A new biochar program in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services traces its roots to a trifecta of problems affecting Western North Carolina, but it ultimately aims to improve soil and water on farms across the state. Biochar is a carbon-rich soil amendment made by heating organic material in a very low-oxygen … Read more
Healthy forests yield clean water. Water quality regulations, laws and guidance, coupled with education and proactive outreach on best management practices help keep working forests healthy. Actions for protecting the quality of water resources can include encouraging effective streamside management zones (SMZs), working to advance the implementation of erosion and sedimentation control measures and ensuring N.C. … Read more
This summer, Jacksonville city leaders hope to wrap up work on a major hurricane recovery project that was made possible with financial assistance from NCDA&CS. The project covers twelve sites throughout Jacksonville where Hurricane Florence left damage and debris behind. At many of the sites, erosion along streams, drainage areas and other waterways washed away … Read more
While 2020 proved to be one of the most challenging years we have faced, it was also a year of opportunities and accomplishments for the N.C. Forest Service. COVID-19 brought much of the world and much of our lives to what seemed to be a hard stop, but it did not stop the men and … Read more
Keeping North Carolina’s water clean and soil intact sounds good, but it can get pretty complex in practice. It can be a bit overwhelming if you really think about all the sources of pollution and erosion and how to reduce those problems. Fortunately, the Soil and Water Conservation Division of NCDA&CS has lots of people … Read more
