To commemorate the annual tree-planting holiday, the N.C. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program has announced that 73 communities, 12 campuses and five utilities have been awarded 2025 Tree City USA, 2025 Tree Campus Higher Education and 2026 Tree Line USA designations. North Carolina observes Arbor Day the first Friday following March 15, while National Arbor Day is held the last Friday in April each year.
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With North Carolina’s spring wildfire season arriving at a time when most of the state is experiencing moderate to severe drought, the N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to apply best practices and common sense with all outdoor fire, especially yard debris burns.
N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) Warren County staff have been named recipients of the 2025 Moreland Gueth Water Quality Award. This award is presented annually to the N.C. Forest Service employee or team of employees who demonstrate creativity and dedication toward the protection of North Carolina’s water resources.
The N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) is holding Piedmont Training Academy for N.C. Forest Service rangers and foresters Monday, Dec. 8 through Friday, Dec. 12, at Sandhills Community College in Moore County and Stan Adams Training Center in Chatham County. Training courses will cover a variety of wildland firefighting emergency response roles and operations such as initial attack, incident command, basic air operations and field leadership.
North Carolina’s newest educational state forest is now open to the public. Located in Stanley on an important conservation easement, Mountain Island Educational State Forest (ESF) is a working forest, emphasizing forestry best management practices (BMP) related to water quality. Nearby Mountain Island Lake, from which the forest takes its name, supplies water to one out of every 12 residents in North Carolina.
Beginning Nov. 10, the N.C. Forest Service is offering a 20% discount on tree seedling orders placed by active, honorably discharged or retired military personnel throughout November. The discount applies to the first $500 for all new orders, up to a $100 discount.“Many veterans and current military members serving to protect our freedoms are also woodland owners who work hard to help keep North Carolina forests healthy and thriving,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This discount is one way we can show our appreciation to those who have given so much.”
Clemmons Educational State Forest (ESF) located in Clayton has transitioned to its winter hours. With this transition, Clemmons ESF will be open weekly and winter hours will remain in effect through the end of February. The forest is closed on weekends. Clemmons ESF hours of operation are:Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.The forest is closed Saturday through Monday.The forest will also be closed during designated state holidays which include Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
As North Carolina’s fall wildfire season approaches, the N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to protect homes and neighborhoods by taking action to reduce wildfire risk and using recommended best practices to prevent wildfires.
N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) Richmond County Ranger Brandon Van Buren has been named recipient of the 2025 State Forester’s Prescribed Burning Award. Van Buren began his NCFS career as an assistant county ranger in Anson County in 2014. He’s held the role of Richmond County ranger since October 2021.
The N.C. Forest Service will begin accepting orders Tuesday, July 1, for its annual tree seedling sale. With an average annual production of 10 million seedlings, the NCFS Nursery Program produces enough native and genetically improved tree seedlings to plant roughly 18,700 acres of land.