Brad Hestir, Author at Montreat Landcare Committee

Family Outdoor Fun in Montreat

Brad Hestir — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 14:45:07 +0000

Families seeking quality outdoor experiences in Montreat, with a little education as a bonus, will want to take advantage of Montreat Landcare’s Children Outdoors project and its three components. First, ecoEXPLORE is an incentive-based citizen science program for children in grades K-8. It combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors, take pictures, and participate in citizen science. (See https://www.ecoexplore.net/about/.) Secondly, TRACK Trail is a self-guided, science-based nature walk for children in Montreat, one of 160 such trails across America. Four colorful brochures guide parents and children in identifying birds, flowers and trees and even doing “animal athletics.” (See http://www.kidsinparks.com/montreat.) Nature backpacks are not available for check-out due to Covid-19 restrictions. See http://www.montreatlandcare.org/project/children-outdoors/. Good places to begin are at the TRACK Trail kiosk at the Moore Center and the nearby Nature Center adjacent to Flat Creek. (Image courtesy of N.C. Arboretum.)

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Be BearWise

Brad Hestir — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 19:03:29 +0000

Be BearWise IN Montreat!

For information on living with Bears as Neighbors, click here: www.BearWise.org

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Fall Firewise information

Brad Hestir — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 18:34:59 +0000

The greatest fire threat in the Montreat Cove is leaves. As you work on developing your own strategies for dealing with leaves and reducing the threat in your year the Montreat Landcare committee wants to share some resources with you. Click here to view and print out information about a source of help.

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Firewise Reminder

Brad Hestir — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 18:00:25 +0000

Montreat’sFirewise Initiative: Montreat has plenty of fuel for a fast-spreading wildfire – in particular, leaves, mountain laurel, and rhododendron. Our initiative is designed to raise awareness among Montreat residents and to encourage each other to do what we can to reduce the potential for a destructive fire.

Wondering when to prune rhododendron? Right after the bushes are finished blooming is the best time to do any pruning they may need. Tools you need are simple – hand clippers and loppers. If you need to remove larger bushes, then a saw may be required.

These shrubs make blooms that flower on the prior year’s wood. So you have to be careful when pruning them since buds for next spring will be made this summer, and you don’t want to prune those off. Don’t wait to prune your rhododendrons until late summer or even later, or you probably won’t get the flowers you’re looking for next year.

For rhododendrons with large leaves, you want to prune right above their “growth joints,” the place where the plant is starting to grow. Just beneath that point is where dormant buds are, so take care not to cut them off. Small-leafed rhododendrons can be pruned anywhere along their stems.

Cutting back a rhododendron heavily can stop the plant from flowering for a year or two. There are, however, two advantages to heavy pruning. First, they will come back low and full, and then you can keep them that way if they are close to your house. Second, you can prune pretty heavily if needed to get better shape for your bushes. The objective of our Firewise program is to have them at least 10 feet from your house; more is better.

What should you prune away? Check the inside limbs for any that are dead or look weak. Any limbs on the ground or crossing over other limbs should be pruned away, too. You’ll be giving your bush better air circulation and a less hospitable environment for insects and disease.

Remember that the Town of Montreat will haul away brush every other Wednesday. So get those loppers out and let’s have healthier rhododendron and less fuel for a fire!!

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Cottagers Meeting

Brad Hestir — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 16:00:06 +0000

Montreat Landcare Committee will have a table at the Cottagers Meeting on Saturday, July 6, at 10 AM. When attending the meeting, be sure to come by the tables for information.

Bill Seaman has produced a lovely, full color flyer showing information about a number of Landcare Committee activities. You can download a copy online HERE or pick up printed copies at the Landcare table of Saturday.

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4th of July Parade

Brad Hestir — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 20:44:25 +0000

Montreat Landcare Committee are be marching in the 4th of July Parade In the company of special guest, Henrietta Hellbender from the Zoo. Come out and join the fun giving a special welcome to Henrietta!

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Montreat Native Plant Sale will Feature Creeks and Stormwater

Brad Hestir — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:00:23 +0000

Don’t miss the Montreat Native Plant Sale and Arbor Day Celebration, Saturday, April 27th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. at Moore Field in Montreat. It offers a wide selection of indoor and outdoor plants and opportunities to learn about native plants and gardening and about Montreat outdoors. Have fun eating from J Lee’s Chicken Shack food truck and listening to music from Rhiannon and the Relics. Special programs are planned throughout the day. Learn about salamanders (including two creek walks!), and the very special Hellbender salamander. And you cn learn about storm water management and making a rain garden.

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Montreat Native Plant Sale and Arbor Day Celebration is more than a Sale

Brad Hestir — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 17:22:41 +0000

Don’t Miss the Montreat Native Plant Sale and Arbor Day Celebration, Saturday, April 27th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Moore Field in Montreat. It offers shopping for indoor and outdoor plants, learning about native plants and gardening, and learning about Montreat outdoors. Have fun eating from J Lee’s Chicken Shack food truck and listening to music from Rhiannon and the Relics.

Special programs are planned throughout the day: Learn about salamanders including the very special Hellbender. And learn to make a rain garden.

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Montreat Tree Planning Guide Returns

Brad Hestir — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 20:44:41 +0000

Due to a broken link, the still-new “Tree Management Guide” has been inaccessible for a time. The old link is still non-functional, but the guide is now again available. New links are being established in appropriate places including here. To obtain a copy of the guide, click HERE.

The Town of Montreat has a brand new “Tree Management Guide” that forms the foundation for an effective, systemic and proactive tree care program along the Town’s rights-of-way and public properties. The guide also contains valuable information concerning topics such as wildfire preparedness and native tree planting tips that address wider interests of the community.

Trees as an essential part of the Montreat social, economic and environmental fabric and have been celebrated since the community’s founding a century ago. The recognition of Montreat as a “Tree City USA” in 2015 formalized the community’s commitment to maintaining the forest canopy that makes the town a special place to live and visit. Trees shade our homes, institutions, businesses and streets. They clean the air and water, reduce storm water run-off, increase property values, reduce energy costs and make neighborhoods greener, safer and healthier.

The guide was adopted unanimously by the Town Council in July, and resulted from a year-long effort by the Montreat Tree Board. The board is charged with addressing issues concerned with the public trees of the community. See http://www.townofmontreat.org/TreeBoard.php . Thus it deals with topics such as dead and at-risk trees along roads, for example. It also will be addressing best practices for maintenance of trees along utility lines, as pictured here. It is the purpose of the guide and part of the mission of the Tree Board to provide data and other information for all entities and members of the Town to better maintain Montreat’s tree population.

The management guide includes sections on the history of Montreat’s woodlands, a description of Tree City USA activities, results of a 2018 inventory of trees, educational opportunities for homeowners, and various guides to tree and shrub planting and protection of buildings from wildfire. A pdf of the guide is available at here.

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