About the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs
The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs is a volunteer based non-profit, support organization created to further the mission, environmental education programs, conservation projects and natural resource management efforts at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. The Board organizes fund-raising initiatives to provide financial, program and environmental education support. The Board also works with the staff to support on-going volunteer efforts as well as advocating to raise awareness to promote the nature preserve and nature center as valuable community resources.
About Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve is a 140 acre registered state natural area located in Cary, NC. The majority of the preserve is comprised of land owned by the State of North Carolina with a small parcel owned by the Town of Cary. Access to the preserve, parking and a small nature/visitor center are located on the Town's property. A little over two miles of trails are available for walking, quiet recreation and nature study. Designated as a State Nature Preserve, Hemlock Bluffs is a unique natural area, created to protect wildlife habitat and preserve the Eastern Hemlock trees on the property. The on-site staff offer environmental education programs to provide insight into the conservation, biology and ecology of the preserve. Click here to find out more about Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
The preserve is open daily from 9:00 am - sunset.
Address: 2616 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27518
Current Happenings
Showcasing the New Exhibit and Appreciating Our Sponsors
Wednesday afternoon, March 6th the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs along with Hemlock Bluffs staff and management came together to celebrate the first phase of the Exhibit Improvement Project in the Stevens Nature Center's exhibit hall and to thank the generous contributors who helped with the project. Friends of Hemlock Bluffs Members, contributors, individual donors, community members and Hemlock Bluffs staff and other Town officials were able to thank The Jandy Ammons Foundation, Digital P Media, the Cary Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival and the Duke Energy Foundation for their funding for exhibit renovations in the nature center. After the exhibit ceremony there was a brief paver dedication in the nature center courtyard.
Duke Energy Foundation Grant Helps Continue Exhibit Renovations
The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs has received $9,700 from the Duke Energy Foundation to continue exhibit renovation work in the exhibit hall in the Stevens Nature Center at Hemlock Bluffs. This funding, combined with organizational funds and community contributions, will allow the Friends to carry on efforts to upgrade outdated displays and bring hands-on technology into the nature center's exhibit hall. We are excited to continue our work in this area to provide improved experiences for preserve visitors and their families. We couldn't do it without our corporate sponsors!
New Magnets Funded for the Stream Mural Exhibit
A private donor provided the funds to rehabilitate the magnets associated with the hands-on exhibit located below the new "Wildlife In Action" display in the Stevens Nature Center. The stream mural is extremely popular with our littlest visitors, who love to place native animals along the stream habitat. The old magnets were so over handled, they were literally loved to death! It was time to bring some new animals into the picture. The new magnets are much more beautiful and are made to hold up to the attention of many little hands. These magnets are even specially sized for small hands. We are so grateful to our private donors!
The Jandy Ammons Foundation Provides Funding
for Another Friends' Project in 2018
A generous grant of $12,500 has been provided for exhibit renovations to the "Our Environment Wall", specifically the "Wildlife In Action" display. The Jandy Ammons Foundation provided funds for the highly successful Children's Nature Trail project in 2015 and is partnering with the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs again to integrate technology and videography into this exhibit to bring Hemlock Bluffs' native wildlife to life for visitors. Grant funds were received in January 2018 and have been used for planning and design, technology procurement, fabrication and installation. Completion of the major components of the new display have been installed. We are happy to report that the exhibit is fully functioning. Please come visit and enjoy the hands-on components of this hands-on attraction! Staff and the Friends Board are grateful to The Jandy Ammons Foundation for helping us to provide a fun and educational project to benefit children and visitors of Hemlock Bluffs for years to come.
Exhibit installation by Point Concepts Design of Raleigh. Staff have set up interactive touchscreen technology for watching wildlife video clips and visitors can use the wildlife camera selfie station that is part of our new display.
Video Introduction is provided by Digital P Media, Inc of Cary.
Video Introduction is provided by Digital P Media, Inc of Cary.
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Thank You to our Supporters for Helping us Raise Funds with the Showing of "Jane" at The Cary
The showing of the movie "Jane" on Sunday, March 25th brought out over 100 viewers to The Cary and raised over $500 for the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs. We are grateful to Joy Ennis at the The Cary for bringing this innovative fund raising idea forward and allowing the Friends the opportunity to be involved. Thank you to all of our members and supporters who viewed the movie and participated in the event. Wasn't the movie awesome?
