Videos and Livestreams - Lunchtime Lecture Series Archive 2019

The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs hosts a guest lecture series called the Lunchtime Discovery Series. Professionals from a wide range of environmental backgrounds come and give presentations about their work and offer an opportunity for attendees to learn about a variety of subjects during the lunch hour. Topics range from spider diversity in North Carolina to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to how to incorporate music in environmental education programming. 

The are several taped presentations on a wide variety of environmental topics that can be used in the classroom to supplement existing lessons on ecosystems, natural resources, and North Carolina history.

You can sign up for weekly email notifications about upcoming lectures! Contact an office staff member if you have trouble subscribing. 

Learn about the Lunchtime Discovery Series

Tab/Accordion Items

Shannon Ricles, Education and Outreach Coordinator, NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Join us for a dive into "Torpedo Junction" to learn how in 1942, North Carolina became the area where World War II truly came home to America. Discover how NOAA and partners have worked for 12 years to document this important, but little known time in our nation’s history. Learn about the German U-boats that patrolled the waters, and about 86 Allied and merchant ships that sank in just six months. Marvel at the beautiful underwater images of these wrecks and hear stories of their brave crews. Dive 750 feet below the surface and see, for the first time in over 75 years, the wrecks of U-576 and SS Bluefields. Finally, learn NOAA’s next steps to protect these war graves and honor the men who fought and died in ridding the world of tyranny. 

Can’t attend in person? You can watch live https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/DailyPlanet and interact during the talk on the livestream chat or on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

underwater wreckage and artifacts

Haley Elizabeth Plaas, North Carolina Sea Grant/Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Partnership Research Fellow
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream 

In eastern North Carolina, the water quality of the Chowan River and Albemarle Sound is threatened by the recent expansion of toxin-producing, cyanobacterial algal blooms. There are well documented human health effects associated with the consumption of cyanotoxins through drinking water or food supply, but the potential risks associated with the inhalation of airborne toxins have received much less attention. Next summer, with the help of citizen scientist volunteers and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Plaas will be conducting a field study to better understand the environmental factors that promote toxin production in this region and to evaluate the presence of toxins in the air we breathe. Tune in to learn more about this research project!

algae and researchers, algae in a glass

Dr. Jud Kenworthy, Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
November 20, 2019 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream 

Join Dr. Jud Kenworthy as he explores the biodiversity, function and the ecological and economic value of submerged aquatic vegetation in the coastal waters of North Carolina. He will discuss the conservation of this important ecosystem and interactions between submerged aquatic vegetation, human activities and climate change.
researcher on beach and submerged aquatic vegitation
 

Robbie Fearn, Director,  Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Corolla, NC

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
November 13, 2019 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Both the biologically diverse communities and human habitations of North Carolina’s Outer Banks must deal cope with a place in flux, one where the only constant is change. Ephemeral landscapes and ephemeral settlements abound here. So what does climate change and sea-level rise mean in such a landscape? What interventions make sense? How do humans and wildlife adapt and thrive? At the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary in the far northern Outer Banks, they are working answer these questions through research, education and community collaborations. By preserving wild landscapes as well as the oldest standing Duck Club in Currituck County, Audubon safeguards the heritage of a community where the skies were historically blackened by waterfowl while simultaneously setting a course for a resilient future.

Can’t attend in person? You can watch live https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/DailyPlanet and interact during the talk on the livestream chat or on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

Robbie Fearn at the Sactuary
 

Dr. Marcelo Ardon Sayao, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, N.C. State University

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, November 6 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream 

Ghost forests - areas with dead and dying trees - are a common sight along the North Carolina coast. Are ghost forests becoming more common along North Carolina’s shores? If they are, what does that mean for the provision of ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands such as carbon sequestration and nutrient retention? In order to answer these questions, we are looking for volunteers to take pictures and collect basic information about cypress trees and send the information to a central website using a mobile device application.
Learn more about this unique citizen science project and how you can get involved.

dead trees and ghost forests

 

Sharon Meade, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission  

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, October 29, 2019
Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

In the 50 year period from the 1870’s to the 1920’s over 100 gunning clubs and lodges were established in a one hundred mile long area of Back Bay and Currituck Sound. Learn how this change in Currituck Sound created a cottage industry and altered the lives, laws, education and people of Currituck County.
 

hunters with geese and man in front of hunting lodge

Shannon Ricles, Education and Outreach Coordinator, NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream 

