The Village Nature Series is co-hosted by The Village Green and Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and features experts in their field presenting on wildlife, habitats, conservation, and local cultural heritage. Traditionally, these events are held at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers, NC on the last Tuesday of every month at 5pm during the summer season. This year, we are bringing some of these presentations to you virtually!

Thank you to Cedar Creek Club for sponsoring these programs!

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2021 Village Nature Series

April 27th - Restoring Our Earth

Nurturing life in our backyards with Sonya Carpenter, co-owner of Canty Worley and Company

Over the past year, most of us have had our lives significantly disrupted by forces beyond our control. World-wide crises such as the pandemic and the climate crisis may leave us feeling hopeless and helpless. Let's celebrate Earth Day by focusing on choices we can make for a better world. By committing to changes in our own gardens and communities we can nurture the other species by improving the environment that we share. Learn more about how native plants support native species of insects, birds and other wildlife and how practices in your own garden can lead to big changes.

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May 25th – Hope for Hemlocks

Find out about the preservation and restoration of hemlocks with the Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI) - Thom Green, Outreach Associate; Logan Dye, HRI AmeriCorps Member

​The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau is one of the few remaining areas with intact old growth hemlock forest. Many animal species rely on the hemlocks for survival, including some that occur nowhere else on the planet. Indeed, hemlocks are an important part of our ecosystem.

Unfortunately, hemlocks have fallen prey to the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), a tiny invasive insect killing millions of hemlock trees and threatening water quality, wildlife habitat, and forest health in our region.

But don’t lose hope! There are efforts to save these magnificent trees. Lean more in this presentation by the Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI).

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July 27th - The Secrets of Snot Otters

Discovering Hellbenders, unique indigenous salamanders to the area with Lori Williams, Wildlife Biologist for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission

“Snot Otter,” “devil dog,” “lasagna lizard,” “mud devil” are just a few of the colorful names used to describe one of the largest, wrinkliest, slimiest and most fascinating salamanders native to the Appalachian Mountains. Hellbenders, as they are commonly called, live in cool, clean, fast flowing streams in the Southern and Central Appalachians.

But hellbenders are at risk. Like all amphibians, hellbenders breathe through their skin and require extremely clean water to survive. Water pollution, run-off, habitat disturbance and habitat loss have all contributed to decline in hellbender populations across their range. The first step in conservation of these often misunderstood creatures is through education of their habitat, biology, and behavior.
Learn more about the “Secrets of Snot Otters” as Lori Williams, Wildlife Biologist for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, delves into the lives of these fascinating beasts.