GO ASK MOM Covers New, Upcoming Video Upgrades in the Stevens Nature Center
The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs are working to assist the Town of Cary to upgrade the displays in the Stevens Nature Center. Part of the exhibit improvements include new videos in the nature center mini theater. The Friends have entered into an agreement with Digital P, a local videography and technology firm to film the "welcome video" for the exhibit hall and to upgrade the playback equipment in the mini theater. Click the button below to see an article on the project and to see a sneak peek of the dramatic videography.
National Trails Day
Saturday, June 2nd 2018
June 4th is a very important day at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. On a day set aside for most folks to take time to enjoy trails and parks, volunteers come to Hemlock Bluffs to work, sweat and give back. "We couldn't keep the Preserve and trails maintained without the help of our volunteers", said Mark Johns in his opening remarks at the start of the event. "We've really come to rely on volunteer support to keep Hemlock Bluffs looking good and having such nice trails".
REI Cary provided t-shirts for all the volunteers and c0-sponsored the event. They are a long-time sponsor of volunteer events at Hemlock Bluffs. The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs provided the volunteers with lunch after the workday.
A raffle was held during lunch, providing volunteers with prizes and goodies as a reward for participating in the volunteer work.
Much work was accomplished including a lot of trail mulching, sprucing up the Children's Nature Trail, gardening in the Children's Garden and the sowing of native wildflowers on the Preserve roadside.
Hemlock Bluffs is so grateful for all of the volunteers who donate their services to assist with projects at the Nature Preserve.
Recent Donations - Thank You!
A recent, recurring donation was made through the "Support Us" Button on our webpage! One of our generous supporters and a fan of Hemlock Bluffs' nature programs made a $500.00 donation to the Friends of Hemlock Buffs. Not only did she make the donation for this year, she made the decision to allow the donation to be deducted from her credit card every January as a continuing charitable gift.
A $300.00 donation was also recently received in the mail from an on-going contributor, Molly Paul. Molly, a young entrepreneur, makes turtle soaps and sells them at a variety of venues, then re-invests the proceeds to benefit nature and wildlife. Molly has helped out at Hemlock Bluffs as a volunteer over the years, and has most recently served on the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs Board as a member-at-large.
Learn more about Molly at: https://www.zeemee.com/mollypaul
The staff of Hemlock Bluffs had requested that we work together to elevate the educational efforts in the nature center, including the nature center's exhibit hall. This year our primary focus is on updating the videos for the mini theater. We have applied for and received grants to update the videos and technology in the exhibit hall including; hiring a videographer and purchasing and installing updated video playback equipment. Donations like these, that come unsolicited, also help us work toward meeting our goals.
A $300.00 donation was also recently received in the mail from an on-going contributor, Molly Paul. Molly, a young entrepreneur, makes turtle soaps and sells them at a variety of venues, then re-invests the proceeds to benefit nature and wildlife. Molly has helped out at Hemlock Bluffs as a volunteer over the years, and has most recently served on the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs Board as a member-at-large.
Learn more about Molly at: https://www.zeemee.com/mollypaul
The staff of Hemlock Bluffs had requested that we work together to elevate the educational efforts in the nature center, including the nature center's exhibit hall. This year our primary focus is on updating the videos for the mini theater. We have applied for and received grants to update the videos and technology in the exhibit hall including; hiring a videographer and purchasing and installing updated video playback equipment. Donations like these, that come unsolicited, also help us work toward meeting our goals.
Molly Paul, our Teen Supporter
Children's Nature Trail |
Molly's Turtle Soaps, an environmental fund-raiser.
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How big is that bird?
Update on the Children's Nature Trail
Caroline and her Dad are dedicated volunteers who have spent hours sprucing up around Hemlock Bluffs. They recently put their talents to work by painting bird silhouettes on the outside of the "little nature center" in the Children's Nature Trail area. Kids will be able to see how big a Barred Owl or Coopers Hawk wing span is and compare how they measure up.
The Children's Nature Trail has taken shape since 2015, and we love hearing feedback from parents and visitors who enjoy it. Thanks to Caroline and her Dad for their continued artistic support of Hemlock Bluffs and their willingness to implement the ideas we throw at them.
Thank you Activate Good, HagerSmith Design, REI,
Jandy Ammons Foundation, Susanne Portanova, private donors, local businesses, Eagle Scouts and Girl Scout Gold Award recipients, local volunteers and the Town of Cary.
