September Update From Nick DiColandrea, Executive Director

It is hard to believe, but a month has passed since I started as the new Executive Director of Piedmont Wildlife Center. And let me tell you, this place has been busy! It still feels like a dream come true coming to work everyday at Leigh Farm Park, whether it is seeing this incredible passionate staff or popping in to visit our animal ambassadors running their “laps” or hopping along underfoot. I cannot imagine having more fun than this!

With the end of summer comes the natural cycle of rest and renewal looking towards the fall and winter months. I am hard pressed to say that currently extends to the efforts at Piedmont as we all are looking forward to busy homeschool and intersession camps, along with the new Wake Wild for a Day camps, and our upcoming Autumn Adventures Auction (did someone say penguin experience)! What I have quickly learned over my last month at Piedmont is the tireless dedication by our education and conservation staff knows no bounds when it comes to providing engaging nature-based activities for our campers, or top line care for our animal ambassadors who represent the face of the organization. Our staff is small, but oh so mighty. 

A huge shout out goes to the Conservation Team, led by Noelle Rizzieri, that successfully passed USDA inspections for our animal habitats this past month! The organization has never needed this certification before, so this herculean effort was no small feat by this team. This could not have been accomplished without the entire team, including a beloved departing staffer Camyrn (don’t be a stranger and come visit). As a matter of fact, I invite all of you to come visit us at Piedmont Wildlife Center this fall!

I’ll close by saying this - each day this fall when I am at the “office” at Piedmont, I get to hear the joy and laughter of kids playing outside in our homeschool or intersession camps. 

And there is simply nothing better than that.

Yours in service, 

Nick DiColandrea (Executive Director)

Community Spotlight: Mirren Hill, Administrative & Education Coordinator

PICTURED: Mirren Hill

As we welcome Fall, we're excited to spotlight one of our newest team members: Mirren Hill, the Administrative and Education Coordinator at Piedmont Wildlife Center!

Originally from Cary, NC, Mirren attended UNCW in Wilmington, NC, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Geosciences, and then NC State for her Master’s in Climate Change and Society. Mirren has always loved science, and her passion for environmental education led her to join PWC in January of 2024 as a Homeschool Counselor. Now, she supports our Administrative and Education teams in many ways, including but not limited to running our online and in-person Nature Store and assisting with payroll.

When asked what drew her to PWC, Mirren explained, “PWC’s mission really resonated with me. I believe people’s connection to nature is so important, not only for their well-being but also to inspire the next generation to protect the environment.”

Outside of work, you’ll find Mirren hiking, golfing, or working toward her goal of visiting every US National Park. Her favorite Ambassador Animal? Tony, the Great Horned Owl!

Mirren, we’re so glad to have you as part of the PWC family and can’t wait to see the positive impact you’ll continue to make!

Plant Magic: American Beautyberry

Left: American beautyberry photographed at PWC in mid July. Pale flowers are still present and the berries are starting to grow.

Right: American beautyberry photographed at PWC in mid August. Flowers are gone and the berries are starting to turn purple. 

Photos by Camryn Jefferson.

Join our Conservation Assistant, Camryn Jefferson, as she shares her installment in our Plant Magic series. In this installment, Camryn brings you a vibrant late summer shrub! 

As late summer approaches, one shrub you’ll start to notice more is the American beautyberry, sometimes known as French mulberry, Callicarpa americana. In Greek, Callicarpa translates to "beauty" (callos) and "fruit" (carpos). This native perennial is hard to miss, standing five to eight feet tall with vibrant purple fruits from late summer to early fall. In the spring, beautyberry comes to life with green leaves appearing on large, drooping branches. In early summer, clusters of light purple flowers bloom, and then in August, the vibrant purple fruits begin to appear, which are now in full display!

Beautyberry is a wonderful native plant, as it has a high moisture content and provides food for over 40 species of songbirds, including thrashers, cardinals, finches, and towhee. The fruits are also eaten by mammals such as foxes, opossums, racoons, and squirrels.   

While researching more about our native shrub, I learned that in the early 20th century, crushed beautyberry leaves were used by farmers to repel mosquitoes and biting bugs from themselves and their horses. The Agricultural Research Service has found that callicarpenal and intermedeol are the compounds in the leaves that act as repellent against mosquitoes, fire ants, and ticks. Inspired by this, I’ll be making my own homemade insect repellent this summer!

Adding a native shrub like beautyberry to your garden enhances biodiversity by attracting and supporting birds, pollinators, and mammals. Here’s a tip for maintenance: American beautyberry blooms on new wood in the spring, so be sure to prune the shrub in late winter. While this native bush does not necessarily require pruning, it does respond very well to it. 