Situated just 16 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, rests the remains of the Civil War ironclad, USS Monitor. The Union's first ironclad battled against CSS Virginia on March 9, 1862, when iron met iron for the first time in history. Although the battle was a draw, naval technology changed forever. Join Shannon Ricles, Education and Outreach Coordinator for NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, for an overview of USS Monitor, learning its history, its discovery, and how it became our nation's first national marine sanctuary. Dive below the surface to learn about expeditions to the site, artifact recovery and conservation, and how the remains of two Monitor sailors were found in 2002. Hear the stories of this great ship from construction, to battle, to sinking, to present day, and what the future holds for the Monitor. 
monitor with civil war sailors, monitor wreckage

Sarah Sanford, Virginia and North Carolina Coordinator for the East Coast Greenway Alliance
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

The East Coast Greenway is a 3,000-mile biking and walking route stretching from Maine to Florida. The vision is a continuous, protected path for cyclists, walkers, runners, skaters, equestrians, wheelchair users, and more, connecting people to nature and to their communities. In the Triangle region, the Greenway is 97% complete. We will hear from Sarah Sanford, Virginia and North Carolina Coordinator for the East Coast Greenway Alliance, about the East Coast Greenway in the Triangle and beyond.

Can’t attend in person? You can watch live https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/DailyPlanet or follow the discussion on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

bikers on greenway and sarah sanford mounting greenway sign

John A. Gerwin, Research Curator, Ornithology, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Vultures are a prominent feature of our natural and cultural ecosystems and provide the ultimate “roadside assistance.” In some cultures they are highly regarded, whereas in others, they get little respect. John will discuss their fascinating natural, un-natural and evolutionary histories, along with results from some very recent studies of the vulture gut.

vultures

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, October 2 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

North Carolina is home to over 2,000 fungal species, and the Piedmont is bursting with colorful and beautiful mushrooms. 

Join amateur mycologist Anna McHugh for a tour of North Carolina's fungi, from the delicious to deadly.
Anna McHugh, a writer, mushroom hunter and mycological educator, currently works in marketing and content curation in Raleigh and has also worked in government, media relations, legal advocacy and in community and public radio. A longtime “mycophile,” she was the producer of the “Crazy About Mushrooms” documentary project and now leads mushroom walks in the Triangle area and beyond. 

various mushrooms

Dr. Dan Obenour, North Carolina State University

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, September 25 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

What are the major causes of oxygen depletion and fish kills in the Neuse River Estuary? Moreover, can we predict future water quality problems and identify possible solutions? Dr. Dan Obenour will explore these questions considering the relevant biological and physical processes, as well as insights from recent data-driven modeling.

Dr. Dan Obenour is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University where he focuses on analysis and modeling of surface water systems.

Can’t attend in person? You can watch live https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/DailyPlanet or follow the discussion on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

neuse river, Dr. Dan Obenour, fish kill

Dr. Katie Barnhill-Dilling, North Carolina State University

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, August 28 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Should we use a genetically engineered tree to restore the once iconic American chestnut? How should such a decision be made? Who gets to make those decisions? Dr. Katie Barnhill-Dilling will discuss some of the complex perspectives about the restoration of the American chestnut tree, including those of some Native American communities in Upstate New York.

Dr. Katie Barnhill-Dilling is a postdoctoral research scholar in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University where she focuses on the social science of environmental decision-making.

Dr. Katie Barnhill-Dilling, chestnut tree and chestnut

Dr. Jason Cryan, Deputy Director and Chief, Research & Collections, NC Museum of Natural Sciences

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, August 21 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Most people are familiar with cicadas, with their partially subterranean lifestyle and their signature songs.  But, do you know about the amazing and sometimes unbelievable insect groups related to cicadas?  Dr. Jason Cryan will discuss the fantastic diversity of planthoppers, treehoppers, and spittlebugs…the charismatic cousins of cicadas!  
leaf hoppers

Dr. Krissy Hopkins, Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, August 14 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Dr. Krissy Hopkins is a Research Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey based out of the South Atlantic Water Science Center in Raleigh. Krissy’s research focuses on understanding ways that urban development alters the amount of water and pollutants delivered to streams and rivers. Join Krissy for a journey through the pipes that lie underneath our roadways and buildings to learn about how water infrastructure can help or harm our rivers and streams.

