Have 5 minutes? Help shape future PWC events!

What kind of PWC events would you like to see in the future? Do you want us to offer more virtual experiences? Who cooks for YOU?!

We want to know! (Well, okay, Apollo may be the only one asking that last question…) Will you help us by filling out our survey?

We’re so excited to hear your opinions that we’re giving away prizes to THREE lucky respondents! Enter your name and contact info on the last page of the survey to be entered in a drawing for one of three FREE virtual or in-person animal encounters, plus some fun PWC merch.

The survey should take about 5 minutes and will remain open until Wednesday, July 27th. Thank you for giving your opinions to help us better serve our community. Don’t forget to share with family and friends!

NEW animal experiences: Paws on the Porch & Turtle Treks

Ever wanted to meet an opossum face-to-snout, or try your hand at tracking box turtles with radio telemetry? We've got you covered with TWO new animal experiences: Paws on the Porch and Turtle Treks!

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Paws on the Porch

Come hang out on the porch and meet at least two of your favorite Ambassador Animals! This up-close and unique experience will give you and three friends the private animal encounter you’ve been looking for. Ask all of your animal related questions and prepare to be inspired to conserve wildlife! (30 minutes, $100)

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Turtle Trek

Explore PWC and Leigh Farm Park like never before! Venture off trail and into the woods on your own Turtle Trek to assist in PWC’s own box turtle research project. Use radio telemetry to find a hidden box turtle in the woods and then meet a box turtle who calls PWC home. Limited to 5 active participants (i.e. those who will be actively using radio telemetry) and 10 total individuals. (45 minutes, $100, April-October only)

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Ready to get WILD? Book your wildlife encounter with us today!

We received $5,000 for Title 1 school programs!

Attention Title 1 school teachers: Your adventure starts here!

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve received a $5,000 grant from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund! This generous grant will allow us to offer FREE wildlife programs to twelve Title 1 classrooms in Wake, Durham, Orange, and Chatham counties during the 2022-23 school year.

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund supports conservation and education initiatives that conserve wildlife and habitat, connect new audiences to the outdoors, and protect our outdoor heritage. We are all about nature connection here at PWC, so we are thrilled to have their support as we bring educational, fun, and inspiring wildlife encounters to NC students who may otherwise lack opportunities to access nature.

Are you a teacher at a public Title 1 elementary school? Applications are NOW OPEN for our free Title 1 programs! Qualifying schools will be selected on a first come, first serve basis. Programs will happen in October, November, January, or February of the 2022-23 school year. Learn more and apply today!

P.S. Want to help us offer low- or no-cost programs to even more Title 1 classrooms this year? Support this project on GlobalGiving! GlobalGiving is currently offering a match on new monthly donations up to $200:

We had a "hoot" at our Summer Solstice Reunion!

A huge thank-you to all who attended our Summer Solstice Reunion last Saturday, June 25th! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces while enjoying good food and even better conversations.

We had around 55 people join us - wow! We only wish we'd had time to catch up with everyone who attended to share our gratitude for being part of our Piedmont community. We hope everyone had as much fun as we did! Shout out to PWC admin intern Alex and friend Katie for grilling the burgers and hot dogs to perfection.

During the event, we asked people to fill our "memory jar" with their favorite PWC memories. Scroll down to see some of our favorite responses!

Did you take any fabulous photos on Saturday? We'd love to see them! Tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter - or send them to us directly at admin@piedmontwildlifecenter.org! We also invite you to share your PWC story with us.

Thanks again for joining us this weekend. We hope you stop by for a visit soon… or join us for our next 20th anniversary celebration event!

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What's your favorite PWC memory?

• Visiting Miracle on Saturday mornings :)

• We got married here! – Dwight and Alyssa

• We eloped at the amphitheater! – Alyssa and Dwight

• Parsley (aka Thumper) stomping her feet when I touched her favorite toy. Adorable attitude!

• My favorite memory of PWC is the old tree swing. The hair-raising jumps, the feeling of weightlessness, the challenges to complete for a push, and adrenaline rush... I miss it a lot. – Nicolas

• A Walk to Nowhere: I recall being blindfolded and led to a part of the park I had never been to before. The group I was with was then told to find our way back to camp. I enjoyed how well this helped us bond. – Tinder Wolf

• Seeing Ramzi catch a snake!

