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<a name="_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:black"><img width="200" height="200" style="width:2.0833in;height:2.0833in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.png@01D9F6A8.E8EEE810" alt="A close up of a sign
Description automatically generated"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:48.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">NEWS RELEASE</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:48.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">For Immediate Release</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">
</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:black">
</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">Date: 10/04/2023</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">Contact: Public Information Office</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">
</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="tabchar"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">Phone: (919) 560-0000/Fax: (919) 560-0020</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:2.5in;text-indent:.5in;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">E-mail:</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></b></span></span><a href="mailto:publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:blue">publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">Volunteers Needed by DCo Open Space Program on October 11</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:#201F1E"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#201F1E">Help remove invasive privet from New Hope Creek Bottomlands Trail</span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">Durham County, N.C.</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">
– The </span></span></span><a href="https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/engineering-and-environmental-services/open-space-and-real-estate-division/durham-county-open-space-program"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">Durham
County Open Space Program</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"> will host a volunteer workday at the
New Hope Creek Bottomlands Trail on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will use various hand tools to remove privet, an invasive woody shrub, along and near the trail.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">Those who
</span></span></span><a href="https://x.gldn.io/e/OiFgKnDgBDb"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">sign up</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">
to volunteer will meet at the New Hope Creek Bottomlands Trail, located at Old Chapel Hill Road Park, 3791 Southwest Durham Drive. This opportunity is for volunteers ages 6 and up. Please note that participants under 14 years old must be accompanied by an
adult.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">This event is part of the Open Space Program’s mission to conserve ecosystems
throughout Durham County, but it is also part of a much broader effort to manage the threat that invasive species pose on a global scale. A recent report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) found
that invasive species are a key factor in the planet’s ongoing biodiversity crisis and have been implicated in 60 percent of recorded extinctions. By participating in this upcoming workday, volunteers can help protect the remarkable diversity of life on Earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">Residents and groups interested in volunteering should sign up using the following
link: </span></span></span><a href="https://x.gldn.io/e/OiFgKnDgBDb"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">https://x.gldn.io/e/OiFgKnDgBDb</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#050505">Contact Open Space Specialist David Bradley for more information about the New Hope Creek Bottomlands Cleanup. Contact him by calling
919-943-3997 or emailing </span></span><a href="mailto:dabradley@dconc.gov"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">dabradley@dconc.gov</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#050505">.
Visit the Open Space Program website </span></span><a href="https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/engineering-and-environmental-services/open-space-and-real-estate-division/durham-county-open-space-program"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif">here</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#050505">.</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#050505"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#050505"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif;color:#050505">###</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk147305638"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next LT Pro",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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