning. You can minimize your impact on the landscape you love by choosing to camp in established campsites. Keep your campsite small, and only pitch your tent on durable surfaces, like gravel pads in a state park campground. Keeping your tent on these established surfaces helps prevent the damage camping can have on surrounding vegetation. Remember, a good campsite is found, not made, so leave natural elements like sticks and leaves where they are to keep the site as natural as possible.
Tip #3: Be Careful With Fire
Hovering around a campfire can be one of the most memorable experiences you can have in the outdoors, and building a fire gives you a tangible opportunity to practice stewardship skills. Know the local regulations, which might even require a specific permit for a fire. Keep your file small, and only build the flame within an established fire ring to help minimize your impact. Prevent introducing invasive species to the area by buying local firewood, and if gathering firewood is allowed, only use sticks that have already fallen to the ground.
The long range views offered by a winter sunrise are hard to beat.
spotlight
Beech Mountain: Four seasons of outdoor adventure and stewardship await
Beech Mountain is a four-season outdoor destination, but the town really shines in winter. Perched at 5,506 feet in the mountains of North Carolina, Beech offers quick access to downhill skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, snow tubing and sledding. All winter activities are centered around Beech Mountain Resort, which prides itself on its stewardship practices, from innovative water conservation methods to the use of high-efficiency LED lighting for the slopes. Visitors to Beech Mountain Resort can even participate in the Do One Thing initiative, where you can pledge to do one sustainable practice that fits your daily winter routine, like carrying a reusable water bottle to help eliminate single-use plastic.
spotlight
Lake Norman: A connected outdoor community for everyone to enjoy
The Lake Norman community understands the importance of connectivity. The 32,000-acre reservoir is surrounded by Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville, a trio of small towns that are investing in safe, scenic pathways that link the area’s neighborhoods, parks and natural features. Visitors can explore the Emerald Necklace, a 13-mile loop of greenways encircling Cornelius and delivering explorers to the edge of the lake, while Davidson’s paved greenway system spans more than 12 miles, offering access to lush corridors that thrive with more than 100 species of birds. Huntersville’s Vine Greenway links downtown to the Latta Nature Preserve, a 1,400-acre park where hikers can enjoy 16 miles of trail. Lake Norman’s greenways are open to all users, so a visit here is an opportunity to Share the Outdoors with other hikers, bikers and strollers.
learn & Grow
Meet canoe & kayak Guide ben clarke
Ben Clarke has watched the Haw River, which travels through NC’s Piedmont, blossom from a struggling river to the healthy habitat it is today. Clarke grew up on the Haw and now guides guests down the river with his company, Haw River Canoe and Kayak. As an Outdoor NC Guide, Clarke sees every trip as an opportunity to show his clients how they can improve the quality of the Haw. “Thousands of people paddle the Haw every year,” Clarke says, “and if all of them practiced Outdoor Leave No Trace principles and picked up just one piece of trash, our river would be spotless.”
The Bynum Bridge as it crosses the Haw River in Chatham County, North Carolina.
You’re invited to join the outdoor nc movement
Join the movement to preserve and protect North Carolina’s beloved outdoor spaces and you’ll be entered to win a getaway to North Carolina! Together we can preserve our beloved outdoor spaces for generations to come. Click to learn more.