Visitors to a state park near Charlotte may be loving the area to death… with cars backed up on crowded weekends and hiking trails packed. From the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media: Producers, Jaein Yoon & Olivia Petrocella; Scriptwriter & Narrator, Sarah Barr; Videographers, Bob Gunter, Drew Stevens; Second Camera: Barr, Petrocella, Yoon; Video Editor, Alex Kim; Executive Producer, Dr. Tom Linden
Environment
Snakes are crucial to the health of Merchants Millpond State Park
Merchants Millpond State Park supports 21 species of snakes. That's a good thing.
From the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media: Producers, Anne McDarris & Kate Johnson; Scriptwriter & Narrator, Riley Davis; Videographers, Bob Gunter, Drew Stevens; Second Camera: Brian Batista, McDarris, Davis; Video Editor, Sarah Redmond; Executive Producer, Dr. Tom Linden
How Lake Waccamaw got rid of hydrilla
Lake Waccamaw has been bombarded with threats over the years—rising waters, algal blooms, excess nutrients, etc.—but the invasive plant hydrilla is finally under control.
From the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media: Producers, Matthew Alexander & Emily Apadula; Scriptwriter & Narrator, A.J. O’Leary; Videographers, Bob Gunter & Drew Stevens; Second Camera: Alexander, O’Leary; Video Editor, Haley France; Executive Producer, Dr. Tom Linden
What hemp farming looks like
Hemp is a cannabis plant, a variant of marijuana, that until recently was considered a drug. Growing it is state-regulated, it’s a popular nutritional supplement, and it’s becoming an important crop for NC farmers.
Mushrooms: foraging, cloning and cooking
There's science behind every step of mushrooms farming: identifying wild mushrooms during foraging season, cloning the ones you like and explaining to customers how to cook them. Get an inside look at what it takes to farm our favorite fungi.
New tools for shark research
The UNC Institute of Marine Sciences manages the nation’s longest running coastal shark survey- going on 45 years. New research into shark tissues will provide new insights into the shark’s life history, movement, diet, and where it fits in the food web.
Eat a fish you've never heard of
Most Americans are stuck on eating shrimp, tuna and salmon. But there's more fish in the sea. North Carolina has an especially diverse population of fish, because our coastline is the nexus of cold and warm water currents. Find out why eating unusual and under-loved fish is good for fisheries and fishermen.
Eat a fish you've never heard of
Most Americans are stuck on eating shrimp, tuna and salmon. But there's more fish in the sea. North Carolina has an especially diverse population of fish, because our coastline is the nexus of cold and warm water currents. Find out why eating unusual and under-loved fish is good for fisheries and fishermen.
How golfers and farmers are helping monarch butterflies
Monarch butterfly populations are declining because of overwintering habitat loss, extreme weather, and milkweed availability. The butterflies only lay eggs on milkweed. BASF is helping farmers create butterfly habitat in non-crop areas. BASF is also working with golf courses to do the same.
The impact of hurricanes on valuable seagrass
Seagrass provides crucial habitat for fish, it filters the water and stabilizes shoreline. But until now, researchers have never looked at how much damage a hurricane does to this valuable coastal habitat.Teams from the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences and UNC Wilmington are investigating