Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve Travis Crane

I visited the Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, which is right down the street in Cary.  The preserve encompasses an area of 140 acres and contains more than 3 miles of hiking trails.  The preserve has a visitor center called Stevens Nature Center where visitors can go to get more information about the history of the area, and information about the plants and animals that live there.  Many different types of animals can be found here ranging from small animals such as squirrels and small birds to larger ones such as owls, deer and foxes.

The purpose of this place is to protect and preserve the native Eastern Hemlock trees.  These are normally found in mountain areas, but they were somehow able to make their home on the steep bluffs.  I talked to one of the women who worked there for a good 30 minutes about how unique it is for these trees to grow in an area so far away from the mountains.  She also told me that these trees have lived in this area since the ice age. 

They also have programs in which volunteers can come out on weekends and help to remove some of the invasive plants that are killing off native species.  Species of vines are wrapping up and killing the Hemlock trees which are dramatically reducing their numbers.  Some of the native flowers and other plants are also in endanger because of there invaders.

Umstead State Park - Ariel Leclerc

I visited the William B. Umstead State Park here in Raleigh. It is over 5,600 acres of beautiful forests and lakes. I spent most of my time in a canoe on the Big Lake. I hadn't been on a canoe in years, so I was excited that I was able to partake in this fun activity again. It was actually the last weekend of the year that the boat house was open, so I picked the perfect day! Not to mention, the weather was great! 

While I was there, I also spent some time in the visitor center, which has a lot of cool stuff. In one room, they had all of these pictures displayed that local people had taken in the park. In another room, they had a small museum that talked about the park, as well as, other environmental facts. There was a game you could play where you tried to match an animal with their habitat and their food source. I was worse at it than I expected, but it was still fun. One thing that I found particularly interesting was a graph that showed Wake County's population growth from 1790 to 1998 (it is pictured below). I was amazed by the exponential growth that Raleigh experienced over those 28 years. It helps demonstrate the number one environmental issue: population growth. 

I saw many other things while I was there, such as cool flowers and some wildlife, such as a lizard. One thing that I saw that was interesting was a man's pet hog (pictured below). He said it was low maintenance and cleaner than a dog!