Latest news with #PiedmontLandConservancy
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Guilford Woods protected by Piedmont Land Conservancy
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The last-standing underdeveloped woods in Greensboro will be saved. Guilford Woods is packed with rich history from the Revolutionary War to the Underground Railroad and is an oasis of ecology. Guilford Woods is where the revolutionary soldiers once walked,and the freedom seekers hid. It's a home to many ecologies. Through the Piedmont Land Conservancy and Guilford College's partnership, the area will be officially protected. To Jim Hood, a retired English professor from Guilford College and a former interim president of Guilford College, Guilford Woods is a special place. 'I spent a lot of time walking around here and learning the names of the plants and animals that lived here,' Hood said. He said in a rapidly developing suburban area, Guilford Woods is the last remaining forest that is untouched, and that is important. 'These trees clean the air. This forest cleans the water for Greensboro,' Hood said. The memories, meaning, and legacy are rooted in nature. Hood highlighted the witness tree, which is approximately 350 years old. It's a silent witness to the operation of the Underground Railroad. 'Freedom seekers hiding out in these woods on their ways to Indiana or other parts of the north to get away from the evils of slavery,' he said. Guilford College and the Piedmont Land Conservancy have teamed up to preserve 120 acres of the most valuable areas of the woods. Now, Guilford Woods can continue to be used as an outdoor classroom and financially benefit the college. 'It's a way for the college to withdraw some money from an asset that was increasing in value not in a tangible kind of way, but this makes it more tangible,' he said. For Kevin Redding, the executive director of the Piedmont Land Conservancy, retracing the steps of the revolutionary soldiers made preserving the land a cause worth fighting for. 'Hundreds of years old forest. It has the history component to it. It has the educational component to it. It has a public available recreation part of it. It has everything we would wish in a conservation property,' Redding said. The Piedmont Land Conservancy plans on raising $8.5 million through private donations. In total, they will be preserving about 245 acres of land in the area, including Price Park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Triad conservationist warns of tick dangers after hospitalization: ‘I got really sick'
(WGHP) — Tick season lasts from early spring through fall, and ticks can have dire consequences if they aren't found. It can happen to even the most experienced outdoorsmen like Piedmont Land Conservancy Executive Director Kevin Redding. Redding has spent most of his life outside, not only with his work, but his hobbies are fly-fishing and hunting. Walking in nature has its rewards. 'The great part of my job is I get to spend a good amount of time outdoors. I get to hike properties, walk on greenways and walk in fields,' Redding said. And it also comes with risks. Among the blades of grass and bramble are little insects small enough to fit on a pencil, and they love to jump on people and pets. 'My experience was I got really sick a few weeks ago from what turned out to be a tick bite, but we didn't know that at the beginning,' Redding said. He underwent a battery of tests after ending up hospitalized before they landed on a diagnosis. 'I was fortunate because I knew I had a tick on me a week before,' he said. The tick had given him a bacterial infection called ehrlichiosis. He underwent treatment, which required antibiotics, and he's back to doing what he loves, but spreading the word that it can happen to anyone. 'Anytime you're out in vegetation … you need to wear light clothes. You need to spray. You need to check yourself really good afterwards … I do a really good job of that, and it still got me,' Redding said. There are multiple illnesses from ticks, including Lyme disease. 'If you get sick, and you've been anywhere close to outdoors, make sure your doctor knows it's in your history, so they can quickly test you for tick-borne illness,' he said. Here are the most venomous snakes to look out for in North Carolina and what to do if you get bitten The four types of ticks to be aware of in NC are: Black-legged tick (also known as deer tick) The lone star tick The American dog tick The Brown dog tick While the threat of Lyme disease is only found in black-legged ticks, which prefer spring and fall temperatures to summer, that doesn't mean there aren't other tick-borne diseases to be aware of. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is harmful to people and domestic dogs. It can be treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, it can sometimes cause death. The symptoms include: fever headache muscle pain vomiting possible rash A tick must be attached for at least six hours to transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease, so checking yourself after any time spent in an environment that could have ticks is very important. If you've been in a grassy and wooded area, it's always a good idea to check for ticks in the first few hours after you get back and take a shower to possibly wash off any potential ticks. Insect repellents are effective as well and should be applied liberally. Trying to avoid tick-infested areas while picking a campsite? Use a piece of white fabric and brush it across the ground. If you get ticks on the fabric, pick a new place. If you get a tick on you, follow these steps to remove it: Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible. Pull up with steady pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick since that can cause the mouth parts to break off and stay in your skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you can't remove the mouth with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. After the tick has been removed, clean the bitten area with alcohol or wash it with soap and water. Never crush a tick, smother one with petroleum jelly or use a flame to try and get it to let go of you. Instead, flush it down the toilet, put it in a sealed bag, wrap it tightly in tape or put it in alcohol. It's also good to frequently check your pets for ticks, especially if they've been outside because they can get a variety of diseases such as: Lyme disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever canine ehrlichiosis anaplasma The CDC recommends talking to your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your dogs and making sure you know what kinds of ticks live in your area. Here are the most venomous snakes to look out for in North Carolina and what to do if you get bitten Ticks like to latch on to long-haired dogs, especially. Reducing the tick habitat in your yard is another great way to keep your pets safe from the bloodsuckers. Keep your yard mowed and free of leaf litter to avoid creating a prime environment for ticks. For large-scale infestations, pesticides can be used to cut down on the tick population. Be mindful of your use of pesticides and follow the instructions exactly. Don't let bitey little bugs ruin your summer. With the right preparations, ticks won't be a problem for you or your family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