If you're interested in welcoming native plants like these into your own garden, consider supporting both your local ecosystem and Piedmont Wildlife Center by buying plants from Garden for Wildlife by National Wildlife Federation! 15% of each purchase you make through our referral link will be donated directly to Piedmont Wildlife Center to help us connect more people with nature.

Blazing a New Trail: Introducing Nick DiColandrea, Our New Executive Director

As we transition from summer to fall, Piedmont Wildlife Center is also embracing its own season of change. This year has brought its own unique challenges, including a leadership transition, but we’ve also experienced a surge in participation in our camps and animal programs. It’s been a period of growth and adaptation, filled with exciting new possibilities.

We’re thrilled to announce that Nick DiColandrea will join us as our new Executive Director, starting August 26, 2024. Nick comes to us with an extensive background in nonprofit leadership, environmental program management, and financial management, along with over a decade of experience in grant writing. In his previous role as Climate Strategies Officer at the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, he directed one of the state’s largest environmental AmeriCorps programs, significantly developed program resources, and established new systems for numerous partners to implement impactful climate and environmental initiatives.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Nick is deeply involved in the Triangle community. He served as Treasurer on the Board of The Museum of Life and Science and has held multiple leadership positions with the PTA at his children’s school. His community engagement reflects his commitment to making a positive impact both personally and professionally.

We’re confident that Nick's expertise, infectious enthusiasm, and passion for environmental stewardship will bring new energy to our programs and mission. We appreciate your continued support as we warmly welcome Nick DiColandrea as Executive Director and look forward to sharing opportunities for you to connect with him as he steps into his new role. With Nick’s guidance, we’re excited to continue building on our two-decade-long legacy of fostering nature connection and creating meaningful impact.

“I am so pleased that Nick DiColandrea has joined our team. We are all looking forward to the excitement he will infuse. We are excited to see Piedmont Wildlife Center grow and continue to evolve while staying true to its mission. Welcome, Nick!”

— Dr. Bobby Schopler, Founder and Board President

Onward To New Adventures: A Farewell Note from Our Executive Director, Karen McCall

Greetings and farewell, PWC community!

I write with a mix of sadness and joy, tears and smiles, as I look back at my 12 ½ years at Piedmont Wildlife Center. I think about our mission, vision, core values and how we have grown; how much our reach has expanded. Before coming here, I worked as the Assistant Director at Charlotte Nature Museum, where we also had live animal ambassadors that connected so many. When we needed an animal, I would look to PWC for non-releasables they may have back when they/we were a rehabilitation hospital. As life changed, and I wanted to move back to Chapel Hill, I applied for the Conservation Coordinator position. During my interview with Gail Abrams, a counselor with a group of camp kids found an injured bird and came to get Gail to help. Down the road we went to free it from some plastic near a pond. Just like my interview with Charlotte Nature Museum, it was filled with excitement, live animals, and a foreshadowing of how working here would be - never a dull moment and always an opportunity to learn and teach!

I remember driving down the road after the interview and getting the strongest feeling that this was where I was supposed to be. I had never felt that so strongly before. The timing for that position didn’t work out, and I felt very conflicted going against my gut. Any time I have gone against my gut, it hasn’t panned out so well. But several months later, I was able to sell my condo in Davidson, NC, took a leap of faith, and moved back to my hometown. The first thing I did was reach out to Gail and start my time with PWC as a volunteer for a few months before getting hired on as the Summer Camp Coordinator. Wow, did my life change! 

Although I had a love of nature and connected with it, the philosophy introduced through camp and adult programs here, and the hard skills I learned brought me to a much deeper connection with nature, a big a-ha moment, and the opportunity to work with fabulous, knowledgeable, creative, accepting people. Working with Gail and Sarah Haggerty restored my faith and trust in people you work with. We had a community that was welcoming, accepting, supportive and trusting. We worked well together and balanced each other. So many wonderful people joined us that I cannot begin to name them/y’all for fear of leaving someone out. Although many have moved on to continue our mission in their ways, I am honored that I was able to work with all and learn from them. Many are still in touch and part of my community. What a road we have traveled!

There are so many memories that flood my brain, bringing laughter, tears, smiles and gratitude. Thank you all for the successes, chances to learn together, challenges we grew from, and belief in what we do. I offer my sincere appreciation to all who have supported us on many levels, connect with nature, build community, and continue to do so.  I encourage each of you to continue to support PWC, our passionate staff, and the new person who takes the reins. 

Summer is for change, fire and new beginnings. I am excited to see what the next leadership brings. As I head off on my own journey and set PWC on theirs, it is appropriate to use a term derived from the Old English word faran, which means to journey, and well, meaning wish the traveler a good or safe trip…FAREWELL!

Happy Trails,

Karen McCall