This has truly been a community project and it is LOVED by our youngest visitors!
Show your Support by Volunteering
Every year individuals and groups can join forces with the nature center staff to help beautify the trails at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve during two major volunteer workdays. If you enjoy walking, strolling and hiking the trails at the Preserve - consider giving back by volunteering to help with trail work. Come out and work with others who treasure Hemlock Bluffs, you'll feel good about giving back, meet other like-minded people and get a workout in as well!
Sponsors for the event include REI, who typically provides event t-shirts and the Friends of Hemlock Bluffs, who provide lunch.
Volunteer workdays are scheduled throughout the year for organized groups and the general public as well. Thanks to hundreds of volunteers each year; trails are mulched and edged, gardens are maintained and many other Preserve amenities are cared for throughout Hemlock Bluffs.
There's always trail mulching to be done. It's nice to have dedicated volunteers who know how it's done!
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Volunteers worked in the bed on the hillside between the parking lots. It requires a lot of bending over! Not easy work.
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There's always mulching to be done at Hemlock Bluffs. It's nice to have willing volunteers ready to lend a hand!
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The more loads you wheel down the trail, the less you load into the wheelbarrow. It gets harder and harder to push!
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Order A Custom Engraved Paver Place Your Order for a Custom Engraved Paver! Memories and Messages Saved in Stone With a $100 donation, you can save special memories, messages or dedications to that special person in stone. This personalized concrete paver will be a lasting symbol for years of enjoyment. Pavers have been purchased for a variety of reasons over the years; in memorial for a loved one, to honor a beloved pet, as a love token, and even as a marriage proposal! What unique way can you think of to "carve your name in stone"? Engraved Pavers make a unique gift idea. Our engraver/vendor must have at least 25 orders to begin engraving; so depending on how many orders have been received, the installation time of your paver may be the week following the placement of your order or several months later. When pavers are installed, the Friends organize a dedication ceremony and invite both those who ordered the pavers and those to whom they are dedicated. We currently have one dedication ceremony each year. Typically orders placed in the beginning of the calendar year are recognized in the Fall of the same year. Many supporters purchase pavers year after year after year. Won't you join us? |
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Jan and Andy Ammons
Friends Receive Grant from Jandy Ammons Foundation
The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs received a $9,000 grant from the Jandy Ammons Foundation in the fall of 2014. The funding was provided for educational elements to supplement the initial phases of the Children’s Nature Trail at Hemlock Bluffs. The Jandy Ammons Foundation which funds local greenway, park and greenspace projects, came on board to assist with funding for additional trail features to enhance the educational nature of the trail. Initially, the money was used for the large-scale turtle stepper elements and the hand-crafted ceramic bird silhouettes. After the trail was dedicated in June, the rest of the funds were used for interpretive signs, and a playhouse which will serve as a mini nature center.
The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs received a $9,000 grant from the Jandy Ammons Foundation in the fall of 2014. The funding was provided for educational elements to supplement the initial phases of the Children’s Nature Trail at Hemlock Bluffs. The Jandy Ammons Foundation which funds local greenway, park and greenspace projects, came on board to assist with funding for additional trail features to enhance the educational nature of the trail. Initially, the money was used for the large-scale turtle stepper elements and the hand-crafted ceramic bird silhouettes. After the trail was dedicated in June, the rest of the funds were used for interpretive signs, and a playhouse which will serve as a mini nature center.
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Donation of iPad
The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs have provided the preserve staff with an iPad to use in their many educational program. The iPad is equipped with a data plan, and is backed with Geek Squad protection. We purchased a LifeProof case for the iPad so that staff are able to use the device at the creek and throughout the preserve in order to identify and catalog the many species of plants, trees, insects and animals the participants encounter in the field. The iPad was recently used to photo and video document the controlled burn near West Hemlock Bluffs. These photos and the video footage will help document how the Preserve's controlled fire regime plays a role in wildlife habitat management and plant diversity within Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. |
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Friends of Hemlock Bluffs Newsletters
You may click on the issue of the newsletter you are interested in below.
You may click on the issue of the newsletter you are interested in below.
| fall_2015_newsletter.pdf |
| fall_2016_newsletter.pdf |
| summer_2016_newsletter.pdf |
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