NC DNCR Coverage

All assets associated with the tag: Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

TOM EARNHARDT: Trees hold up the sky

Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 -- During difficult times, trees -- nature's pillars -- keep the sky from falling. Not only do they hold up the sky, but more than any other living things, trees define our sense of place and provide much needed equilibrium. Their shapes, bark, leaves, smells, and colors tell us where we are in North Carolina.

TOM EARNHARDT: A vote for the vibrant colors of October

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020 -- This week take a walk in a wild place and celebrate your access to the wonders of a Tar Heel autumn. Next week, vote for the candidates who support equal access to the ballot box for every voter and who will open the doors of opportunity for every child of North Carolina. Vote for the candidates who will unify this state and nation.

TOM EARNHARDT: Sound voyages along the Chowan River

Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020 -- I motored along the shoreline of the Chowan River admiring giant cypress trees growing well out into the water. We beached the skiff on several occasions to look at steep sand cliffs -- distinct layers of shells, sand, and clay -- showing hundreds of thousands of years of coastal history. Standing on a narrow beach at sea level, we were acutely aware that sea level had been higher and lower many times over the last two million years (the Ice Ages).

TOM EARNHARDT: Following the quiet voices and science

Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 -- The same shrill voices that have challenged and diminished our response to global warming and the protection of biodiversity are now challenging long established public health practices. In this election year, COVID-19 has tested healthcare systems, the economy, schools and brought sadness to countless families. At the same time the only planet we know continues to show alarming signs of a steadily warming climate, diminished biodiversity and reduced air and water quality.

TOM EARNHARDT: Seeing opportunity in nature

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020 -- The natural world constantly reminds me that in change there is opportunity. I want to believe that instead of just exposing problems, the last six months have highlighted opportunities for improvement in education, employment, healthcare, social justice, and the way we embrace our differences. In this difficult time I'd also like to think that more North Carolinians now include access to nature as part of their American Dream. It is the peace in wild places, and access to other living creatures that give meaning to our own existence.

TOM EARNHARDT: Morning road trip just for the sights, sounds, smells

Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 -- One day each week, instead of rolling and tossing, I drag my carcass out of bed and grab a face mask, camera, note pad, sandwich, and a thermos of coffee. I turn on NPR and depart Raleigh before sunrise. It makes no difference whether I head east or west; the most important thing in launching a predawn adventure is not to think too hard about it, or plan too much. ... The goal of these A.M. trips is immersion in the sights, sounds and smells of a wild place.

TOM EARNHARDT: Listening for words of wonder

Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020 -- There are ways to measure and assess curiosity, but to the best of my knowledge it can't be taught. I am convinced, however, curiosity can be nurtured and supported. For many years, I watched my own children and other young people stimulated and challenged by the natural world. Nothing elicits questions and fosters curiosity more than time in wild places.

TOM EARNHARDT: There are no 'least' parts

Sunday, July 26, 2020 -- The cranefly orchid has become a metaphor, a symbol if you will, that just because we don't recognize, understand, or appreciate many of the living things around us, does not mean they are not important. The story of the cranefly orchid -- its relationships, its struggles, and its ability to adapt--is repeated over and over again in the natural world. As humans, we have a lot to learn from it.

TOM EARNHARDT: Good buffers make good neighbors

Sunday, July 12, 2020 -- Removing the buffer, a simple barrier of trees, shrubs, and perennial plants, can cause a stream or river to be silted for miles below the breach. If the wound in the shoreline remains over a period of time, life in and along the stream--fish, mollusks, amphibians, mammals, insects, and birds--will be impacted. Be courteous, exercise responsibility and show good judgement. Buffers -- whether in the mountains, Piedmont, or in eastern lowlands along coastal rivers -- offer many benefits.

TOM EARNHARDT: How to celebrate? Take a lesson from nature

Sunday, July 5, 2020 -- We humans are particularly fond of celebratory sound in the form of great music, roaring engines and even fireworks. We also like to celebrate with "over-the-top" decorations like garlands, colorful banners and lights at Christmas. We are attracted to parades with marching bands, military armor, and brightly colored headgear. When we really want to pull out all the stops, we put on shows with aircraft performing aerobatics and flying in formation. With all due respect to the ways you may be used to observing the Fourth, you can't hold a candle to nature!

Haw River State Park flower tour!

