[Durham INC] Durham Adds "Creek Week" Events March 19-26

[Blalock, Amy]

City of Durham

County of Durham

 

Joint News Release

 

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2011

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist, City of Durham

(919) 560-4123, ext. 11253

 

Dawn D. Dudley

Public  Information Specialist, County of Durham

(919) 560-0008

 

 

Durham Celebrates "Creek Week" March 19-26

Newly Added Events and Cleanups Expand Weeklong Activities that Connect
Durham Residents with Local Waterways

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Residents interested in discovering and protecting
Durham's local waterways should mark their calendars now for even more
ways to celebrate Durham's 3rd Annual Creek Week, March 19-26, 2011.

 

As part of the City and County of Durham's ongoing efforts to educate
residents and support community-based activism to protect Durham's local
natural environment, this year's Creek Week will showcase dozens of fun,
educational activities designed to help Durham residents learn about the
importance of area streams, rivers, lakes, and creeks through learning
programs, recreational activities, and volunteer projects. 

 

Many new Creek Week activities have recently been added to further
encourage residents to get outdoors and explore Durham's hidden nature
gems by canoe or kayak, or on foot via nature walks and hikes in
beautiful locations including Duke Forest, Eno River State Park, and
Sandy Creek Park. 

 

Residents can also join expert historians and naturalists to learn about
the history of local waterways by attending a variety of programs,
including "A History of Durham's Watersheds: From Sewers to Green
Spaces" on Thursday, March 24 at 7 p.m. at the Hayti Heritage Center,
804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham. Other events will showcase birds
and butterflies, night treks to night paddles, wildflower walks and bird
watching hikes - all providing something for everyone, many free, and
all open to the public.

 

New cleanup event locations have also been added at Ellerbe Creek,
Whippoorwill Park, Forest Hills Park, and Elmira Park. These cleanups
join more than a dozen others scheduled for individual volunteers and
organizations at creeks, marshes, streams, and lakes throughout Durham.
Last year, 250 volunteers picked up over 10,000 pounds of trash from
Durham waterways. Residents may also help by labeling storm drains in
their neighborhood and/or inviting their dogs to the "Canines for Clean
Water Pledge" to reduce pet waste on Thursday, March 24 from 5 p.m. to
6:30 p.m.

 

Finally, new free story time programs for children will take place at
the Durham County Main Library and Southwest Regional Library from
Monday, March 21 through Thursday, March 24 focusing on water-themed
books and crafts.

 

"Water resources are immensely important and, unfortunately, many water
bodies are degraded and threatened by the impact of pollution,
development, and littering, which all affects wildlife, aquatic species,
and overall water quality. Creek Week highlights both our successes and
challenges and educates residents so we can all better manage our
waterways for current and future generations," said Dorothea Pierce,
executive director of Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc. "It's is a fantastic
way for Durham residents of all ages to discover local natural areas,
make a difference through volunteer projects, and make connections to
preserve the natural environment for people, wildlife, and plant life."

 

Creek Week is a collaboration of local and state governments as well as
nonprofit organizations that manage, monitor, and protect area
waterways, including the City of Durham, Durham County, Eno River
Association, North Carolina State Parks, Haw River Assembly, Frog Hollow
Outdoors, Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, Keep Durham Beautiful,
Northeast Creek Stream Watch, and New Hope Creek Stream Watch.

 

For a detailed schedule of events, visit www.DurhamCreekWeek.org
<http://www.durhamcreekweek.org/>  or contact Abigail Ferrance-Wu at
(919) 560-4326, ext. 30295 or by e-mail at 
Abigail.Ferrance-Wu at DurhamNC.gov.

 

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