4 Ways to Help Pollinators this National Pollinator Week

June 20-26 is National Pollinator Week! Pollinators are animals that help plants reproduce by carrying pollen from one flower to another. These hard-working critters play an important role both in nature and in farming, and are the reason we’re able to enjoy many of our favorite fruits!

Unfortunately, many pollinator species are under threat from pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. This week, we invite you to think outside the hive and take steps to protect these important animals. Here are 4 of our favorite ways to support pollinators:

#1: Grow native plants

There’s a good reason this is our top tip: Planting native plants is the best way to promote healthy communities of pollinators! Native plants provide food and shelter for all sorts of beneficial wildlife, including pollinators. As a bonus, they often require less water, fertilizer, and maintenance than non-native plants. Some of our favorite NC natives are:

• Milkweeds, including butterfly weed

• Purple coneflower (aka Echinacea)

• Goldenrod

• Elderberry

• Redbud tree

• Black-eyed Susan

For best results, learn which plants are best suited to your area, grow a variety of plants that bloom at different times during the year, and plant flowering plants close together in clumps. Supporting pollinators also means providing food for caterpillars, so remember to plant some leafy host plants, too!

To find native plants, skip the big-box stores and visit a local garden center or nursery. You can even look into hiring a gardener or consultant who specializes in landscaping with native plants.

Don’t have space for your own garden? Consider joining a community garden, or volunteering with a local park or botanical garden!

#2: Avoid using pesticides

Most people don’t spray insecticides on their garden with the intention of hurting butterflies and bees, but sadly, these chemicals can have unintended consequences for beneficial insects – as well as for other wildlife and humans.

If at all possible, avoid using pesticides and practice prevention strategies instead. Choose naturally insect- or disease-resistant native species for your garden, and learn to identify which “pests” are actually helpful or harmless insects. (Remember: all butterflies are caterpillars first!) If you do see signs of an infestation, remove the affected part of the plant and dispose of it by burying it away from your garden.

If you do have to use insecticide, use it only as directed. Limit your use to when you have a serious pest problem. Don’t apply pesticides to or near plants that are actively blooming, and try to avoid spraying during the warmest part of the day when bees and other pollinators are most active. Early morning or dusk are safest!

You can also explore “green” alternatives to conventional pesticides. Keep in mind, though, that even “bee-friendly” insecticides can cause harm to our buzzy friends.

#3: Learn about native pollinator species

There’s more to pollinators than honey bees! Did you know bees and butterflies aren’t the only animals that pollinate flowers? Here in NC, flies, wasps, beetles, moths, and hummingbirds also play an important role in pollinating both wild plants and crops. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Butterfly Highway project has great information on attracting and identifying NC pollinators.

National Pollinator Week is a great opportunity to learn more about the pollinators in your area. Look for events happening near you! If you live in Durham, consider attending Keep Durham Beautiful’s first annual Bee Day at the Durham Farmers Market this Saturday, June 25th from 9 AM to 12 PM.

Or go the old-fashioned route and check out a guidebook to insects and other animals in your area! Not sure where to start? Browse PWC’s list of recommended field guides on Bookshop.org.

#4: Create pollinator habitat

Whether you have a sprawling farmstead or a tiny patio garden, you can make a home for pollinators! Logs, dead trees, and stick piles make great nesting sites for bees, butterflies, and moths. A shallow tray or birdbath filled with water and pebbles offers busy bees a refreshing water source. Don’t worry about keeping your garden perfectly manicured. Pollinators like a little mess!

Hate raking leaves in the fall? Good news: Letting dead leaves remain in your yard also provides food and shelter for pollinators during the colder months!

Many garden stores sell “bee hotels,” nesting boxes with hollow tubes where mason bees, leafcutter bees, and other cavity-dwelling bees can make their homes. “Bee” careful with these, as many are poorly designed and can unintentionally encourage the spread of disease and parasites. Look for a model with removable tubes (preferably not bamboo) that are not glued in place, are open on only one end, and don’t have any splinters or cracks. (Better yet, make your own!) Remember to clean or replace the tubes each spring to keep your hard-working guests healthy.

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Special thanks to our Spring 2022 APPLES Intern, Torin O’Brien, for beautifying our on-site gardens this spring! Learn more about National Pollinator Week at pollinator.org.