stormwater infrastructure

Chris Goforth, Head, Citizen Science, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, August 7 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Put your smartphone or camera to good use documenting nature for science!  Chris Goforth, head of citizen science at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, will walk you through how to use iNaturalist so that you can become a citizen scientist and share the wildlife you see with scientists worldwide.

two people taking photos at pond and chris goforth
 

Emilee Briggs, North Carolina State University

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, July 31 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Streams are important ecosystems - they make up the majority of river miles in the United States and provide habitat for numerous species. But what lives in urban streams? And how can these fish communities help us understand the impacts of cities on freshwater? Come find out more about the fish that live in our own backyard!

urban stream, fish and Emilee Briggs

Dr. Jillian M. De Gezelle, North Carolina State University

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 3rd Floor, Room 3512
*This talk will begin in the Environmental Literacy Center, 3rd Floor, Room 3512 and will include a tour of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Living Conservatory
Wednesday, July 24 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Dr. Jillian De Gezelle is an ethnobotanist and Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University.  Jillian’s research focuses on medicinal and edible plants, systems of traditional medicine, plants of spiritual significance, and biocultural diversity conservation in the Americas.  Join Jillian for a talk on Central American ethnobotany, highlighting medicinal and other culturally significant plants of Belize, followed by a walk to see some of the same plant species growing in the Museum’s own Living Conservatory!

tropical plants and Dr. Jillian De Gezelle


 

Gail Hughes, Orange Soil and Water Conservation District and Millie Langley, Guilford Soil and Water Conservation District
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, July 10 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream 

This July and August, North Carolina is hosting the largest high school Environmental Education Competition with an expected 450-500 students, advisors, educators, volunteers and guests from across the US, Canada and China attending. The National Conservation Foundation Envirothon program is a competitive event for high school and middle school teams who compete in a natural resources knowledge and ecology field day against other teams. It stimulates, reinforces and enhances students’ interest in the environment and our state’s natural resources. Join us to learn how NCF-Envirothon competition creates future leaders in the conservation, agricultural and environmental fields and find ways you can be involved in the competition and program.

teens in the envirothon program

Basil Yap, Unmanned Aircraft System Program Manager, Division of Aviation, North Carolina Department of Transportation
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
June 26  @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

The North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation led the drone response to Hurricane Florence for the state. The department deployed fifteen drone teams and gathered numerous pictures and videos that were critical to hurricane response. In addition, the Division of Aviation used drones to livestream evacuation routes. The division is also leading a departmentwide integration of drones and has explored a variety of drone applications including herbicide application and endangered species monitoring.

washed out road and drone

Dr. Christian F. Kammerer, Research Curator of Paleontology, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
June 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream 

Underlying the Triangle area are rocks from the Triassic Period (~230 million years old) at the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs. These rocks yield a diverse fauna of prehistoric reptiles and amphibians, including heavily armored crocodile-relatives, giant salamander-like predators and tusked protomammals. Come learn about these strange ancient creatures and their environments, as well as the fieldwork currently being done by NCMNS scientists to excavate their remains.

Dr. Christian F. Kammerer on a fossil dig

Alan Coats, Forest Water Quality Specialist, NC Forest Service 
Wednesday, June 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center

Watch the Livestream

When harvesting forest products, North Carolina’s landowners must factor in a number of considerations, including water quality, threatened and endangered species, and soil health. To assist with this process, the North Carolina Forest Service has developed the Forest Preharvest Planning Tool – a free online tool for forest landowners, resource management professionals, and anyone interested in learning more about North Carolina’s forestland. Find out more about what the tool offers, and how it can make forestry in North Carolina more sustainable.
Forest Preharvest Planning Tool map

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 3rd Floor, Room 3512
Wednesday, June 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Tracy Feldman, Assistant Professor, St. Andrews University – A Branch of Webber International University

The extent of Earth's biodiversity is still unknown--sometimes we do not even know about species in our own backyards. Many small insects live most of their lives in tiny spaces and may remain undetected; thus, new species may be all around us, waiting to be discovered. Find out about the discoveries of leaf-mining and stem-mining insects in North Carolina and the potential for citizen science projects that tap into this unknown world.

leaves with leaf miner tunnels and leaf miner insects

Bikes, Water and Soul - Introducing Cycling to Diverse Youth
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, May 22 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Kevin Hicks, Founder and Executive Director, Triangle Bikeworks

Watch the Livestream

Film: Bikes, Water and Soul

Ever wonder why so few youth of color are into organized cycling? Triangle Bikeworks has. That’s why they're offering a form of cross country cycling that is unmatched in the state of North Carolina. Come find out how they flipped the norms of biking to re-introduce youth to one of their first loves.