Enjoy a virtual flower hike at Haw River State Park as Ranger Lindsey discusses the many different flower types and explains the beautiful difference in wildflowers in the park.

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TOM EARNHARDT: 'Wild' in home's backyard

Sunday, June 28, 2020 -- When dealing with important issues of family, community, or state, there has to be a place of peace and calm. We are more effective problem solvers when we are able to step out of the storm, at least briefly. For me, that place of respite has always been the natural world. I love traveling to the wild corners of North Carolina, but with travel restrictions this spring my normal travel routine has been greatly diminished. Fortunately, the closest wild place and things exist in my own yard.

Shark fun facts

Aquarium Teen Programs Coordinator Austin shares some tells us about the species of sharks the Aquarium cares for and how we can all protect these animals in the wild.

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UNTAMED SCIENCE: Red Wolves

Want to know more about red wolves? Here is a video about one of the most endangered canine species!

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Paleontology 101

Take a trip with our paleo crew as they dig up dinosaurs in the rocky deserts of Utah! Learn how they find fossils, excavate them, and then transport them across the country for further study.

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Zoo EDventures: A stroll through the desert habitat

Join the Zoo EDventure crew on a stroll through the Zoo's Desert habitat! Discover the amazing ways animals adapt to this harsh environment and how plants get a drink in the dry desert.

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Zoo EDventures: A stroll through the desert habitat

TOM EARNHARDT: Reflecting on the calm of home waters

Sunday, June 14, 2020 -- There has always been another type of home in my life, multiple places that have one thing in common -- water. Throughout my life I have been attracted to water in its many forms. Whether I'm near a small creek or in a boat beyond the sight of land, water calms and restores. At first it was the farm ponds near Thomasville and Asheville where I grew up. At these magical places I knew every frog, salamander, bluegill, dragonfly, and turtle. ... No matter where you live in North Carolina, there is a piece of water to call home. In these troubled times, almost any stretch of water can offer a place for "social distancing," but more importantly, a place of calm and rejuvenation. At your home water, you can walk beside it, stand in it, or move across it.

UNTAMED SCIENCE: North Carolina Zoo and Polar Bears

For these iconic Arctic animals, breeding isn't as easy as it looks! With populations dwindling in the wild, AZA-accredited zoos play an important role in raising awareness about the threat of climate change and habitat loss and ensuring the species survives - and thrives. Our polar bears Nikita and Anana have the best of both worlds - their Tundra and Arctic Waters habitats mimic the wild environment. Their outdoor pools, indoor quarters and flooring are a chilly 55 degrees year-round. However, they've also been spotted sunbathing on warmer days.

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UNTAMED SCIENCE: North Carolina Zoo and Polar Bears

Puffin chicks now on habitat

Say hello to the newest members of our seabird habitat in Rocky Coast! Rearing these puffin chicks was a team effort, and we wanted to share the journey with you.

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TOM EARNHARDT: Our intertwined, interdependent communities

Sunday, June 7, 2020 -- We are one community, on one small patch of earth, and we depend on each other. I do not know the farmer who provides my milk and cheese and do not know if he looks like me, but I depend on him. When I arrive at RDU Airport to begin a journey, I do not know if the pilot of the airplane will be of Asian, African, or European descent, but I depend on her. The doctors, nurses, and technicians who care for me when I am ill, represent the spectrum of ethnicities and religions. I depend on them.

Reilly the Lion's Dental Work

How many people does it take to perform dental work on a lion? Meet our dedicated team who tackled this procedure including Director of Animal Health, Dr. JB Minter, and Animal Supervisor, Jodi Wiley of the North Carolina Zoo. To work quickly and efficiently, we also brought on a dental team from NC State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

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Archaeology at Historic Halifax

Learn about the history of Historic Halifax through archaeology.

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TOM EARNHARDT: Healthcare for people and our lands, waters. wildlife

Sunday, May 31, 2020 -- Just as the nation had come together in the 1950s to deal with the polio crisis, government and the science community again joined forces to deal with problems that plagued our water, our air, and threatened the very existence of many plant and animal species.The result was the National Environmental Policy Act. It was soon followed by the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. I have always regarded these laws (and their state counterparts) as the original "healthcare legislation" for our natural resources and for the American people.

Plankton Investigations

Join Jennette's Pier's education team on a virtual lesson about plankton!

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Beach Explorations

Join Jennette's Pier's education team on a virtual lesson about what we can find on the beach!

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