| <p>I've been on the road since Wednesday. I drove up to New York for Thanksgiving with two of my sisters and their family. I drove because I am going through another downsizing, and needed to transfer family heirlooms, paintings, and papers to someone with more storage space. Which also means it's been days since I've removed any invasives. I wish that also meant that I also haven't seen a lot of invasives. </p><p>Sadly, not the case. Took several nice hikes in woods nearby. In one, I found Japanese barberry rampaging through the understorty. In another, bittersweet vines battled with multiflora rose and invasive honeysuckle for dominance. Sigh…and mostly I just think about how people living nearby could easily take some initiative and have an enormous, positive impact.</p><p>Hey, the same goes for all of us “back here” in the Triangle. Which I know you know, because you are receiving this newsletter, which means that <i>you </i>have been taking time from your lives to do some planet healing.</p><p>But there's another group of humans who could be doing so much more and making a vast difference: the UNC Board of Trustees. UNC owns <a href="https://facilities.unc.edu/carolina-north-forest/">Carolina North</a>, a preserve of some 750 acres in the heart of Chapel Hill. Lots of CN is in wonderful shape, but large areas are under attack by invasives. Almost nothing is being done about it.</p><p>So I wrote a letter to the Board, asking them to take notice, and take action. I share below their email addresses and my letter, in hopes that you will do the same thing - get in touch, raise a fuss, with your own words as much as possible. I am not very optimistic that it will make a difference, but I don't think it can hurt!</p><p><strong>Email addresses:</strong></p><p>jppreyer@unc.edu, malcolm@unc.edu, ramseywhite@unc.edu, Patrick.Ballantine@unc.edu, jim.blaine@unc.edu, david.boliek@unc.edu, rob.bryan@unc.edu, jenevans@unc.edu, perrin.jones@unc.edu, mkotis@unc.edu, rmeekins@unc.edu,<br>vin.patel@unc.edu, <a href="mailto:SBP@unc.edu">SBP@unc.edu</a></p><p><strong>My letter:</strong></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear UNC Board of Trustees,</span></p><p>I write to you because you may not be aware that Carolina North, one of the most important nature preserves in the Triangle area, is under severe threat of degradation and loss of native species due to unchecked spread of invasive species.</p><p>Greg Kopsch is the Forest Manager of Carolina North. I encourage you to reach out to him to verify the seriousness of the situation. </p><p>We are in the midst of a human-caused climate and biodiversity crisis. Preserves like Carolina North are absolutely critical when it comes to maintaining resilient ecosystems full of native species.</p><p>At this very moment, privet and eleagnus (olive) are spreading throughout Carolina North, devastating other understory plants and having a ripple effect through all flora and fauna. </p><p>There are well established and growing patches of wisteria and ailanthus. If they are not removed soon, it will be difficult if not impossible to undo the damage.</p><p>I am sure you are doing many fine things for students, faculty and other members of the UNC community.</p><p>But in the years to come, all humans will be measured by the steps they took to avoid climate disasters and waves of extinctions. You are in a position of authority and responsibility. You have the opportunity - and obligation - to maker an enormous difference.</p><p>Two things are needed ASAP:</p><p><strong>1. Immediately increase staffing for Mr. Kopsch so that he can assign multiple full-time resources to invasive removal.</strong> Unfortunately, staff will NEVER be sufficient to fix the problem at this point, so you also need to....</p><p><strong>2. Authorize Mr. Kopsch to start a program of recruiting and using volunteers to complement staff activities. </strong>Volunteers play a big role in many other parks and preserves in this area. I lead groups of volunteers in close to a dozen of these, and of course there are many others doing the same.</p><p>For example, I am working with Triangle Land Conservancy in the Brumley Preserve (750 acres!). We have held over 100 workdays in the past two years and succeeded in reducing dramatically the acreage of invasives and their damaging impacts.</p><p>I am happy to talk to any of your staff about this issue. In addition, I urge you to contact staff at the NC Botanic Garden, and experts like Johnny Randall, to verify all that I am saying.</p><p>Thank you for taking action on this grave matter,</p> |