teens biking and Kevin Hicks

Terri Kirby Hathaway, Marine Education Specialist, North Carolina Sea Grant
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
May 15 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Everything you find on the beach has a story behind it, whether the object is natural or manmade. Discover some of the tales behind treasures found while beachcombing on our beaches. Explore seashells and the shell-makers, the secrets of crabs and corals and the mysteries behind floating items that are blown onto the seashore!

shells and other beachcombing finds and Terri Kirby Hathaway holding bowling ball

Olivia Caretti, North Carolina State University
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
May 8 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Imagine diving head-first underwater in a North Carolina estuary…. You think it will be peaceful and quiet once you jump in but instead are greeted by a cacophony of fish and invertebrate songs. The Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab at NC State University is listening to these songs to help decipher who, when, and why species are using underwater habitats. Please join us to find out: what can we learn by eavesdropping on these choruses?

Olivia Caretti, oysters and sound monitoring equipment

African Safari - A Look at Africa's Incredible Wildlife 
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 3rd Floor, Room 3512
Wednesday, May 1 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
John Kinsella

Join us Wednesday at noon for a look at the amazing biodiversity of southern Africa. Many of the species in this part of the world are under constant threat from human activity. This presentation will enhance your appreciation of these biological treasures and teach you about efforts to protect and preserve them.

John Kinsella is a volunteer at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Arthropod Zoo. He retired after a 38-year career with the Animal and Plant Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

leopard and elephants

The Power of Play – How Play Creates Community, Connection and Possibility
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, April 24 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Harden Engelhardt, VP, Play, Kara Strange, Director of Community Engagement, Shenette Swann, Play Coordinator, Even Cooper, Play Coordinator, Marbles Kids Museum  

Watch the Livestream

children doing science experiments and water play

Joe Miller, GetGoingNC 
Wednesday, April 10, 2019, @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center

**This talk will not be livestreamed so make sure you attend in person!
You can “tweet” along with us on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

Joe Miller has written about outdoor adventure in the Southeast since 1992. He wrote a weekly outdoor adventure column, Take It Outside, for The News & Observer in Raleigh for 10 years, and has written for various online sites including his own website, GetGoingNC.com since 2009. He is the author of three books including 100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina, Backpacking North Carolina and Adventure Carolinas. He leads hiking and camping trips, as well as backpacking excursions. Join us on Wednesday at noon as Joe Miller takes us on a journey to some of the lesser known trails of the triangle and beyond.

compass, backpackand hikers



 

Patrick Dougherty, Sculptor 
Wednesday, April 3, 2019, @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center
 

Sculptor Patrick Dougherty will discuss his long career as an environmental artist building sapling sculptures around the world.  

The Big Easy (2017) Sarah P Duke Gardens of Duke University, Durham, NC. Photo: Michael Maundy
Patrick Dougherty working on stick scuplture

Kyla Bloyer, Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
Dr. Bronwyn W. Williams, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Dale Threatt-Taylor, Wake Soil and Water Conservation District
Kusondra King, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Research Center
Wednesday, March 27, Noon – 1:00 p.m. 

Watch the Livestream

Join us for a special panel discussion with four women working in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in North Carolina who will give us a glimpse into their unique experiences and the challenges of working in STEM careers as women.   

Kyla Bloyer, Dr. Bronwyn W. Williams, Dale Threatt-Taylor, Kusondra

Chris Helms, Carolina Beach State Park 
Wednesday, March 20, 2019, @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center
 

“Here’s to the Land of the Longleaf Pine...” Join us Wednesday as Carolina Beach State Park Superintendent Chris Helms shares a legacy of the naval stores industry in North Carolina and how its legacy lives on in the “Tar Heel” state.

Can’t attend in person? You can watch live https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/DailyPlanet or “tweet” along with us on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

longleaf pine in grass stage, man harvesting tar and longleaf pine trees

Laura Finan, North Carolina Museum of Art
Wednesday, March 13, 2019 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center

Watch the Livestream 

Laura Finan, Coordinator of Programs for the North Carolina Museum of Art, talks about what it takes to transform a museum into an indoor garden. Laura developed Art in Bloom with the hopes that it would be repeatable. Now in its fifth year, the event has become a Raleigh tradition and a celebration of spring. Join Laura Wednesday to learn the history and the hopes for this sweet-smelling festival of art and flowers.

