Back on Her Grandparents’ Porch 

LaShanda Brown says mindful birding is about being still and letting nature come to you. Recently, she offered a mindful birding outing for scholars at Rise & Shine, with Conserving Carolina.

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Gardening for Life

These unstoppable volunteers are bringing the best-selling author Doug Tallamy to Polk County. They want to start a local movement that changes how we think about gardening, landscaping, and conservation.

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From Gun Range to Conservation Land

76 acres of new public land were just added to the Green River Game Lands! And there’s more. Neighbors who started by fighting a gun range are now working together to protect 300 acres.

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Growing Better

Rafael Bravo grew up farming in Venezuela and he had a dream to farm when he retired. He’s living that dream at a newly protected farm in Polk County, where regenerative practices are bringing new life to the land.

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Hiking with Wheels 

Off road wheelchairs and new adaptive equipment allow people with disabilities to do more outdoors. So how do we make the outdoors more accessible?

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Project Renewal 

Polk County students are planning the future of natural areas near schools, including Laughter Pond and Little White Oak Mountain.

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Where Can You Feel at Home?

Delia Jovel Dubón, who was born in El Salvador, feels blessed to have found a beautiful new home in WNC. But many immigrants never feel at home, she says. She’s working with Conserving Carolina volunteers to make a place where they can.

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Deep Roots in a Family Forest 

Elaine Friebele and her family are restoring the health of a forest in Fairview that has been in their family for generations. Here’s how they transformed it from a white pine monoculture to a certified sustainable working forest.

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A New Day for Rivercane 

Cherokee artisans need rivercane to make traditional baskets. But this native plant has dwindled to 2-3% of its former abundance. We’re working with Cherokee partners to restore rivercane at the Mouth of Mud Creek, which will be harvested for traditional crafts.

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