Can’t attend in person? You can watch live https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/DailyPlanet or “tweet” along with us on Twitter: @NorthCarolinaEE #LunchTimeDiscovery https://twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE

flower arrangements in art museum

Erin Crouse, The Conservation Fund and Sarah Justice, Town of Cary
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Research Center
Wednesday, March 6, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

As the Triangle has grown, much of the farmland in our region has been lost to development. How can public-private partnerships meet increased demand for local food and support sustainable agriculture? Come learn about Good Hope Farm, a 29-acre urban farm partnership project with the Town of Cary that preserves farmland, opens opportunities to the next generation of farmers and engages the community around agriculture and local food.

farmer, farm rows and kids planting

 

Jason Anthony, Park Ranger, Hanging Rock State Park
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences
February 27, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

The Civilian Conservation Corps was one of the most popular and successful of President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs during the Great Depression. The work that the Corps did in North Carolina and beyond gave us many state and national parks that are prized for their scenic beauty and diversity of natural resources. Come learn about the events that precipitated the Great Depression, the background and history of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the legacy that they left us.

ccc workers quarrying rocks on mountainside

Dr. Elizabeth Nichols, Dr. Rachel Cook and Dr. Zakiya Leggett, North Carolina State University
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Research Center
Wednesday, February 20, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

It’s time to talk trees! On Wednesday we welcome three professors from NC State University’s forestry program. We’ll hear from Dr. Elizabeth Nichols, Dr. Rachel Cook, and Dr. Zakiya Leggett about sustainable forestry and North Carolina’s forestry industry. We’ll also hear an interesting story about using trees to treat wastewater...Join us at noon at the Daily Planet Theater to hear from this knowledgeable tree-o of scientists.

Dr. Elizabeth Nichols, Dr. Rachel Cook and Dr. Zakiya Leggett

 

 

Sandy Canfield, North Carolina Space Grant 
Wednesday, February 13, 2019, @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center

Watch the Livestream

Did you ever have a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut? Or maybe you still do... Join us on Wednesday to learn about the future of North Carolina’s aerospace workforce. Sandy Canfield, Assistant Director of NC Space Grant, will tell us about Space Grant’s work to support aeronautics and space-related education in North Carolina.

adult and 4 youth with large model rocket

Join Jerry Reynolds on a grand safari to his backyard and learn about the Least Brook Lamprey.  The Least Brook Lamprey is certainly one of our least known native fishes with a very interesting lifestyle. This will truly be an immersive experience as Jerry goes to great depth to show you their energetic spawning behavior.  

 

Watch the Livestream

jerry reynolds in forest and least brook lampreys in stream

Ben Dictus, Lead Beekeeper, Bee Downtown
Wednesday, January 23 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Resources’ Nature Research Center
 

Ben Dictus, Lead Beekeeper for Bee Downtown, a business in Durham that installs and maintains beehives to build healthy bee populations, will join us Wednesday to talk about urban beekeeping - its history and challenges. Ben will tell us more about what Bee Downtown does with urban beekeeping and will compare urban beekeeping to other types of beekeeping.

Ben Dictus with bees and working on bee hives

John Gerwin
Research Curator, Ornithology, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Research Center
Wednesday, January 16, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

A sizeable number of wildlife species (not just birds) reach the southern limit of their breeding range in the higher mountains of North Carolina.  John Gerwin, Research Curator of Ornithology, will “high”-light results from several breeding-bird projects conducted in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In addition, John will showcase the natural histories of a handful of other species that breed only at the higher elevations in NC.

 

gray bird in nest

Seacoast Plants of the Carolinas

Dr. Paul Hosier, University of North Carolina Wilmington
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Research Center
Wednesday, January 9, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch the Livestream

Dr. Paul Hosier, coastal plant ecologist and author of Seacoast Plants of the Carolinas – A New Guide for Plant Identification and Use in the Coastal Landscape will join us this Wednesday to explore the amazing plant life that thrives along the North Carolina coast. He will highlight our diverse coastal plant community including the five major plants that cover most of North Carolina’s dunes, and the trees, shrubs, and marsh plants that characterize the major ecological zones along the shore. Dr. Hosier will discuss some of the “all too successful” invasive plants along the coast and some of the more interesting and useful plants such as figs and mistletoe. Join us and find out more about the benefits of conserving and landscaping with native plants.

sea coast plant with small white flower